Captain Ahab

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@creativeburne Rowan Atkinson has a very, very funny story about this situation in a Land Rover parts shop. Check it out.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

And forced to listen to Celine Dion, no wait that's too far.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@MarkRobinsonNI @MrRCain2 Yeah why not. Trilingual signage should be allowed as well. No reason why a place can't be known by various names over time. Take Divis Street, Irish is Sráid Dhuibhise. A wee lane used to run off it that was known as the Pound Loney (from Scots for lane). All 3 references valid

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@MrRCain2 @Jaysaysballs @MarkRobinsonNI No having the English name helps people understand, learn and appreciate the Irish translations. Same for any language.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@MarkRobinsonNI @MrRCain2 Strictly looking at UN guidance, Councils should be putting 'trilingual' signs up - as Ulster-Scots also meets the 5-20% use threshold under the guidelines and is a recognised minority language in law. No one wants Ulster-Scots signs though.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@MrRCain2 Multilingual signs are recommended where 5 - 20% use a minority language. We need a regional policy approach, carrying out 1000s of surveys street by street annoying residents is daft. It's like knocking down a million sand castles instead of waiting for the tide to come in.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@NWomxn @MKUltradeep Mother in law calling round, worth every penny

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@BelTel Probably one of those fancy garden office / outhouse things with a bar and sky TV. Still grim.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@jay_burbank Please be more careful about this than you were with street signs in Belfast. The law insists that resident's views on erecting street signs are sought in advance and have weight. Residents are asked, then they are ignored, which is worse than not being asked in the 1st place.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@allianceparty @PaulaJaneB Yet the law requires that you must be consulted about street signs and that your views must be considered. What is worse, not being asked or being asked and then ignored. To be fair to Alliance they haven't voted for signs where a vast majority oppose them. Bad policy though.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@Ironmuff1888 @DeirdreHargey Exactly, and no indication of costs yet - but we know that Wexford accrued 5 million euro debt which rules them out from hosting for another 8 to 10 years. Belfast Fleadh is and 2027 will be much, much larger. Some ratepayers (hospitality) will be benefit, householders though???

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@JP_Biz You say Belfast, but the plans I assume were submitted to Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council. The city boundary is an interesting one around Forestside.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@naomi_long @jonnyharvey11 That is good to hear. That will take time, but it would be time well spent. I hope the relevant authorities look at this in the right way and engage widely and meaningfully with stakeholders. Accessibility done properly would benefit many and the impact would be long-lasting.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@rabgee101 The Council have put the figures up, it was 1,653,999 footfall compared to 874,925 footfall for the same 8 days last year – meaning the Fleadh boosted footfall in the city core by 89%. They are clear it is footfall, not actual attendees. There is no way to count attendees.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@AdamPollock Yes, the host town has 2 consecutive years now but it won't be here every year, that is the point. Perhaps an annual summer festival where streets are pedestrianised and drinking laws relaxed is easier than permanent changes.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@sinnfeinireland I must have missed the lengthy statutory consultation, equality and traffic regulation processes, the impact on overall accessibility and upon the disabled community. Then again, the election is only around the corner and Alliance have a petition out. Get the plans finalised.

[Captain Ahab @CaptainAhab075]

@johnfinucane Pedestrianisation is the new bandwagon. Quick, finalise plans before the election, get petitions out, ignore traffic management implications, environmental impact, accessibility and disability access, legal consultation, statutory planning steps. Act now!