WHILE I mostly agree with Iain Ramsay’s views on statues and place names (Letters, July 10), to be constructive I need to highlight a few potential pitfalls in his suggestion to rename Fort William. He advises that the proper Gaelic name is Inverlochy but more accurately the place was known as An Gearasdan Dubh Inbhir Lòchaidh; in English, “the black garrison at the mouth of the Lochy” – hence the colloquial name “The Garrison”.
Some will point out that the town is at the mouth of the Nevis but the occupiers who built the fort took the name from the old Inverlochy Castle a mile or so away. But it’s more complex than that because over the years the village has been named Gordonsburgh, Maryburgh and Duncansburgh before settling on Fort William – we could even end up with a multi-choice referendum.
In the meantime, I agree with Iain Ramsay: let’s put our effort into getting independence first!
John C Hutchison
Fort William
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