Sir, - Dick Hogan (Southern Report, December 7th) refers to welcome progress being made by An Coimisiun Logainmeacha (The Placenames Commission) and UCC in the field of Irish placenames.
Reference was made to the use by builders and developers of pretentious, upwardly-mobile, British-sounding names in naming their estates. This practice has been spreading and all parts of the country seem to be affected.
However, I am happy to see that Limerick Corporation has taken steps to arrest this practice by including in its current development plan a clause as follows: "In the laying out of any area for development, the developer shall, as part of the proposal, agree with the Corporation a scheme for the naming of the area and of the proposed roads and streets therein, including the numbering of buildings, structures and other units therein. Such nomenclature shall be cognisant of local historical and cultural traditions and shall endeavour to maintain a continuity of traditional place names.
I suggest that other local authorities might follow the Limerick example. - Yours, etc.,
Michael T. Donnellan, Merval Park, Clareview, Limerick.