Public get to choose new street name

One of Cork city’s most well-known streets is set for a name change.

Councillors were last night informed that Anglesea Street would be renamed as part of the War of Independence centenary celebrations on Leeside and the public get to choose its new name.

It means that the name must be associated in some way with the Irish War of Independence. 

If it’s carried out the way the Mary Elmes Bridge was named, the public will be able to submit their chosen names and then a group from City Hall will whittle it down to five or six with councillors voting for their favourite. 

Sinn Féin had previously submitted a motion calling for the street to be renamed in honour of Tomás Mac Curtain with Cllr Henry Cremin last night echoing those calls. 

Local historian and Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy welcomed the name change and later took to Twitter to say: “Goodbye to the name of Henry Paget, First Marguess of Anglesey, a British field commander in Wellington’s army from over 200 years ago.”

Fianna Fáil’s Colm Kelleher wanted to make sure that it couldn’t be called “Mickey Mouse Street”, for example, with the Lord Mayor Cllr John Sheehan confirming that the name needs to relate to Cork’s centenary celebrations. 

Another Fianna Fáil councillor Sean Martin queried why there was a change in protocol explaining that a plebiscite is usually voted on when it comes to renaming a street.

The lord mayor explained that because there is just one person living on Anglesea Street, a plebiscite was not needed. He also said that by doing it this way it would get the public involved and talking about Cork’s involvement in the War of Independence.  

He said: “The feeling from the Centenary Committee and my view is that the process would mean more public engagement and involvement. This opens it up to a wider audience.”