Madam, – Barry O’Fiacháin’s portrayal as “outrageous” (Letters, January 6th) my suggestion that Dublin City Council consider renaming Victoria Quay to reflect the 250 years of commercial, political and social contribution to Irish life by the Guinness family, is, quite frankly, outrageous.
By stressing his desire for the retention of the name Victoria, which Mr O’Fiacháin says reflects our history of British colonisation over some 800 years, he obviously feels that the memory of Queen Victoria is not adequately commemorated in Ireland.
Not so. Nine place names between Dublin, Galway and Cork, including a Victoria Quay in Cork and the restored Victoria Fountain in Dún Laoghaire, bear witness to our commemorative obligations.
The Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital on Adelaide Road is yet another reminder of Ireland’s former monarch.
I am not a lone voice in this enterprise. In May 2005 former Fine Gael minister and current Dublin MEP Gay Mitchell said that Dublin’s quays should be named after famous Irish writers instead of English kings and queens.
Mr Mitchell, in suggesting James Joyce Quay and Brendan Behan Quay to replace Georges Quay and Victoria Quay, said the capital should do more to celebrate its unique literary tradition.
I feel sure the Guinness family would be delighted and honoured to share their address with either of these literary sons of Baile Átha Cliath, both of whom were partial to a drop of the black stuff. I take it Barry O’Fiacháin won’t drink to that. – Yours, etc,