THE WEST Kerry Gaeltacht representative group, Todhchaí na Gaeltachta, yesterday said it will insist on greater status for the Irish name for Dingle on road signs outside the Gaeltacht.
Minister for the Environment John Gormley plans legislation which would allow the town to be known as “Dingle” in English and “Daingean Uí Chúis” in Irish.
Since the town is an Irish-speaking area, the road signs in the Gaeltacht would continue to give its name in Irish only, but outside the Gaeltacht it would be referred to as “Dingle/Daingean Uí Chúis”.
It is hoped this will end the long-running controversy over what the town, a popular tourist destination, should be called.
Todhchaí na Gaeltachta, which has campaigned to retain the town’s official Irish name, said it would “be at least a year” before any final decision would be taken.
It will propose that road signs for Dingle, on the approach roads outside the Gaeltacht, will emphasise “the Irish version”. The group also said it would seek to increase the usage of Irish in Dingle so as to keep the town in the Gaeltacht.