An Irishman’s Diary on naming bridges
Why naming a bridge can be trickier than building one
The Gobbins coastal path and trail in Antrim. In due course, the Gobbins bridges are to be given names, although who will be immortalised in them has yet to be announced. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Bridge-building has long been a fundamental part of the peace process in the North, with many attempts to reach harmony through cross-community events. From the physical point of view, the greatest manifestation of the literal meaning of the phrase is the Peace Bridge in Derry, representing a symbolic handshake between the city’s east and west banks.
But this year has seen a rash of structures erected, replete with a mix of public controversy and colourful history. The naming of a new footbridge in Strabane has divided politicians. Nationalists wanted it called after the late Sinn Féin councillor Ivan Barr but this was rejected. Alternatives included Unity Bridge and the John Dunlap Bridge; Dunlap, who was born in Strabane in 1747, was the printer of the first copies of the American declaration of independence. Another suggestion was to honour one of the town’s most celebrated sons, the fast-talking George Cunningham. When he was interviewed on UTV in the early 1970s about the shortage of jobs and the housing crisis in Strabane, Cunningham shot to fame for his high-speed delivery. His rapid-fire answers were later shown on It’ll Be Alright On the Night and other programmes, and these days can be viewed on YouTube.