Letter: Unified approach between unionists and nationalists is needed to resolve Irish/English signage dilemma

The last thing we need is to have Irish/English signage used to demark areas as belonging to one community or another.

Belfast is already a divided city and John O’Dowd’s attempt to create a ‘Gaeltacht Quarter’ in Belfast with traffic signs in Irish and English to demark the area will add to that division.

Unfortunately, the tensions over the issue of Irish have been raised to the extent that any attempt to discuss it tends to result in personal abuse.

Can I again suggest that unionist parties on all councils in Northern Ireland explore the option of having the signs welcoming people to our towns display the current version of the name, the original Irish version (where it exists) and then a literal translation of the Irish back to English.

That will harm no one, but will at least let the nationalists see that the Irish language is being respected, and importantly, the same policy will apply to all areas – no ghettoes will be created.

Furthermore, this seems like a common-sense move. Some villages such as Ahoghill already have the English translation (‘field of the yew tree’) of the original Irish name Achadh Eochaille displayed on their sign, but leave out the Irish words. This seems unnecessarily rude.

In addition, I believe as part of the geography syllabus in all schools that children should be taught the Irish roots for local town signs, not because I particularly want to promote Irish, but because most pupils will benefit from knowing a little local history. (I have sent a separate communication to Paul Givan, our education minister, on this point.)

These suggestions will meet some opposition from unionists but N. Ireland is one political unit – we remain British or join with Ireland as one unit.

Allowing the place to fragment into areas that belong to one community or another will make good community relations more difficult and is not in the interests of anyone.

Let’s learn from past errors. Anything that is seen as an attempt to suppress Irish simply motivates more people to undertake the very difficult task of learning the language. We should learn to live and let live.

Arnold Carton, Belfast BT6