Anglesea Street rename has hit a roadblock

Plans to rename Anglesea Street have been delayed due to city councillors not possessing the legal power to change existing street names.

That’s according to Independent Cllr and historian Kieran McCarthy who told the Cork Independent the delay is due to an “unresolved problem” spotted in the 2014 Local Government Act.

In April of last year city councillors voted to change the street’s name to MacSweeney Street in honour of the famous former lord mayor of Cork Terrance MacSweeney and his family.

Cllr McCarthy said: “Technically, the powers we had were never added to the act. The Department of Local Government are trying to resolve it at the moment but they have given us no time frame and it will probably be outside the decade of commemorations timescale.”

It was hoped that the change would become official within the Decade of Centenaries (2012-2023), but this is now in doubt.

The street, which houses Anglesea Street Garda Station, Cork City Fire Brigade, Cork Courthouse and an entrance to Cork City Hall, had previously been named in honour of Henry Paget, First Marguess of Anglesey, a British field commander in Wellington’s army over 200 years ago.

A spokesperson for Cork City Council said: “Cork City Council notes that there is a need for new regulations to support a process for the renaming of streets within the city centre and will engage with relevant stakeholders in the future in relation to this matter.”