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Monday, October 18, 1999 Published at 15:12 GMT 16:12 UK

UK: Northern Ireland

Vandals in language blunder

Vandalism of Ulster Scots street signs a 'misunderstanding'

Street signs in the Ulster Scots language were torn down by loyalist vandals who believed them to be Irish, a local councillor has said.

BBC NI's Annita McVeigh:Signs had been erected after a residents' petition
The signs for Tullyard Way on the loyalist Clonduff Estate in Castlereagh had only just been erected after a survey showed at least 75% of residents were in favour of Ulster Scots signage.

Local Democratic Unionist Party Councillor Tommy Jeffers said that the vandalism occurred because of a "misunderstanding".

[ image: Cllr Tommy Jeffers (DUP): Imprudent to put Irish signs up in Castlereagh]
Cllr Tommy Jeffers (DUP): Imprudent to put Irish signs up in Castlereagh
"The problem really is that the Ulster Scots was misunderstood by some people as Irish," he said.

"I believe it would be very imprudent of Castlereagh Council to try and put Irish signs up anywhere in the borough."

When the vandals realised their error, they returned the signs to the garden of Roy Adams, a Clonduff Estate resident who had petitioned for the erection of Ulster Scots signage.