Republican News · Thursday 17 December 1998

[An Phoblacht]

Banned Christmas sign goes up

Irish language enthusiasts in West Belfast have gone ahead and placed an Irish language sign on top of Andersonstown Leisure Centre despite a decision by the Unionist-dominated Leisure Services Committee at Belfast City Hall that permission for it was being refused on the grounds that Irish should not be publicly displayed.

The Christmas crib and accompanying sign wishing Beannachtai na Nollag has become a regular feature in recent years, but when Glenand youth training programme's request to put up the sign came before the Leisure Services Committee on Tuesday evening, December 13th, permission was refused following unionist objections.

The move to prohibit the sign being displayed was headed by DUP councillor, Robin Newton, who said it shouldn't go up unless English alone appeared on the sign.

Sinn Fein councillor Martin O Muilleoir, one of those who helped put up the sign on Wednesday afternoon, despite the City Hall dictat said:

``The unionists believe the Penal Laws are still in operation but they can rest assured that their monolingual dictates don't cut much ice with the people of Andersonstown''.

O Muilleoir also commented: ``One wonders where this decision by the mandarins of Belfast City Council leaves the unionist Lord Mayor who sports the emblem `Erin go Brach' on the chain of office''.

Phoblacht 15 December 1988


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