A CO LIMERICK village won its battle to gets its ancient harlot back yesterday when an amending placenames order was signed by Minister for Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív.
For centuries, the east Limerick village known as Doon in English, had been known in Irish as Dún Bleisce ( Fort of the Harlot), but the name was changed in 2003.
Following advice from the Placenames Commission the village became An Dún, or The Fort. The unpopular move resulted in some 1,000 locals signing a petition seeking to have "harlot" restored to the name.
They were backed by local politicians and a Limerick County Council motion of support.
The community argued that the literal translation of the word may be "harlot" but the woman the village was named after in ancient times may not have been a harlot in today's sense.
"It could have meant a powerful woman, a feminist," said Councillor Mary Jackman, "Women were very strong back then - there is also a goddess in the history of the area."
She said the return of the old name will be welcomed in the village: "People will be delighted. Love of their own comes first, regardless of what she was."
Faced with the campaign for the name to be amended, Mr Ó Cuív had asked the commission to "consider afresh" their advice.
The department said the commission had "confirmed its view that An Dún is the appropriate Irish version of the name, but has also confirmed to the Minister that the alternative Dún Bleisce has an attested historical basis".
According to historical evidence provided by the commission, the first mention of the name Dún Bleisce was in 774.
Mr Ó Cuív said that, following a strong recommendation to him from local elected representatives, he had considered the matter carefully. "As there is historical evidence to support both versions of the Irish name, I am open to accede to their request and it is legally permissible within the existing legislation for me to do so," he said.