Festive Irish signage plan is written off
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A PROPOSAL to erect Happy Christmas signs in Irish and Ulster-Scots at Belfast City Hall has been rejected.
Sinn Fein councillor Mairtin O’Muilleoir proposed an Irish version of the Happy Christmas sign at a meeting of the council’s development committee, while SDLP councillor Nichola Mallon proposed including Ulster-Scots on the sign.
It was planned to have one new sign displayed alongside the English language one with the Irish translation “Nollaig Shona” as well as the Ulster-Scots translation “Ablythe Yuletide”.
The projected minimum cost of the new sign was estimated to be £3,500.
It sparked a heated debate in the council with Mr O’Muilleoir claiming that refusing to buy an Irish language sign would be “cancelling Christmas for Irish schools across the city”.
Cllr Mallon was accused of “tokenism” by suggesting that Ulster-Scots was also introduced, an accusation which she strongly refuted saying instead it was a “genuine attempt to be inclusive”.
DUP councillor William Humphrey said he was concerned that languages were being abused for political motives.
“If you really have love for a language, you cherish it, not abuse it,” he said.
PUP councillor Hugh Smyth said the proposal was a “waste of money”.
The proposal was voted down 25 to 20 with unionists and Alliance voting against the idea, while Sinn Fein and the SDLP voted for it.
Last year there was controversy in Belfast when Be Festive signs were introduced to fit in with a marketing campaign for the city instead of the more traditional Merry Christmas sign.
Mr Smyth then complained that it was “taking Christ out of Christmas” and gained the support of all the council members to have Merry Christmas signs restored to City Hall.
The council’s budget for this year’s Christmas festivities is just under £140,000, which includes the big switch-on ceremony and festive lighting. There has been no mention yet of any celebrities being approached to stage the switch-on.
The event will take place on November 19.
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
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