This story is rocking far beyond the constraints of the County Louth border. After publication yesterday, thousands of comments, shares and messages have been posted and sent across Ireland showing people’s anger towards a politically correct proposed name change of Our Lady Of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda on the alleged suggestion that its Catholic name ‘Lourdes’ may cause offence to non Catholics.
According to an article in Drogheda Life, the General Manager of the hospital, wrote to all staff members this week with their intention, “as part of the Senior Management Strategic Plan for Quarter 1, 2019”, to change the name of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda to one of the following:
1. University Hospital Drogheda
2. Drogheda Regional Hospital
3. Drogheda General Hospital
It just so happens that a member of the Liberal team knows numerous people very well in Our Lady Of Lourdes hospital so on hearing this, we decided to contact some of them to see what they had to think about the proposal.
We wanted to find out what people working in the hospital thought of the proposal and why all of a sudden the need to change a beautiful name that the entire town of Drogheda, neighbouring town of Dundalk and every village and townland in the county knows so well.
“It’s an absolute joke. It’s because there’s a Catholic connotation in the name. The entire county calls it simply ‘The Lourdes’ irrespective of religion. No one is offended working here no matter what religion they are”.
Another said “I heard that some non Catholics wanted the name changed in case people coming into the hospital who aren’t Catholic would be offended but I was genuinely surprised when management decided to take the offence seriously”.
The third person, all of whom preferred to not be named in print for fear of retribution, said: “It’s political correct cr*p. The hospital is named after Our Lady and Bernadette in Lourdes, there’s even a statue on the roof and the chapel is packed every single day for mass. It’s more of the same rubbish and completely unnecessary.”
What do you think of this proposed name change? Is Our Lady Of Lourdes an offensive name to non Catholics and even if it is, should the name be changed to facilitate them? Tell us what you think in the Facebook post comments?