Sir, – In relation to the new Liffey bridge and the removal of the name of Tony Gregory from the list of names, I think the following should be exposed to the clear light of day. The so-called Commemorative Naming Committee of Dublin City Council consists of eight councillors under the wing of Dermot Lacey, a Labour Party councillor for Pembroke/Rathmines. No fewer than five of the eight councillors represent Pembroke/Rathmines. These are Dermot Lacey and Mary Freehill, both Labour, Edie Wynne and Paddy McCartan both Fine Gael and Jim O’Callaghan, Fianna Fáil. In addition there is a third Labour Party councillor, Sheila Howes from Ballyfermot/Drimnagh.
The oldest and dirtiest trick in politics is the shifting of the goal-posts to outflank your opponent. This was done by introducing a new regulation that a person must be 20 years dead before being commemorated by Dublin City Council. Contrast this with the naming of the new Boyne bridge after Mary McAleese by a more enlightened council.
Sell the workers down the river in the Beggars Bush agreement and we will name the bridge after Connolly or Hackett, seems to be the Labour Party strategy. I’m disappointed but not surprised, as the political establishment prevented Tony Gregory from being lord mayor of Dublin and ceann comhairle in his lifetime. Of the names left in the ring my support goes to WB Yeats or Swift. – Yours, etc,
NOEL GREGORY,
Sackville Gardens,
Ballybough,
Dublin 3.