A DECISION by Derry councillors to change the city’s official name from Londonderry to Derry has been met with controversy.
Yesterday evening’s vote at a meeting of the Derry City and Strabane District Council saw the motion pass with support from Sinn Féin, SDLP and independent councillors.
The council will now write to the North of Ireland’s Environment Minister, Derry native Mark H Durkan, to clarify how a potential name change will move forward.
While the motion was only rejected by a minority of the council – all unionist politicians – the move has been labelled “sectarian” by some.
“We should also be celebrating our diversity of our British and Irish cultures and history which includes the historical name Londonderry after the stonemasons who built the city,” said the DUP’s David Ramsay.
“It creates sectarian tension and how does this reflect upon the nationalist republican goal to achieve a shared future?”
Bringing the motion to the council, Sinn Féin’s Eric McGinley said: “We have a clear view that the city needs a clear brand, one single name, one single identity would help promote the city around the world.”
While it was voted in 1984 to call the council “Derry City Council”, the city's name officially remains Londonderry.
In major public events, such as when it was named the 2013 City of Culture, the city is referred to as Derry-Londonderry.
The last attempt at changing the official name to Derry was rejected in the High Court in 2007.
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