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[Article] Placenames plan is 'ridiculous' - tourism chief

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  • 01-07-2004 9:04pm
    #1
    Victor
    Registered Users Posts: 78,261 ✭✭✭✭


    http://home.eircom.net/content/irelandcom/breaking/3505759?view=Eircomnet
    Placenames plan is 'ridiculous' - tourism chief
    From:ireland.com
    Thursday, 1st July, 2004

    The Chairman of the North West Tourism Board has described as "absolutely ridiculous" the new Placenames Order (Gaeltacht Districts) 2004.

    The draft order published today by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr O'Cuiv, means the English version of placenames in Gaeltacht areas will no longer have legal standing.

    The order will no longer permit the use of the English version of placenames in the Acts of the Oireachtas, in statutory instruments, on road and street signage or on Ordnance Survey maps.

    Speaking on RTÉ Radio this morning, Councillor Sean McEniff (FF), Chairman of North West Tourism, said that in many cases "the Irish names bear no resemblance to the English versions".

    He claimed the new order will result in confusion for tourists from across the border as well as England and America.

    "People will not know where they are going because, after all ,when they get out their maps they are in English," said Mr McEniff.

    However, Mr O'Cuiv today defended the draft order, saying he didn't understand the issues raised by Mr Eniff . "The placenames have been in Irish in Gaeltacht areas since the 1970s when Bobby Molloy made the order," Mr O'Cuiv said.

    "The fact was that none of them were official in the Irish language, only in English," he said. "What the new order does is reverse that in Gaeltacht areas, making the Irish form the official one in these areas," Mr O'Cuiv added.

    Mr O'Cuiv pointed out that Ordnance Survey maps show both English and Irish versions of placenames.

    About 2,119 placenames of villages and towns in the country's Gaeltacht areas are listed in the draft order, which was published this morning .

    "The names have been recommended by the Placenames Commission, and concern the places' history, spelling etc . . . " said Mr O'Cuiv.

    "Rather than sign the order, we've given a period of consultation for people of the Gaeltacht to make submissions. Most of them will not be contentious," he added.

    The draft list of the Gaeltacht placenames is available on the Department website at www.pobail.ie


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    #2
    simu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,730 ✭✭✭✭simu


    It's for the people living there rather than tourists. Besides, the English versions of placenames are just as strange in terms of pronunciation.


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    #3
    Gael
    Registered Users Posts: 1,286 ✭✭✭Gael


    The same Seán(do the tourists have difficulty pronouncing HIS name) McEniff who was whinging about the smoking ban recently? Perpetual whinger.


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    #4
    Dun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,967 ✭✭✭Dun


    I liked the fact that when I was down the other side of Donegal all the signs were in Irish, though it was a bit confusing trying to find Burtonport (Ailt an Chorráin), but is that not the fault of the map makers? I wonder are the signs to Venice spelt like that in Italy? I'm sure they're not considering changing the road signs there because some lazy tourist hasn't bothered find out that it's Venezia in Italian.

    And Mr McEniff may yammer on about the smoking ban driving away tourists - the ton of Derry people in Buncrana today on a not-so-great-day weather-wise says a lot about that.


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