COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

HEADED ITEM NO. 14

Naming of the Newlands Cross Flyover

Report:

A motion on the December meeting of the Clondalkin Area Committee prompted a discussion on a process that would invite public participation in the naming of the new bridge over Newlands Cross. The bridge was officially opened to traffic on Tuesday 18th November 2014 although the overall scheme is not yet concluded. The matter of naming the bridge is the responsibility of the Council should the Council wish to exercise it.

Dublin City Council invited suggestions from the public by way of advertisement in respect of the naming of the Rosie Hackett Bridge. The process included the following steps:

• December 2012 – Dublin City Council approved the setting up of a Commemorative Naming Committee to consider naming proposals.
• March – May 2013 – Dublin City Council sought suggestions from the public for names for its new bridge. Over 18,000 people make submissions in one form or another. 85 names are proposed and 17 shortlisted by the Commemorative Naming Committee. 
• The Commemorative Naming Committee refines the shortlist to five names. These are Rosie Hackett, Kay Mills, Willie Birmingham, Bram Stoker and Frank Duff
• September 2nd 2013 Dublin City Council votes to name the new bridge in honour of Rosie Hackett. 
• 20th May 2014 The Rosie Hackett Bridge is officially named by Dublin’s Lord Mayor Oisín Quinn
• 21st May 2014 the Rosie Hackett Bridge opens to public transport, cyclists and pedestrians

The suggestions included names of people from the worlds of politics, sport, science and literature as well as named significant historical events. A comment at the time stated “This process has assisted in bringing to public attention people and events that have made a unique and outstanding contribution to the life and history of Dublin”.

The final shortlist of five names was:

• Willie Bermingham
• Frank Duff
• Rosie Hackett
• Kay Mills
• Bram Stoker

For information and interest additional suggestions included:

• Abbey Theatre Bridge
• Connolly, James
• Gregory, Lady
• Gregory, Tony
• Plunkett, James
• Sigerson, George
• Swift, Jonathan
• The Patriots Bridge
• The Returned Home
• Walton, Ernest
• Wilde, Oscar
• Yeats, W.B.