Derry/Londonderry

The decision of Derry City and Strabane District Council to officially change the name of the city to Derry has been described as "sectarian" and "disgusting" by Unionists. Only in Ireland, where people get up early in the morning to be outraged, would people react in such a way. The name of the city has always been Derry or, to be precise, Doire, a name St Columcille would have recognized. There is, however, an alternative approach that takes account of the fact that N.Ireland is a divided society (and like the rest of Ireland, a society where people start every day at high doe): the city, the county, the city council and the county council (if there is one) could be named both Derry and Londonderry with both names on letter-headed paper, used in state papers, text books, O/S maps, etc., North and South. Road signs, North and South, should also be changed to Derry/Londonderry, for road safety reasons. Tourists crossing the border might wonder where the signs for Derry/Londonerry (depending on where they started) had gone and get confused.

It should not be necessary to have to suggest this.

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