Don’t write Londonderry, or “some glipe is sure to come out and deface it…”

Malachi, with typical verve comes out celebrating (ie, fighting) the beautiful but purposely underused name of Londonderry…

And there are many who will insist on the name of the city being Derry. They include serious thoughtful people and people with strong commercial heads on their Londonderry shoulders. So flights having been arriving at City of Derry Airport to do business in Londonderry.

Not that anyone local would be confused about where they were, but it must cause foreign visitors some hesitation, enticing them to check their maps again to find Londonderry, the city beside the City of Derry airport.

And now the fretting extends to Limavady, where Sinn Fein councillors resent people being welcomed to the town with a notice recalling that it is the home of a tune called The Londonderry Air. This is the tune to which the lyrics of Danny Boy have been attached.

The signage helpfully guides the visitor to that understanding with a graphic of a clip of the musical score and the words of Danny Boy.

So you’d think there wouldn’t be a problem.

But some Sinn Fein councillors think that the sign should claim that Limavady is the home of the song, Danny Boy, which would be a lie. Limavady has no claim to the lyrics, only to the tune. The song was written by an Englishman, Frederic Weatherly. The real problem is that the sign will bear the offensive word Londonderry.

And some glipe is sure to come out and deface it.

I’ll finish by replicating Alex Kanes – non-rhetorical – question to our Republican leaders.

What part of unionist identity do republicans 'embrace'? (Not a trick question: but do hear SF say unionists won't embrace Irish identity).

— Alex.Kane (@AlexKane221b) October 2, 2017