A freedom of information request in Belfast by the TUV has revealed that over 600 requests were received for 464 bilingual street signs. This appears to be in addition to the 108 streets in the Gaeltacht Quarter that already have bilingual signage. Over 97% (451) of these are for Irish, with the rest being mainly for Ulster-Scots. Importantly, councillors voted to reduce the threshold in favour of dual signage from two-thirds to a mere 15% of residents surveyed.
Not being content that it should be left to any resident to start the request process, councillors are allowed to request that streets be surveyed. Within the Central Ward in Botanic, at least one councillor has nominated 32 of the 41 streets (78%) put forward there, including two streets (Raphael and McClure Streets) that have no residents to be surveyed. The FOI listed the bilingual street signs in the order likely to be considered (i.e., the order in which they received them), and this suggests systematic requests street by street in the Markets area.
A street name is there to help find people and provide a sense of belonging and community to neighbourhoods. The Andersonstown Media Group republished on November 3rd that Conradh na Gaelige’s 1982 campaign to erect Irish bilingual signs was about promoting an Irish identity, and nothing has changed as they still drive Sinn Fein’s Belfast’s Irish language council policy, according to Sinn Fein’s councillor Geraldine McAteer.
Unwanted Irish street signage is being requested in mainly unionist areas, which will only alienate residents. Examples include Ebor Street in the Village, Ballysillan Road, and the Upper Newtownards Road. Will long roads like the Donegall Road only have one survey despite having loyalist and republican sections? The Oldpark Road, which is being considered for Gaelic, has an interface. In East Belfast, an Irish sign application for Victoria Road is cheek by jowl with an Ulster Scots application for Inverary Drive.
Community relations should be foremost. Street signs are becoming permanent symbols of division, while the much-maligned flags and painted kerbstones are temporary.
There are substantial survey, translation, and sign-making costs involved. John Hume’s saying could be adapted to say: You can’t eat a street sign. TUV is opposed to bilingual street signage in any language on the grounds of cost and the stoking of community tensions.
Zoomable Online Maps
Green=Irish, Blue= Ulster Scots, Pink = No Language Specified
Belfast Map – Sorted in order of FOI
Streets number as per order in FOI list
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualBelfast
District Electoral Area (DEA) Maps – Sorted by street name
Balmoral DEA Map (South Belfast – Finaghy to Belvoir)
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualBalmoralDEA
Black Mountain DEA Map (West Belfast – Ballymurphy to Hannahstown)
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualBlackMtDEA
Botanic DEA Map (South Belfast – City Centre to Stranmillis)
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualBotanicDEA
Castle DEA Map (North Belfast -Duncairn to Bellevue)
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualCastleDEA
Collin DEA Map (West Belfast – Poleglass to Dunmurry)
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualCollinDEA
Court DEA Map (West & North Belfast – Falls to Forth River)
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualCourtDEA
Lisnasharragh DEA Map (South & East Belfast -Rosetta to Orangefield)
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualLisnasharraghDEA
Oldpark DEA Map (North Belfast -New Lodge to Ligoniel)
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualOldparkDEA
Ormiston DEA Map (East Belfast – Garnerville to Shandon)
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualOrmistonDEA
Titanic DEA Map (East Belfast – Woodstock to Sydenham)
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualTitanicDEA
Many addresses and No addresses
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/Bilingual%20Long%20Sts%20&%20no%20addresses
Ambiguous Thoroughfares
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualAmbiguous
Requests from councillors
https://www.mapcustomizer.com/map/BilingualElectedMember