Bye Anglesea, hello MacSwiney

Anglesea Street is to be renamed in honour of the well known MacSwiney family.

It comes after councillors unanimously agreed to rename the city street MacSwiney Street at a meeting of Cork City Council recently.

However, some councillors raised concerns about the Irish version they were presented with, Sráid Mhic Shuibhne, particularly the Mhic part and its reference to females, like missus or daughter of, when the street name was meant to honour all of the family.

Independent Councillor Lorna Bogue said she didn’t want to be too pernickety about it but wanted to know why that Irish version was chosen. Independent Councillor and historian Kieran McCarthy shared Councillor Bogue’s concern and said he would prefer if the Irish version meant street of the MacSwineys.

He also called for information to be published explaining to the public that it was about all of the MacSwiney family, not just one individual.

Fine Gael’s Garrett Kelleher was another councillor who queried the Irish translation.

It was agreed that the Irish language officer in City Hall would look more closely at the translation.

The street houses some high-profile buildings including parts of City Hall, a court house, a garda station and the headquarters of Cork City Fire Brigade.