Calls for at least half of new developments in Portlaoise to have Irish names

There have been calls for at least half of all new developments in Portlaoise to have Irish names as more and more people are drawn to learning and speaking the language.

Councillor Paddy Buggy has requested that the Portlaoise MD Place Naming Committee ensure that a minimum of 50% of all new developments in the municipal district be named as Gaeilge. 

Presenting his motion to Laois County Council at the March meeting of the Portlaoise MD, the Fine Gael councillor addressed the council in Irish and urged that now is an ideal time to push for this given the increased interest in the language. 

"Many people are speaking Irish and many more would like to be able to. I think that it would be easier for people to speak Irish if they could see Irish words in everyday use, on developments and on shops. It would become part of everyday language if there was a mixture of English and Irish language used," Cllr Buggy said.

"Although what I am proposing here will not convert everyone to speaking Irish, it will introduce Irish words into everyday use and this would be a help to those who are trying to speak it. I hope that the spirit of what this motion is about will be taken on by the Place Naming Committee and we see more Irish names being given to new developments in this municipal district," he concluded.

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The Portlaoise councillor was supported by Cllr Tommy Mulligan and Cllr Barry Walsh who both agreed it is important to preserve the language. 

Backing the proposal, Cllr Mulligan told the council: "Place names give a sense of heritage, tradition and history of an area. It's a way of further encouraging Irish. It's fashionable now and more people want to speak it."

Also in agreement with the idea, Cllr Walsh emphasised that "place names are there forever and we need to remember our past."

In response to the motion, the Place Names Committee noted that as per policy, the naming and numbering of residential estates is approved in advance by the Naming and Memorials Committee of the Planning Authority. When naming new developments, developers must submit the proposed placename and reasons for their choice. 

The committee said: "In general, the naming of streets and residential estates shall reflect the local place names and people of note, heritage, language, topographical or landscape features as appropriate and shall incorporate old place names from the locality as much as possible."

They added that the use of bi-lingual and Irish-Language signs will be encouraged.

This policy is reviewed every 5 years by the Commemorative Naming Committee at which time new proposals can be considered. This committee will be made aware of the motion for consideration. 

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