R369 or Daly’s Lane?
THE name of a city centre lane has resulted in a row between Councillor Tom Shortt and local garage owner Michael Daly.
Cllr Shortt is demanding that what he claims is an unlawfully erected nameplate, be removed.
The official name of the lane, off Mallow Street, is, according to Limerick City Councill, road number 369.
However, the nameplate ‘Daly’s Lane’ appeared on a side wall 15 years ago.
Michael Daly has challenged Clr Shortt’s interpretation.
He argues that the laneway was named Daly’s Lane by late Limerick City Council architect, Gerry Joyce. “It was in memory of the Fenian John Daly, mayor in the 1890’s, and a distant relation of mine,” asserted Mr Daly.
John Daly was mayor from 1899-1901; according to a book published by Mr Joyce, no laneway or street was officially named after him.
Daly’s Avenue in Janesboro was named after his nephew Edward Daly commander of a regiment in the 1916 rising.
When asked his views on the sharing of the same surname on the laneway, the garage owner replied:
“That happens to be a coincidence”.
He suggested that when it was erected 15 years ago, Limerick City Council had run out of signs.
“We decided to go ahead and put up our own sign after discussions with Limerick City Council”.
Mr Daly, who has run a garage there for 40 years, has questioned Tom Shortt’s motivation.
“He’s out of his jurisdiction, this lane is not in his ward”.
Mr Daly also claimed the nameplate could not be removed because it had been in place for over seven years. Cllr Shortt has warned that the city council should not tolerate what he described as ‘high-handed behaviour’.
“The official street name is Road number 369. What would happen if everyone was going around naming streets after themselves in the city?
“A democratic process needs to be followed when naming streets and lanes, so that there is some connection to the area”.
Cllr Shortt’s motion to have the nameplate removed was on the agenda of this week’s meeting of Limerick City Council, but was not discussed because of his absence.
Mr Daly promises to attend the next meeting to defend himself.
“Visitors to the city will be lost if the name is removed, it’s on all the SatNav’s and computer mapping”.
