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Should the Spire be renamed after Nelson Mendela?

wretcheddomain

Apparently it's under consideration from the "Commemorative Naming Committee":

Dublin City Council will meet today to discuss plans to rename Dublin's Millennium Spire after the late Nelson Mandela.

The Irish Times reports that a special committee, the Commemorative Naming Committee, will discuss the issue raised by Lord Mayor Oisín Quinn following a suggestion by a member of the public, Fiachra Ó Luain.

Mr Ó Luain appealed to Quinn saying that it would be a "fitting tribute" and pointed out the spire's proximity to the Dunnes Stores on Henry Street where workers boycotted fruit from apartheid South Africa in the 1980s.

Former South African President Mandela was made a Freeman of Dublin City in 1988. Following his release from prison in February 1990, he flew to Ireland to accept the honour in person. The reasons provided by the council are insufficient as many countries could claim the same things.

Chairperson of the committee Dermot Lacey has said that while there is an existing rule that monuments can only be dedicated to people 20 years after their death “everything was up for discussion”.

http://www.rte.ie/ten/news/2014/0115/497950-nelson-pillar/

I think it would be a horrible name. It's known as the Spire and it should be kept as such. Nothing wrong with its current name and I fail to see the connection on why Dublin would commemorate a monument to this man, however admired.

Mandela Monument anyone?

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poundapunnet

harryr711 wrote: »

At least it'd have some meaning to it if they renamed it. All it is at the moment is a stainless steel pole, a complete and utter waste of taxpayer's money.

It's a pretty good example of what has been described as Ireland's "culturally specific desire not to be culturally specific" especially around urban design. We should just call it the Do You Like Us Yet? or the This One Time We Had Money

michael999999

It looks like a massive prick. So let's call it "Bertie".

muppetkiller

It should be named the Ray Houghton Yoke/thingy....no man lifted the nation as much

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJyo1nQU9oE

anncoates

Omackeral wrote: »

It should be called either;

A) The Stiffy by the Liffey

or

The Stilletto in the Ghetto

The Spy-Yor around whose edifice one utters He-Yor.

Mint Aero

Gerry Adams would love that.

wretcheddomain

HighClass wrote: »

Surely it should be named after Bono, he is a massive príck after all!

Only if we have a 20ft rotating image of Bono's head at the top smiling over all of Dublin.

anncoates

wretcheddomain wrote: »

Only if we have a 20ft rotating image of Bono's head at the top smiling over all of Dublin.

Not annoying enough. It would have to be a full figure diamanté replica of him wearing a stetson and raising his arms aloft in earnest supplication to The Almighty to deliver us from Apar-tate.

Skid X

Deleted User wrote: »

"because it's near a dunnes stores that boycotted fruit"

Sweet mother of jesus.

*shakes head*

To be fair, the point of the argument is that the spire happens to be near the Dunnes Stores branch where workers were dismissed for taking a stand against South African fruit imports (not just a random Dunnes shop)

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2013/12/06/the-dunnes-stores-strikers/

Having said that, I don't think renaming the Spike after Nelson Mandela would be a good idea. It's an ugly, soulless erection which has no design features or history which would like it to Mandela (or anyone else)

gobnaitolunacy

Skid X wrote: »

Having said that, I don't think renaming the Spike after Nelson Mandela would be a good idea. It's an ugly, soulless erection which has no design features or history which would like it to Mandela (or anyone else)

Hehe.:D

harryr711

I think we should tear it down and sell it for scrap metal.

EazyD

Does no one else find it hilarious(or ludicrous) that a "commemorative naming commitee" actually exists?

force eleven

I think we've had experiences with monuments named after Nelson in Dublin y'know...

conorhal

ScissorPaperRock wrote: »

Jesus AHers are a cynical bunch.

It was a suggestion by someone who felt that Mandela's values resonate well with those of the Irish.

Just because he wasn't directly connected in a strong way with Ireland, it doesn't mean we can't commemorate his character as something we could aspire to as individuals, and his values as something that we recognise other leaders and humans in general should aspire to.

We can be so inward looking at times, it's a bit sad.

Ah TBH this is 'grabbed from the headlines' populism from a comittee to damn lazy to do anything other then open the Daily Star that morning.

I'm glad the 20yr rule is in place otherwise town be littered with statues of Stephen Gatley or which-ever cause célèbre had kicked that month.
I have no problem with them naming a monument after Mandela 20yrs from how however.

Santa Cruz

I think we should wait until that other great African freedom fighter, Robert Mugabe, dies and name it after him

I Heart Internet

It's the Millenium Spire isn't it?? Not just The Spire?

So it has a name and purpose - to mark the millenium.

I'm not sure about naming it after Nelson Mandela (and I think the "wait 20 years after the die" policy is a sensible one). I just think, if you name it after someone....there's no going back....what if we have a better idea/person.

Name it the "Peace Spire" or something

Penn

Call it "Height of the Boom"

Eight Ball

EazyD wrote: »

Does no one else find it hilarious(or ludicrous) that a "commemorative naming commitee" actually exists?

In any other country yes, in Ireland no because it's par for the course.

I Heart Internet

EazyD wrote: »

Does no one else find it hilarious(or ludicrous) that a "commemorative naming commitee" actually exists?

There was, for a number of years during the last decade or so, (and I swear that I am not making this up) a Central Decentralisation Unit within the Dept of Finance.....becasue you gotta centralise the decentralisation.

http://www.decentralisation.gov.ie/

Daqster

You's are all wrong.

Woodies have a sale on at the moment and that wood effect wallpaper is going dirt cheap.

Cover the fecker in that and paint the top of it pink, will look just like a snooker que and hence forth call it 'The Higgins'.

Barna77

Please don't give Bono a chance to lecture us on this.
We've had enough of his headuphisarseness.

CrabRevolution

I don't get all the hatred for the spire. How can it be a waste if it's not meant to do anything, it's just there. I pass it every day and there's nearly always tourists taking photos at/of it, it's also a good point to meet people, good for directions and as a reference point etc.

What would people rather there be there? Nothing? I think as a shiny, metal giant it makes a nice contrast to the old low buildings on the street (and lack of buildings at the northern end, unfortunately).

If they had built a statue or a fountain you'd have people here saying "Typical Ireland, great opportunity and we do the same as before/everyone else ".

Thats before they even decide who they have as the statue, you'd have the usual anti-Irish types out if it was a nationalist/republian hero. No matter who the statue was of, somebody would hate it. "He may have done great things, but he failed a geography exam in second year, only in Ireland.....".

Just in case; nobody had better suggest bringing back Nelson's column, just don't.

preston johnny

CrabRevolution wrote: »

I don't get all the hatred for the spire. How can it be a waste if it's not meant to do anything, it's just there. I pass it every day and there's nearly always tourists taking photos at/of it, it's also a good point to meet people, good for directions and as a reference point etc.

What would people rather there be there? Nothing? I think as a shiny, metal giant it makes a nice contrast to the old low buildings on the street (and lack of buildings at the northern end, unfortunately).

If they had built a statue or a fountain you'd have people here saying "Typical Ireland, great opportunity and we do the same as before/everyone else ".

Thats before they even decide who they have as the statue, you'd have the usual anti-Irish types out if it was a nationalist/republian hero. No matter who the statue was of, somebody would hate it. "He may have done great things, but he failed a geography exam in second year, only in Ireland.....".

Just in case; nobody had better suggest bringing back Nelson's column, just don't.

Winnie used to like to slide up and down it.

wretcheddomain

Looks like the poll is overwhelmingly in favour of changing the name, surprised it's so close to be honest.

marienbad

uch wrote: »

Tone & Emmett have bridges named after them, Collins an Army Barracks/Museum, so it'd have to be The Sands Stand

Hasn't Sands a hotel named after him ?

[Deleted User]

marienbad wrote: »

Hasn't Sands a hotel named after him ?

Um...is that hotel by the beach by any chance?

Andrew_Doran

Wibbs

No way. For all the hype around him, he was a philandering admitted terrorist wifebeater, who got "peace" only with time in a prison cell. This is the guy who co founded the ANC's military wing, because he reckoned peaceful means weren't much cop. Even after he came out of prison he had more than a few WTF moments, including naming one of grandkids after Gaddafi he admired him so much. GTFO with the hype. If we were to honour a South African Biko and Tutu are way ahead of him IMH.

WoollyRedHat

Commemoration is often a cynical load of ****e, often suggested by opportunistic politicians who are full of it. There's a connection.

I wish the "Lord Mayor" in all its knobheadiness would **** off.

Duckworth_Luas

Didn't they already make him a Morgan Freeman of Dublin?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

Why do we have to name stuff after dead people all the time?

Boyne M1 bridge is called the Mary McAleese bridge. I don't think she has died yet.