The Placenames Branch, Dept. of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht undertakes research into the placenames of Ireland to provide authoritative Irish language versions of those placenames for official and public use. The below list of the historic names for 'Louth', the village and County in Ireland from surviving records are a result of their research.
Lú Controversy
1964: The provisional official form Lú was published in Ainmneacha Gaeilge na mBailte Poist i gCúige Laighean: Liosta sealadach.
1969: The form Lú was adopted as the official Irish form and was published as such in Ainmneacha Gaeilge na mBailte Poist.
1973: All of the Irish forms published in Ainmneacha Gaeilge na mBailte Poist, including the form Lú, were given legal status in An tOrdú Logainmneacha (Foirmeacha Gaeilge) (Uimhir 1, Bailte Poist) / The Placenames Order (Irish forms) (Number 1, Post-towns).
1977 The Department of Post and Telegraphs published Lú as the Irish name of Louth in Eolaí an Phoist, the Post Office Guide
2003: The provisions of Part 5 of Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla / The Official Languages Act, revoked the Placenames Act of 1973.
2003: Legal status in An tOrdú Logainmneacha (Contae Lú) / The Placenames Order (County Louth), declared the official version of the barony, parish and village of Louth to be Lú.
2003: The Irish version of the name of the county, Contae Lú, was given legal status in An tOrdú Logainmneacha (Cúigí agus contaetha) / The Placenames Order (Provinces and counties).
However Louth County Council consistently refused to accept Lú as the Irish translation. Contae Lughaí was used on signposts erected on roads entering the county, the Crest of the Council states Chontae Lughaí, and in 2007 Comhairle Chontae Lughaí (Louth County Council) is used in the IPA’s Administration Yearbook & Diary.
In 2006 Louth County Council submitted a proposal to An Príomhoifigeach Logainmneacha, to change Lú to Lughaí. During 2007 the proposal was investigated by Dónall Mac Giolla Easpaig, of An Príomhoifigeach Logainmneacha. The proposal was dismissed in December 2007 as Lughaí was fictitious, had no historical significance, and no link to previous Irish lexical.
During the Council Meeting of Louth County Council held in County Hall, Dundalk on Monday 31st March, 2008; the judgement raised no objections by Louth County Council and Lú has since been used as the Irish word for Louth. The Minute No. 48/08 of this meeting states: "The correspondence from the Dept of Gaeltacht, Community and Rural affairs and the Placenames Commission regarding the Irish title of County Louth as discussed with members raising no objections to the Placenames Commission recommendation of Lú but requesting that advice be sought on the correct spelling of Lú in it’s tuiseal ginideach (genitive case) form"[sic]
On 31st March 2008 the Louth Country Council elected membership was;
Cathaoirleach: Councillor J. Mulroy
Councillors: D. Breathnach, T. Brennan, T. Clare, J. D’Arcy, A. Donohoe, S. Keelan, J. Lennon, J. Loughran, D. Lynch, J. McConville, F. McCoy, P. McGeough, F. Maher, K. Meenan, I. Munster, G. Nash, M. O’Dowd, K. O’Heiligh, T. Reilly, J. Ryan, P. Savage, T. Sharkey, O. Tully.
Absent: Cllr M. Bellew