There is yet more controversy occuring across the border as unionists in Ballymena have called on the local council to replace a number of the town’s water hydrant covers because they have the Irish word for water printed on them.
The rather ridiculous news comes as the local loyalists have submitted a barrage of complaints about the covers to the Mid and East Antrim Borough council, a number of unionists believe the cover should only contain the word water and not have the Irish meaning Uisce printed beneath.
The scandalous call is being compared to the same scenario a number of years ago when fast-food giants McDonald’s famously bowed to unionist councillors, after they used a Yield sign instead of a Give Way sign at one of its restaurants. This latest grammar crusade if you will is being led by Timothy Gaston, the deputy mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, a member of Jim Allister’s Traditional Unionist Voice party, who has called for the metal coverings to be replaced as part of a £4m public realm scheme.
It is understood the covers are bilingual and as well as the word ‘water’ they also contain the word ‘uisce’, which is the Irish word for water. The councillor at the centre of the storm Timothy Gaston is now urging the removal of recently applied water covers which feature the Irish language, saying: “I hope this is an oversight and I encourage the contractor to get these changed as soon as possible.
“Constituents have contacted me to raise questions over the use of the Irish water hydrant covers on the ratepayer-funded public realm project in Ballymena town centre.” A Mid and East Antrim Borough Council spokesman said: “Our officials are currently looking into the issue of the water main covers in Ballymena, so cannot make any further comment at the moment.”