Plebiscite on Dingle / An Daingean

Dingle Ballot

Here in Dingle/An Daingean/Daingean Ui Chuis, we have received our ballots for the plebiscite regarding the name change.

Two interesting points:

  1. It’s hardly a secret ballot, since you have to sign and put your address as well as having it witnessed. That doesn’t seem to make sense in terms of the rules of referenda which refer to secrecy… 
  2. There has been much made in the press about the Irish vs. the English name, but there is another big factor – there are few Dingle people that I know who consider “An Daingean” to be the correct Irish name – it’s “Daingean Ui Chuis”. So the “yes” camp includes the unlikely pairing of Irish language purists and anglophiles…

I always feel happy for referenda – it’s power to the people and true democracy at work. However, I don’t believe the plebiscite is binding so it will be interesting to see what comes out of it.

The deadline for the ballot is October 19th, and whatever happens, Dingle/An Daingean/Daingean Ui Chuis will be happy for all the publicity …

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11 thoughts on “Plebiscite on Dingle / An Daingean”

  3. Of course, I shouldn’t have asked. How rude of me.
    This vote doesn’t mean it will change its name however, just that a review will be held by the goverment on its status as a Gaeltacht village.

    And I believe it would be a shame for it to lose that status as its the main Gaeltacht town in Corca Dhuibhne.

    It serves a wider Gaeltacht community than its few streets.

  4. Even Joe O’Toole calls it “An Daingean” in oridinary speech in Irish.

    That’s what you will find in (almost) any Irish literature, with the occasional addition of Uí Chúis.

  5. Míle buíochas as an scríbhneoireacht!

    It certainly would be a shame if the town would lose its Gaeltacht status. The Gaeltacht is small enough as it is…

    According the friends I have here who are immersed in Irish and historically minded, Daingean Uí Chúis was always referred to as An Daingean by the surrounding areas – we do tend to shorten things in every day speech. But most of the townspeople do hold the proper name is the first one…

    In any case, I certainly don’t mind at all people choosing in a ballot which they prefer. (I have to state here that I am not a native!)

    As a businessman here, especially one who caters for tourists, I don’t mind saying that I don’t believe an Irish name is a detriment, and I don’t hold that the Irish would hurt us. Let’s not forget Cobh used to be Queenstown, Dun Laoghaire used to be Kingstown. Mumbai used to be called Bombay, but that didn’t stop me visiting! In Italy, I didn’t avoid Rome because the signs said “Roma” and in Germany I managed just fine in Koln, even though there was no sign of Cologne!

  8. Love the slide show. I’ve been enjoying your blog for a while now and yet this is my first comment. I hope to be able to visit your shop in a few weeks time as I plan on being in Dingle. Your slide show is helping me decide what wonderful flavours to try! Thanks!

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