Unionist glad Irish name is knocked back

Cllr Graham (right) was speaking after it emerged the results of a survey at that part of the Whitepark Road showed that 60 per cent of respondents did not want a new name and 40 per cent were in favour.

The Council rule is that there must be a 66.66 per cent yes vote from respondents for new signs to go up.

The re-naming bid involved a small part of the Whitepark Road which cuts off and re-joins the main road but yet has the same name.

According to Council minutes from June, a resident wanted to call the section Cuil Mhachaire which it said was the Irish translation for the local townland Coolmaghra.

When the results of the survey were shown to Moyle Council, Cllr Graham said: "I am so glad it didn't work".

He said: "This is the one they tried to get in back door and give us an Irish name."

He said there are breakaway sections of other roads like at Moycraig.

Council Chairperson, Cllr Price McConaghy (Independent), said another part of the Whitepark Road was renamed Feigh Road in the past which he said made sense as ambulances and services didn't know which part of the Whitepark Road they were going to.

Sinn Fein councillor Cara McShane said the name suggested at Ballintoy was the townland name and she said something needs to be done as it is confusing having two sections of the Whitepark Road and she said the main road itself is a huge road.

Meanwhile, English-Irish bilingual street nameplates will go up Carn-Neil Park, Warren Park and Main Street - all in Waterfoot -after 100 per cent of those who responded to the survey in Carn-Neil agreed along with a similar amount of respondents at Main Street.

At Warren Park the response agreement rate was 96 per cent.

An Irish nameplate will not go up at Leyland Road, Ballycastle, after 59 per cent of respondents were in favour which was short of the 66.66 per cent needed.

Meanwhile surveys are currently being carried out after requests for Irish signs at the following areas of Ballycastle - Macauley Park, Moyle Park, Caman Crescent, Stroanshesk Park, Moyle Road and Moyle Avenue.

And an Ulster-Scots-English request has come in for Station Road, Armoy.