What's in a name? Call to restore original name of this Kildare town

The matter was raised at a recent Kildare County Council meeting. Pictured above is the official headquarters of Kildare County Council, Áras Chill Dara, which is located in Naas | FILE PHOTO

placeholder image — The matter was raised at a recent Kildare County Council meeting. Pictured above is the official headquarters of Kildare County Council, Áras Chill Dara, which is located in Naas | FILE PHOTO

The request was made by a local representative

A county councillor has called on Kildare County Council (KCC) to restore the original name of one County Kildare town.

Sinn Féin Cllr Noel Connolly made the request at the latest Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District meeting, which took place on Wednesday, June 17 last.

His call was heard when he submitted a motion requesting KCC to ‘restore its usage of the official name of the town of ‘An Droichead Nua’ [for Newbridge].’

Cllr Connolly’s motion was seconded by Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender.

Sinn Féin Cllr Noel Connolly | FILE PHOTO

Speaking further on the motion, Cllr Connolly that he was conducting research on the history of Newbridge and discovered that, up until the 1970s, the town of Newbridge was referred to as ‘An Droichead Nua’, instead of simply ‘Droichead Nua’.

He added: “I’m not looking for signage to be changed [regarding his proposal], I just want KCC to acknowledge the original name of Newbridge.’

In response, KCC said that a report would follow on the matter, once it had conducted its own research into the possibility of restoring the original name of Newbridge.

However, a representative for KCC who was also present at the meeting told Cllr Connolly that the renaming process ‘is not as simple as first thought’.

PROTECTION OF IDENTITY

Following the meeting, the Leinster Leader asked Cllr Connolly to elaborate on his motivation behind his motion.

Cllr Connolly replied: “Droichead Nua is already the official name so I'm asking that we use the original name, rather than change it.

“Normalising Irish names makes the town more consistent with bilingual public policy and local identity,” he added. “I think with the revival that Irish is experiencing right now, particularly among younger people, that a small change like KCC using the town’s original name will encourage people to use their cúpla focal and help us to protect an identity of a town that is comfortable with encouraging the use of our national language.”

He also said that the subject ‘might be even more relevant’ when Newbridge gets its long-awaited second bridge’.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme