Madam, – While I agree with Gerry Barry, superintendent, Dublin City Parks (Features, April 23rd) that there is a titular imbalance throughout the City of Dublin that ignores women in the naming of streets, parks, bridges and other prominent landmarks, I believe we should not repeat the folly of the 1970s when the councillors of Dublin Corporation attempted to rename Merrion Square Park, Archbishop Ryan Park. The absence of a coherent naming policy for the city environs is partially at fault and is evidenced by the failure of Archbishop Ryan’s name to establish itself in Merrion Square after 25 years’ imposition.
In the same article, Dr Mary Condren of Trinity’s Centre for Gender and Women’s Studies proposes that Merrion Square park be renamed after mythological Brigid. This would result in another folly, I believe.
In that case why not extend the interference with the naming policy of our city to Merrion Square itself, Merrion Street Upper and Lower, Merrion Gates, Merrion Road, Merrion Centre? Mount Merrion would then become Mount Brigid and who knows what the Duke of Wellington’s former home, The Merrion Hotel, would be called.
In the 1760s, Merrion Square took its name from the Fitzwilliam family estates in Mount Merrion where their descendants had resided since the 14th century.
The name of Merrion Square Park is logically and historically inseparable from Merrion Square itself. Our city councillors have a simple task ahead, ie to reinstate the name Merrion Square Park. – Yours, etc,