EARLIER THIS WEEK, Fianna Fáil TD Malcolm Byrne proposed renaming Dublin Airport ‘Seán Lemass Dublin International Airport’.
The bill has moved to second stage in the Dáil, but unsurprisingly, not everyone is happy about calling the country’s main airport after a Fianna Fáil politician.
So we spoke to some politicians from various parties to see what better suggestions they had.
Unsurprisingly, Fine Gael MEP Regina Doherty was opposed to Malcolm Byrne’s suggestion.
She argued that it is never a good idea to name something after a politician, regardless of the party.
“But honestly, if that’s what’s capturing Fianna Fáil Oireachtas members at the moment, I despair,” she said, declining to put forward her own suggestion.
It was Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger who had the idea of naming it after music legend Sinéad O’Connor.
Coppinger said it was her credentials as a musician, writer and activist (and the fact she was a Dub) that qualified her for the honour.
Coppinger’s second suggestion was Big Jim.
No, not the Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan!
Jim Larkin, the late socialist trade union leader and TD.
Best known for his role in the 1913 Dublin lock-out, Larkin was also known as an incredible orator and one of the major figures in the Irish labour movement.
Jim Larkin, Irish Trade Union leader. Photo via YouTube / ogiepanther
Photo via YouTube / ogiepanther / ogiepanther
Speaking of Labour, Labour MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin was brimming with ideas.
Ó Ríordáin said he believes if you are naming an airport, you should pick a name that “unites people, not divides people”.
“I think it is an overtly political move, somebody from the arts would be the way to go if we are going to rename Dublin Airport.
“Or perhaps a woman, because we rarely name anything after women,” he said.
Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson. Alamy
Alamy
James Joyce Dublin International Airport and Samuel Beckett International Airport were the first two names suggested by the MEP for Dublin.
His female suggestions were Constance Markievicz and former president Mary Robinson.
“But also, we should probably ask the people of Dublin what they think. Not what a TD from Wexford [Malcolm Byrne] thinks,” he said, adding that a worthier use of politicians’ time would be to progress the Programme for Government commitment of introducing a directly elected mayor for the capital city.
“That would have greater effect and benefit the people’s lives in Dublin to a much greater extent than the renaming of the airport.
“If the only thing that Fianna Fáil can think about when it comes to Dublin is changing the name of the airport, well, it doesn’t really say a lot for their priorities,” he added.
Beckett already has a landmark bridge in Dublin named after him. Alamy
Alamy
When it was put to him that the two women he suggested were politicians, Ó Ríordáin said he would have to do a bit more thinking on it “unfortunately”.
Almost immediately after our call, though, he followed up with a suggestion: Gráinne Cronin, the first woman to be a pilot for Aer Lingus and the first woman pilot commercially employed in Ireland.
“There you go. Case closed,” Ó Ríordáin said.
Cronin in 2001. In 1988. she was the first woman to captain an Aer Lingus flight. Joe Dunne / Alamy
Joe Dunne / Alamy / Alamy
Other names suggested by O’Ríordáin were Irish footballers Katie McCabe and Abbie Larkin, and Olympic gold medalist Kellie Harrington.
Another name put forward by a politician was ‘Gráinne Mhaol International Airport’ after folklore legend, the Irish pirate queen, Grace O’Malley.
This was suggested by Dublin Bay North TD Barry Heneghan.
“Grainne Mhaol was unbelievable. One of the most prominent female figures from our history,” Heneghan told The Journal.
“Everything she did, when she resisted authority and went to Queen Elizabeth and refused to bow and refused to speak English, I think is really, really interesting and just shows Irish power, especially through a strong female figure,” he said.
Heneghan’s alternative suggestion was to name it after renowned author, poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde, someone he said “really embodies Irish creativity”.
Heneghan added: “James Joyce! James Joyce would be good as well. Oh God, there are too many.”
In all, we contacted 10 politicians from various parties as part of this entirely unscientific process. Not all responded, and (don’t tell him) no one suggested Bono.
Do you have any better suggestions? Let us know in the comments.
