New border signs reading ‘Welcome to Northern Ireland’ that were erected earlier this week have been torn down or are since missing in what appears to be an apparent form of protest to the signs.
The Belfast Telegraph reports that of the nine signs that have been put up in Fermanagh and Tyrone, three have been taken down. Two signs between Newtownbutler and Clones in Co Monaghan and on the Monaghan Road in Roslea are missing and there were claims a third at Belcoo has also been removed.
Ulster Unionist minister Danny Kennedy’s department made it clear that missing signs will be restored. In addition, a spokesperson for the Department said “It is Roads Service policy to replace missing or damaged signage.”
Nine signs have been put up along the border, with more anticipated to be placed along counties Armagh and Down. So far, the cost has come around £1,700.
Tom Elliott, a party colleague of Danny Kennedy’s from Fermanagh, said the missing signs could probably be traced to “those who do not want to accept they are living within Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom.”
TUV MLA Jim Allister said “Roads Service cannot allow criminals to get away with this and it is also incumbent upon Sinn Fein MLA Phil Flanagan to immediately condemn this criminal action and call for those responsible to hand themselves in and return the signs.”
Fermanagh MLA Phil Flanagan, however, said “As far as I know they have not been stolen. In one area the sign is just lying there I am told.”
He added, “Putting up the signs was pretty petty behaviour by Danny Kennedy and people have responded by taking this into their own hands.” He did add that he did not condemn the behavior of those behind the theft or disruption of the signs.
The Belfast Telegraph writes that Sinn Fein wants to see the remaining signs taken down as soon as possible.
A Roads Service spokesperson explained that “Signage is being placed at strategic border crossing points to remind drivers entering Northern Ireland that speed limits are displayed in miles per hour.”
“Roads Service is supplementing the existing signage with Welcome to Northern Ireland signs. Nine, out of a total of approximately a dozen signs, have been erected at a cost of around £1,700.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seanomelb | Aug 17, 2012, 08:12 PM EDT
Fade away little man you admitted yourself that the council changed the name is that not Legal.You do like P1##ing against the wind.
DanOLoingsigh | Aug 17, 2012, 12:48 PM EDT
Seano - you say elswhere that you're always putting me right...notice you haven't come back on your FACTUALLY INACCURATE post below (Aug 10, 2012, 06:39 PM EDT)??????
seamus60 | Aug 14, 2012, 05:48 PM EDT
Hardly anything to get into a tizzy about. Martin Mc Guinness now acknowledges the border and actually endorses it by position. Now that long ago he would have wanted vols repremanded for not referring to it as the imagionary line. As for using cost as part of the complaint. how much have street signs in Irish cost all the tax payers of the North. I agree with them even though most people don`t know what they say only for the writing in english beside them. SF have many more pressing things to be getting on with. Just the stuff they have promised pre-election would be a good start.
seanomelb | Aug 13, 2012, 08:02 PM EDT
We are not going anywhere allan07 end of discussion.
allan07 | Aug 13, 2012, 02:18 PM EDT
IrelandNorth is that you again talking pants. One day your half a Roman Catholic the next your half somethig else. One thing is for sure your always confused. Northern Ireland (I speak having being born here as generations of of family have on both sides mother and father)does want to become part of a failed state. The nationalist dont get it socialism doesnt work, all the parties in the free state have taken the country (Eire) to the edge of being bankrupt. Anyway to put the question to you having been born in the Dublin area what has Northern Ireland (My country) got to do with you? Nothing so keep your nose out of our affairs. Mind your own business. Buzz off. The ammendment to the constitution in Eire in 1998 removes all claims to Northern Ireland. Now or for ever more. Amen. Good Night. End off discussion.
IrelandNorth | Aug 13, 2012, 07:11 AM EDT
Posters are advised to keep their statements in the first person singular. No one is qualified to use first person plural "us" without duly authenticated and verifiable electoral franchise. (NBBelfastBoy/BúchaillBéalFeíriste BB!) WP00! Peter Brook was the then British Secretary for NI who said that: "Great Britain has no selfish, strategic or economic interest in staying in Northern Ireland!" Signs are a manifestation of characteristic besiegement.
seanomelb | Aug 12, 2012, 01:20 AM EDT
I'll try again. Seanmor!! Sinn Fein is correct in objecting,the signs are a belligerent attempt to get into the faces of nationalists.As far as I know the Irish government has not made any official comment one way or the other.
warrenpoint00 | Aug 11, 2012, 11:21 PM EDT
Belfast boy...oh my god... another one of these brit posters using an Irish pen name. Do you not understand DUDE that Ireland is Irish "historicly and geographically" and that your warped colonial mentality is long gone into the past.Did not one of your own, brit secretary Paddy Mahew some time ago state that the failed colonial empire had no more selfish interest in stealing from their Irish neighbours.Run along back to your own warped colonial secterian site where ever it may be DUDE.
seanomelb | Aug 11, 2012, 07:17 PM EDT
Second biggest Belfast Boy. You seem to have convenient memory lapses.
Belfast Boy | Aug 11, 2012, 09:32 AM EDT
I popped into here out of curiosity and my suspicions were well founded. Unlike other American ethnic groups that are constantly replenished with new stock and contact with their homelands regular, Irish Americans are far removed from their ancestral home by several generations. Whats left is a nostalgic and warped view of contemporary Ireland. You`re idea of Ireland is cabbage and corned beef, Guiness and 19th century style Nationalism. You`re simply a source of amusement to us here in Ireland (north and south) as we watch you trudging through the streets on vacation with your fanny bags, trying to cling to an identity thats long gone. SF cynically, or intelligently depending on how you look at it, drip feed you a daily dose of tripe about "occupation" and "6 counties" with the single aim of taking your money. You oblige with glee, safe in the knowledge you are holding onto some kind of identity. Sorry guys but you are not. Northern Ireland has moved on into an increasingly multi cultured, mature place. You`re nostalgic, sectarian views belong back with your ancestors. So please keep your nose out of our affairs and focus on your own countries terminal decline, the USA, the biggest proponent of colonialism the world has ever seen.
Seanmor | Aug 11, 2012, 08:26 AM EDT
To my knowledge Sinn Féin is the only party in the Dáil that has any objections to these offensive road signs. The other parties in the Southern parliament regard the North as rightfully and permanently British territory. On the other hand, all Christian denominations, including the Church of Ireland, consider Ireland as one national entity.
IrelandNorth | Aug 11, 2012, 07:09 AM EDT
Nine roadsigns? One for every county in the province! Albeit three too many for Norn Iron. Seems the hounds of Ulster are back to peeing on lamposts again. Or the Rt Hon Daniel Kennedy/Ó Cinnéide is getting his Ulster-Scottie spóran in a twist. Lift the siege, Danny Boy. It's 2012. Not 1690. Will this mean that the 26 county administration will have to erect "Fáilte gó dtí AN ÚLADH/Welcome to ULSTER" roadsigns on Cavan, Donegal and Monaghan county boundaries for geographically-challenged Ulsterians. Apropos Derry/Londonderry. Surely Lundyderry an amicable (if historically problematical?) nominal compromise. And if ROI be X and NI be Y to EU, might GB be the Z in the federalist equation? Ask Angela and Francois.
Portia777 | Aug 11, 2012, 05:06 AM EDT
Eire is merely area X to EU and NI is area Y.
curtisjohnson | Aug 11, 2012, 12:24 AM EDT
Perhaps the sign should read "Welcome to the occupied statelet."
DanOLoingsigh | Aug 10, 2012, 08:21 PM EDT
Wrong again Seano - the council is called Derry Council BUT the legal name of the CITY is still LONDONDERRY...the SF motion to change the name was rejected by other councillors...
seanomelb | Aug 10, 2012, 06:39 PM EDT
Where's Londonderry The Derry city council have changed the name to 'DERRY" .Move on bitter Alois. Just paint out "northern" and leave the signs up.
Towngate | Aug 10, 2012, 06:39 PM EDT
The new signs are ready; SORRY-THE SIGNS SAYING YOU ARE ENTERING BRITISH NORTHERN IRELAND - HAVE BEEN STOLEN.
myhomenj | Aug 10, 2012, 06:14 PM EDT
Ireland is Ireland is Ireland is Ireland
stillangry | Aug 10, 2012, 05:35 PM EDT
Think I am going to set up a reward fund to the person/people that did this and give it to them. Way to go!!! Lennox army will NOT forget EVER!!!!
stillangry | Aug 10, 2012, 05:34 PM EDT
Think its VERY amusing. LMBO. Do you think "MAYBE" the apparent protest is that you MURDERED Lennox. I think so!! I hope all the Karma you deserve comes right back at you all! Lennox died before you say he was euthanized. Just tell the truth. Why the refusal on EVERYTHING? (not letting the family see him one last time, no leash returned, no collar returned and now no ashes returned? Because there is nothing to give back. You "think" you covered this up but everyone knows you lied. I hope you get all the karma you deserve. God help your souls for what you did to the Barnes and to Lennox.
aloistmartin | Aug 10, 2012, 03:35 PM EDT
Welcome to Londonderry ..... !
cillowen | Aug 10, 2012, 12:38 PM EDT
welcome to usurped land of Erin. As to roads being better - they be blocked off here and there to support and protect England's planted ones.
ballyhip | Aug 10, 2012, 10:38 AM EDT
Used to enter Fermanagh when I lived in Boyle but had no trouble knowing where I was. The roads were better!
lakeisle | Aug 10, 2012, 10:00 AM EDT
I've lived in County Fermanagh for about 9 years so far, and I don't think these signs are so necessary, or serve any useful purpose. They could have spent the £1700 on something else.
ancavker | Aug 10, 2012, 09:58 AM EDT
I think I might know who took the one at Belcoo, but I ain't saying!!!
Tooreenagrena | Aug 10, 2012, 09:28 AM EDT
These unionist politicians are pathetic. When will they ever learn?
faberm1 | Aug 10, 2012, 09:20 AM EDT
No need for these signs reminding all of sectarian problems. If the real issue is speed limits then that is well taken care of by the signs which are already there informing motorists of the change to MPH/ KPH etc.
Seanmor | Aug 10, 2012, 08:36 AM EDT
By now most of these objectional signs have been torn down by natives of Tyrone and Fermanagh, 2 of the British-held six counties that have substantial majorities.