There was a mixture of ambivalence and strong resistance to the proposed renaming of Dublin Airport after Seán Lemass from people at the airport. 

Wicklow-Wexford TD Malcolm Byrne has introduced a bill into the Dáil which, if passed, would rename the airport after Ireland’s third Taoiseach. 

Born in 1899, Mr Lemass fought in the Easter Rising, the War of Independence and then became a Fianna Fáil TD.

For decades, he served as a Minister under Éamon de Valera, before replacing the Long Fellow as Fianna Fáil President and Taoiseach in 1959.

On The Hard Shoulder, Deputy Byrne said the name Dublin would still be retained for aviation purposes. 

 “The well known name will still be Dublin International Airport,” he explained. 

“But in this case, I’m talking about recognising Seán Leamass who was Minister for Industry and Commerce. 

“He was the one in 1940 who was responsible for setting up the Airport.

“But in many ways, Lemass was the man who modernised Ireland; he recognised the importance of free trade, the importance of our membership of what was the European Economic Community, now the European Union. 

“Why Ireland had to open out to the rest of the world.” 

JFK and Seán Lemass. Picture by: Alamy.com.

Deputy Byrne added it was particularly appropriate as Mr Lemass had always been “very interested” in aviation policy. 

“We haven’t really recognised him nationally in any location,” he said. 

“There are not streets named after him or anything. 

“And I think it would be a nice way to recognise somebody who, in my view, was the greatest Taoiseach the country ever had.”

Deputy Byrne continued that naming airports after former leaders is common in other countries that Ireland shares strong links with. 

“If you go to Paris, you’ve Charles de Gaulle Airport but people will still know it’s Paris, people will know JFK in New York,” he said. 

'Leave it as it is'

Out at Dublin Airport, a couple waiting to pick up their grandson after his flight from Australia were not hugely enthused. 

“There’s no need,” the woman told Henry McKean. 

“Dublin Airport is Dublin Airport.” 

When asked if Seán Lemass Dublin Airport would be more acceptable to her, she replied, “Well, if they left the Dublin in, maybe”. 

Her husband agreed that Mr Lemass was part of “building our new nation”. 

“I’d like to leave Dublin in it,” he mused. 

“I wouldn’t take Dublin out of it. So, I’d say Seán Lemass Dublin Airport. 

“Seán Lemass was a great statesman of our time.” 

Children watch aircraft from a window. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

Another man was more forthright in his opposition. 

“Definitely not, leave it as it is,” he said. 

“It’s served us well over all the years and I can’t see why, at this stage, we have to change it.

“It makes absolutely no sense to me. Where do they get these things from?” 

Main image: Split of Seán Lemass and Dublin Airport. Pictures by: Alamy and Sam Collins.