Lord Mayor but in a Republic

mikemac

Not realy aimed at any party, just a general question

What do our cities have a Lord Mayor?
Wouldn't including Lord goes against what Republics generally do?

As I understand, you never go to court and say "My lord or m'lud"
Citizens Information website gives this and I remember when this was news

In April 2006 new rules were signed into effect changing the way judges in Ireland are addressed in court. In the past, judges in Ireland were referred to as "My Lord", or "His Lordship". Now, they will be addressed as "Judge" or referred to as "The Court". The only exception to this is in the case of the Chief Justice and President of the High Courts, who are addressed by their titles.

We don't have peerage and the Irish State doesn't grant titles.

So why Lord Mayor of a city?
Was this something overlooked? I wouldn't think it was overlooked but maybe a tradition that nobody wishes or can be bothered to update

Sulmac

feelingstressed wrote: »

I wouldn't think it was overlooked but maybe a tradition that nobody wishes or can be bothered to update

I think you've gotten it in one!

Dublin and Cork are the only cities to have Lord Mayors, the other cities just have Mayors.

It would be nice to see them change this, but we do have bigger issues to deal with!

Manach

Republics usually imply a general equality amongst its citizenry - based on the de facto distribution of wealth and influence, perhaps an oligarchy is a more appropriate designation?

Einhard

Same reason we have the Royal Irish Academy and the Royal College of Surgeons. It's tradition, and some people think the "Royal" or "Lord" adds a hint of pedigree. Which is often true in so far as longevity = pedigree. I don't mind it tbh. As long as they are just meaningless titles, I'm actually quite a fan of such anachronisms.

Dostoevsky

Both Dublin and Cork had humble 'mayors' for centuries before the word 'Lord' was added to the title. In some people's criticism of Irish "nationalist" trends British royalist trends such as this are invariably overlooked.

Hazlittle

The councils shall be sovereign from the Dail. They'll get rid of them when they wish.

Dr. Baltar

It is a part of our history at the end of the day.
They are Lord Mayor de jure but Mayor de facto.

dvpower

Sulmac wrote: »

It would be nice to see them change this, but we do have bigger issues to deal with!

What does that even mean?

Sulmac

dvpower wrote: »

What does that even mean?

You know, that whole economy thing.

GSF

The "Lord" bit is more used to signify that the city is a large one. Some European countries have an equivalent high mayor for large cities versus an ordinary mayor for smaller towns.

dvpower

Sulmac wrote: »

You know, that whole economy thing.

We should suspend working on all legislation unless it has something to do with the economy?

Sulmac

dvpower wrote: »

We should suspend working on all legislation unless it has something to do with the economy?

We shouldn't, but in terms of importance this ranks very low anyway.

Victor

feelingstressed wrote: »

Wouldn't including Lord goes against what Republics generally do?

You might remove the saw mill from your eye first. Surely we have greater problems along the whole democracy / republic thing to sort first?

Remind me how the senate is elected? How much power the president has? How transparent government is? How services are delivered to the people? How knowing hte right people will get you sorted?

mikemac

Victor wrote: »

You might remove the saw mill from your eye first. Surely we have greater problems along the whole democracy / republic thing to sort first?

Ah good man Victor, great man for the sharp comments when not posting press releases for transport issues.

Lets read Post 1

Not realy aimed at any party, just a general question

Yes, a general question.
I've never heard that saw mill comment before, I assume it's the same as "how you nothing better to be worrying over"

And again in Post 1

I wouldn't think it was overlooked but maybe a tradition that nobody wishes or can be bothered to update

And you chose to post anyway and ignore the question?
Maybe I should have posted this in the Political Theory forum, my mistake.

If you don't have an answer or nothing to contribute, why jump into a thread with no answer and belittle a question?
Sorry, it's not on an important issue but if we go that that line, why not get the mods to pre-approve every thread first, in case people get offended as it's not important enough.

icdg

Its not just Ireland. I noted the Germans translated the title of the mayor of Hockenheim as "Lord Mayor" today at the German Grand Prix. Germany hasn't had a monarch since 1918, although it could just be an inaccurate rendering of Oberburgermeister into English.

As to the reason it remained. When the Saorstat Éireann constitution was adopted, all laws of Ireland since the Norman invasion, that had not otherwise been repealed or were not repugnant with the Constitution, continued in force. Likewise when the Constitution of Ireland was adopted. We didn't start with a clean slate, all royal charters etc remained in force (indeed Kilkenny's only legal claim to being a city is its Royal Charter). Indeed the Lord Mayor of Dublin before 2001 had the right to the style "The Right Honorable the Lord Mayor of Dublin" - notwithstanding the abolition of the Privy Council of Ireland - and the Corporation was styled "The Right Honorable the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgessess of the City of Dublin". This was abolished in 2001 but they retained the title of Lord Mayor.

If the Greens ever get their wish to have a directly elected Mayor of Dublin, it'll have the utillity of helping disambiguate between the Mayor of Dublin and the Lord Mayor of Dublin. Indeed London has both a Mayor of (Greater) London and a Lord Mayor of (the City of) London.