Group’s effort to change Cork street names ‘not anti-British’

A member of a Co Cork group campaigning to change street names to reflect national history has said young Irish people need to stop mimicking Americans and respect their own culture.

The English Market, Victoria Road and Marlboro Street are just some of the street names in the sights of the Cork Street Names Group.

They say the street names should be changed to commemorate local and national heroes and that their movement is not based in anti-British sentiment.

Cllr Diarmaid O’Cadhla (Independent ), a member of the group, told Newstalk Breakfast its members wanted the names changed to “restore the dignity and self-respect of Cork”.

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It was not appropriate that Queen Victoria, who had "presided over the genocide of the Gorta Mór (Irish famine)", should be commemorated while there were no memorials to the thousands who had died, he said.

“It is 170 years since Black ‘47. There are loads of Irish heroes who should be commemorated, not criminals.”

Sentiment

Cllr O’Cadhla denied that his comments or the campaign were stirring up anti-British sentiment.

“I’m not anti-British, I’m just pro-Irish. Young Irish people need to respect our culture and history. The need to stop mimicking the US or France or other countries. They should bring our own culture to the fore.”

Cllr Joe Harris (Social Democrats) said the campaign was "an old trick" with people using politics and history for their own agenda.

“It’s a bit late to be wrapping themselves in the green flag. It is pathetic. The people of Cork see through it. It is a pathological hatred of the English.”

He warned that such anti-British sentiment could jeopardise 20 years of peace and reconciliation in the North.

“The people of Cork have nothing to be ashamed of.”

Mr O’Cadhla said it was a shame that “we can’t remember the names of our ancestors buried in mass graves”.