Originally Posted by sondagefaux

Give these fellas a lash:

Prime Minister of Sri Lanka - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by QuizMaster

Another thing:
Smith is always translated to Irish as Mac Gabhan (sp?)

Many people originally called Mac Gabhan were anglicised to Smith, so there is some justice in that. But many, indeed maybe the majority of Smiths today are not Mac Gabhans. They are descended from "foreign" Smiths.

If your name is Smith, and you go to live in Italy, should you translate it to Ferrari (which means Smith)?
Mind you that would be cool.

Originally Posted by Fir Bolg

I always thought it peculiar why this is done. If your name isn't Gaelic in origin or you're not from a family with an Anglo-Irish name that Gaelicised its surname why change the name at all. If I go to Italy, and my name was Paul Murphy, they wouldn't change it to Paulo Di Murphio. If I went to Spain my name wouldn't change from James Hennessy to Jaime Hennessez, in Holland it wouldn't change from Joe Kelly to Jo Van der Kellyklamp etc etc. Why is it done here. Its ridiculous.

Originally Posted by QuizMaster

Many people originally called Mac Gabhan were anglicised to Smith, so there is some justice in that. But many, indeed maybe the majority of Smiths today are not Mac Gabhans. They are descended from "foreign" Smiths.

Originally Posted by The Caped Cod

It may have been so Hilmannhunter1 jnr wasn't the only child in the class with a gaelicisied name. It sounds dumb, but you know how kids can be.

Originally Posted by Hillmanhunter1

I have an English surname, my family name has been in Ireland since the Elizabethan plantation. The vast majority of my forebears were of Irish stock but, as is normal, I have the surname of my patrilineal ancestors. I'm proud of my name, like everyone else's it is part of my identity and my heritage.

Hillmanhunter1 Jnr came home from primary school yesterday with an attendance certificate in a name that is a gaelicised version of our surname. There is no Irish version of my surname (unlike perhaps names that were previously anglicised e.g. Murphy/Ó Murchú etc.). The name was made up by someone who, I guess, thought this was appropriate. I don't know if this treatment is reserved for those with an English surname or if the person concerned is also wrestling with the challenges of gaelicising the names of his Polish and Nigerian classmates!

My view is that this is extremely high-handed, and I'm going to let go with both barrels in a letter to the Principal. I'm interested in hearing if others have had this experience and/or if you agree/disagree with me.