Word ‘cathaoirleach’ causing confusion – Hyland

THE title given to the most senior politicians in Mayo is causing ‘confusion’ for foreign journalists, according to a Westport-based county councillor.

Speaking at a meeting of Mayo County Council’s Special Policy Committee (SPC) on Tourism, Cllr Christy Hyland said that journalists covering the visit of President Joe Biden had trouble understanding the term – which means ‘Chairman’ in English.

The term is currently applied to the chairperson of Mayo County Council and the chairpersons of the council’s municipal district councils and SPCs.

“I happened to know a friend of mine that was with the foreign press, and I said to him ‘You have to get in touch with the Cathaoirleach, and they are looking at me. I didn’t know what to say,” Cllr Hyland said.

“I just think it’s something that needs to be looked at. Because the word ‘cathaoirleach’, some of them take it as an insult.”

Cllr Michael Kilcoyne, Cathaoirleach of the Tourism SPC, said that councillors were ‘quite free’ to change the title if they saw fit.

“It’s very confusing for foreign dignitaries and foreign press,” replied Cllr Hyland.