Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann ... - Foras na Gaeilge

Comharthaí bóthairIreland’sdátheangacha nadual-languagehÉireannroadsignssTuairisc agus moltaíGarrett ReilMISTD FRSAReportandrecommendationsmendationsCoimisiúnaithe ag |Commissioned sionedbyColáiste NáisiúntaEalaíne aíne is Deartha

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008An Chreatlach Dhlíthiúil dochomharthaí in Éirinn 4Cuid 1: Achoimre 8An córas mar atá sé 10Samplaí de stádas íslithe na Gaeilgei gcomhréir leis an mBéarla 14Iodálaigh – oiriúnacht dochomharthaí bóthair 22Saincheisteanna leis nalogainmneacha Béarla reatha 28Cuid 2: Spléachadh ar chóraischomharthaí bóthair dátheangacha… 28Cuid 3: An bóthar romhainn 54Fotheachtaireachtaí curtha trasnaag ár gcomharthaí bóthair 62Moltaí chun cothromaíocht abhaint amach don Ghaeilge agusdon Bhéarla ar chomharthaí bóthair 70Leabharliosta 76The legal framework for signsin Ireland 5Part 1: Summary 9Our system as it stands 11Examples of the reduced statusof Irish relative to English 15Italics – suitability forroad signs 23Issues with the current Englishlanguage place names 29Part 2: A brief look atbilingual road sign systems… 29Part 3: The road ahead 55Incidental messages sent by ourroad signs 63Recommendations for achievingequality between Irish andEnglish in road signs 71Bibliography 76Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Tuairisc agus moltaíar Chomharthaí BóthairDátheangacha nahÉireannDo: Conradh na GaeilgeReport andrecommendationson Ireland’s duallanguageRoad SignsTo: Conradh na GaeilgeCuid de thionscadal leanúnach taighde iarchéimeag an gColáiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha.Cóipcheart © 2008 Garrett Reil.Fanann íomhánna atáirgthe ón bhfoinse marcóipcheart dá n-údair.Part of an ongoing postgraduate research projectat the National College of Art and Design, DublinCopyright © 2008 Garrett ReilImages reproduced from source remain thecopyright of their authors.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)1

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Sa doiciméad seo, déanaim athbhreithniú ar chomharthaíbóthair dhátheangacha reatha na hÉireann, cuirim iad igcomhthéacs na scéimeanna idirnáisiúnta agus déanaimmoltaí bunaithe ar thaighde agus ar thaithí.Déanfaidh mé scrúdú ar an mbealach a caitheadh leis annGaeilge ar ár gcomharthaí bóthair, léireoidh mé samplaí dechomharthaí dhátheangacha i dtíortha eile, agus déanaimanailís ar cad a oibríonn nó cad nach n-oibríonn.Ós rud é go bhfuil leathnú sciobtha á dhéanamh ar ár líonrabóthair ardluais, is am tráthúil é le hathbhreithniú adhéanamh agus fiú le feabhas a chur ar an gcóras comharthaímótarbhealaigh.D’fhéadfaí sainmhíniú a thabhairt ar an bhfeabhas seo maram léimh agus tuisceana na gcomharthaí a laghdú do gachúsáideoir (ní hamháin do chainteoirí Gaeilge), chomh maithleis an ngealltanas do stádas comhionann don Ghaeilge achur i gcrích.2 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008In this document I review the existing Irish dual languageroad signs, place these in the context of internationalschemes and make recommendations based on researchand experience.I will examine the treatment of the Irish language in ourroad signs, show examples of dual-language signs in othercountries; and analyse what works, or does not work.At a time of the rapid expansion of our high-speed roadnetwork, there has never been a better time to review, andpotentially improve, the motorway sign system.An improvement here could be defined as decreasing thereading and comprehension time of signs for all users (notonly Irish speakers), as well as delivering the promise ofequal status for Irish.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)3

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008An chreatlach dhlíthiúil do chomharthaí in Éirinn…Cuireann an Ráiteas i leith na Gaeilge (Rialtas na hÉireann; Government of Ireland2006) de chuid an Rialtais stádas na Gaeilge i gcuimhne dúinn…“Is Stát dátheangach í Éire arb í an Ghaeilge an chéad teanga oifigiúil í de réirAilt 8 de Bhunreacht na hÉireann.”In Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003, (Alt 9) Rialacháin 2008, tugtar cúram arleith le cinntiú go bhfuil an Ghaeilge go príomha chun cinn ar chomharthaí…(2) Beidh feidhm ag na forálacha seo a leanasmaidir le comhartha i nGaeilge agus i mBéarlaa chuireann comhlacht poiblí in aon suíomhsa Stát:(a) beidh an téacs i nGaeilge ann ar dtús,(b) beidh an téacs i nGaeilge chomh feiceálach,chomh sofheicthe agus chomh inléite céannaleis an téacs i mBéarla,(c) ní bheidh na litreacha sa téacs i nGaeilge níoslú, ó thaobh méide de, ná na litreacha sa téacsi mBéarla,(d) maidir leis an téacs i nGaeilge, cuirfidh sé iniúl an fhaisnéis chéanna leis an bhfaisnéis achuireann an téacs i mBéarla in iúl …4 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008The legal framework for signs in Ireland…The Government’s Statement on Language (RIALTAS na hÉIREANN;GOVERNMENT of IRELAND 2006) reminds us of the status of the Irish language…“Ireland is a bilingual State in which Irish is the first official languageaccording to Article 8 of the Constitution of Ireland.”In the Official Languages Act 2003, (Section 9) Regulations 2008, special care istaken to ensure Irish is principally prominent in signs…(2) The following provisions shall apply to a sign in the Irishand English languages placed at any location in the Stateby a public body:(a) the text in the Irish language shall appear first,(b) the text in the Irish language shall not be less prominent,visible or legible than the text in the English language,(c) the lettering of the text in the Irish language shall not besmaller in size than the lettering of the text in the Englishlanguage,(d) the text in the Irish language shall communicate the sameinformation as is communicated by the text in the Englishlanguage…Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)5

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Ach fágann na rialacháin chéanna comharthaí bóthair go sonrachas an áireamh…De réir cosúlachta, d’fhéadfadh gur chonclúid é an t-eisiamh seo ar a dtángthas aran mbunús: go ndéantar taighde cúramach orthu; go leanann siad an cleachtas isfearr; agus go bhfuil siad éifeachtach – agus mar sin nach gcuirfeadh aon churisteach ar an dearadh leis.Agus / nó …Go gcuireann na comharthaí reatha suntasacht chomhionann in iúl cheana féin,Nach bhfuil an téacs i nGaeilge níos lú i gcomhréir leis an téacs i mBéarla,Nach bhfuil an téacs i nGaeilge níos dofheicthe nó níos doléite ná an téacs imBéarla.Figiúr 1: Comhartha mótarbhealaigh dátheangach, Baile Átha Cliath.6 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Yet the same regulations specifically excludeRoad Traffic signs…On the face of it this exclusion might appear to be a conclusion drawn on thebasis that our road signs are; carefully researched, following best practise, andeffective – and that therefore interfering with the design would not improve it.And/or…That current signs already reflect equal prominence,That the Irish text is not relatively smaller than the English,That the Irish text is not less visible or legible than the English.Figure 1: Dual language motorway sign, DublinReport by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)7

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Cuid 1: Achoimre...Tar éis athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar dhearadh chomharthaíbóthair na hÉireann, tá sé soiléir nach bhfuil a bhfuil thuas fíor.Léiríonn mo thaighde agus mo dhearadh…Nach ndéantar dea-thaighde ar dhearadh chomharthaí bóthairna hÉireann, déanta na fírinne nuair a úsáidtear an chlóaghaidhBhriotanach Transport, sáraíonn an úsáid Éireannacha cuspóir dearaidh.Ní leanann an córas an cleachtas is fearr idirnáisiúnta.Is féidir feabhas mór a dhéanamh ar éifeachtacht. Is féidirtuilleadh soiléireachta a bhaint amach don dá theanga.Tugtar níos mó suntasachta don Bhéarla mar atá sé leagthaanois.Fágann comharthaí reatha go bhfuil an Ghaeilge i bhfírinneníos lú ná an Béarla, le cás uachtair ag líonadh an chuid is móden chomhartha.Is féidir díriú ar thaighde inúsáidteachta a rinneadh le déanaíar na himpleachtaí a bhaineann le daonra tiomána atá ag dulin aois.Fágann úsáid chló iodálaigh agus carachtair chlóghrafacha arinneadh drochtharraingt orthu nach bhfuil an Ghaeilgechomh sofheicthe le logainmneacha Béarla.8 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Part 1: Summary…On reviewing the design of Irish road signs, it is clear that none ofthe above is true. My research and design review shows that…Irish road sign design is not well researched, in fact while theBritish Transport typeface (font) is used; the Irish use directlythwarts its design intent.The system does not follow best international practise.Effectiveness can be greatly improved. Greater clarity for bothlanguages can be achieved.English as it is set now places it in greater prominence.Current signs render the Irish language effectively smallerthan English, with uppercase occupying a greater proportionof the sign.Recent usability research on implications of an aging drivingpopulation can be addressed.Use of Italics, and poorly drawn Irish typographic characters,render Irish less visible than English place names.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)9

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Cuid 1:Déanann athbhreithniú ar chomharthaí dátheangachana hÉireann.An córas mar atá sé…Ceapadh an chló-aghaidh Transport (RA) a úsáidtear ar chomharthaí bóthair nahÉireann i gcomhair úsáid Chás Uachtair agus Chás Íochtair, agus níor dhear nabunaitheoirí aon leagan iodálach. Baineann Éire úsáid as cló iodálach, áfach, igcomhair logainmneacha Gaeilge agus gach logainm Béarla de chás uachtair.Leagtar an Ghaeilge os cionn an Bhéarla.Conas a thángamar chomh fada leis seo?Ghlac Éire leis an gcló-aghaidh Transport a dhear Kinneir agus Calvert do bhóithrena RA sna 1960í; ó shin tá aitheantas faighte aici mar dhearadh clasaiceach agusrinneadh ina samhail í ar a bhfuil mórán scéimeanna náisiúnta comharthaíbóthair bunaithe.Figiúr 2: Jock Kinneir ag scrúdú comharthaí úr-tháirgthe, 1967. DesigningModern Britain – Design Museum. Íomhá © Design Museum, Londain10 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Part 1:Reviews Ireland’s dual language signs.Our system as it stands…The Transport type (UK) used in Irish road signs is intended for Upper andLowercase use, and no italic version was designed by it’s originators. Ireland,however, employs italics for Irish Place names and all uppercase English names. Irishis set above the English.How did we get here?Ireland adopted the Transport type designed for UK roads by Kinneir and Calvert inthe 1960s; it has since achieved recognition as something of a design classic andbecame the model upon which many national road sign schemes are based.Figure 2: Jock Kinneir inspecting newly produced signs, 1967. Designing ModernBritain - Design Museum. Image © Design Museum, London.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)11

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Ghlac tionscadal comharthaí na hÉireann bóthar éagsúil. Cé gur úsáideadh anchló-aghaidh seo, bhí saincheisteanna éagsúla le réiteach ag an Roinn Comhshaoilin Éirinn – leis an gcomharthaíocht dhátheangach mar thosaíocht.Is trua an rud é, ach ag tógáil san áireamh cultúr na hÉireann ag an am, ní nachionadh nár glacadh speisialtóir dearaidh chló isteach sa phróiseas dearaidh nócinnteoireachta.Figiúr 3: Béal an Átha, Co. Thiobraid Árann. Bhain scéimeanna luath comharthaí úsáid asgnáthchás íochtair. Tá samplaí de seo in áiteanna éagsúla, tá roinnt samplaí i nDroicheadna Dothra i mBaile Átha Cliath.Is cosúil gur sách ócáideach é an taighde a rinneadh ar réitigh phoitéinsiúla.D’fhéadfaí go mba lú mar shaincheist é ann féin dá bhfostófaí dearthóir le taithi,nó dá bhfanfadh gan athrú an dearadh dea-thástáilte Transport. Rinne an RCéabhlóid ar an dearadh reatha i sraith chéimeanna, leis an teicneolaíocht a bhí arfáil ina fachtóir leis an gcló-aghaidh iodálach á cruthú.Go luath sna 1970í, ceannaíodh córas Autosign a lig don oibreoir athbhreithniú adhéanamh ar dhearadh na cló-aghaidhe. Úsáideadh leagan géar-chlaonta (36%)iodálach [rud a léiríonn easpa saineolais] i dtosach. Measadh i gceart go raibh sémí-éifeachtúil agus leagadh claonadh na huillinne go 16% (Reil 2006c). Pléitearúsáid chló iodálaigh agus an próiseas dearaidh ar leathanach 22.Is cosúil go ndearnadh athruithe ag an am seo ar charachtair áirithe san aibítirnua ‘iodálach’ seo, rud a chuireann bac ar inléiteacht logainmneacha, féachleathanach 18.12 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Ireland’s signs project took a different road. While this typeface was used, the IrishDepartment of the Environment had different issues to tackle – with bilingual signagea priority.It is unfortunate, but given the culture of Ireland at the time, it’s not surprising that nospecialist type designer was brought into the design or decision-making process.Figure 3: Ballina, Co Tipperary. Early sign designs used a roman lowercase.Examples of this are in existance in several areas, Ballsbridge in Dublin hasseveral examples.Research into potential solutions seems to have been relatively casual, this in itselfmay have been less of an issue if the experienced eye of a designer had beenemployed, or if the design of the well tested Transport had remained unaltered. TheDoE evolved the current design in a series of steps, with the technology available beinga decisive factor in creating the italic type.In the early 1970s an Autosign system was purchased which allowed the operator torevise the type design. Initially a heavily inclined (36%) ‘italic’ was used [whichhighlights a lack of expertise] this was rightly adjudged to be inefficient and the angleof incline was set to 16% (Reil 2006c). Use of italics and the design process is discussedon page 23.It appears that at this time modifications were also made to certain character shapeswithin this new ‘italic’ alphabet, which hampers the readability of place names, seepage 19.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)13

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Samplaí de stádas íslithe na Gaeilgei gcomhréir leis an mBéarla…Méid coibhneasta níos mó na bhfocal i gcás uachtair…PlacenamePLACENAMEFigiúr 4: Léiríonn sé an spás níos mó a ghlacann an inscríbhinn chéannaleagtha i gcás uachtair ar fad.Rud atá le tógáil san áireamh i bhfianaise rialacháin agus dréim an rialtais i leith na Gaeilgená go nglacann focail i gcás uachtair 40% níos mó spáis (Jury 2002), agus dá réir tá níos mósuntasachta acu ná cás íochtair. Cé go mbaineann sé idirdhealú áirithe amach don logainmGaeilge, is é suntasacht na Gaeilge atá thíos leis.Tá sé deacair a fheiceáil conas ar féidir a rá go dtugann sé stádas comhionannais donGhaeilge. Is cinnte nach dtagann sé le spiorad an rialacháin…“ní bheidh na litreacha sa téacs i nGaeilge níos lú, ó thaobh méide de, ná na litreachasa téacs i mBéarla” (Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta 2006)14 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Examples of the reduced status of Irishrelative to English…The relatively larger size of upper case words…PlacenamePLACENAMEFigure 4: Illustrates the greater space occupied by the samelegend set in all upper case.A consideration in the light of government’s regulation and aspirations for the Irishlanguage is the fact that words in upper case occupy 40% more area (Jury 2002) andare thereby more prominent, than lowercase. While this achieves a level ofdifferentiation with the Irish place name, it is at the expense of the relative prominenceof the Irish.It is hard to see how this can be argued to give equal status to Irish. It certainly is not inkeeping with the spirit of the regulation…“the lettering of the text in the Irish language shall not be smaller in size than thelettering of the text in the English language” (Department of Community, Ruraland Gaeltacht Affairs 2006)Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)15

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Ualach coibhneasta níos éadroime na Gaeilge…Nuair a leagtar iad amach i gceart i gcomhair comharthaí, tógann focail i gcás uachtairar fad níos mó spáis litreoireachta ná cás uachtair agus cás íochtair (le bheith archomh-inléiteacht. Ar chomharthaí na hÉireann, ní thugtar aire do seo ach gohannamh, áfach, rud a chuireann inléiteacht ar aimhleas.‘Fáscadh’ focal le hoiriúint don chomharthaTá sé intuigthe, dár ndóigh, go bhfuil srian ar spás i gcomhair comharthaí.Dearbhaíonn an ÚBN gur srian é – bheadh costas níos mó ag baint le himill nambóithre a mhéadú (Reil 2006b). Áfach, más feidhm do mhéad an chomhartha éfáscadh spásála don Bhéarla (.i. má tá na focail á bhfáscadh le cur in oiriúint) – issampla é de dhroch-chleachtas. Ba é tuairim Kinneir ná…B’fheidhm do mhéid na litreach é méid an phainéil, a bhí mar fheidhm deluas-dhearadh an bhóthair. (Easterby agus Zwaga, 1984)PlacenamePLACENAMEFigiúr 5: Cás íochtair spásáilte go leathan in éadan cás uachtair spásáilte go teann.An éifeacht atá aige seo ná cuma níos duibhe ar an gcás íochtair. Bíonn éifeachtaídiúltacha eile ag an leagan amach teann seo i suímh inar dócha go dtarlóidh luanú(féach leathanach 56).Cuireann an cleachtas reatha inléiteacht, agus dá bhrí sin, sábháilteacht ar aimhleas.D’fhéadfaí tabhairt faoi seo trí réiteach clóghrafach níos fearr a úsáid.“Bíonn litreacha le foirm oscailte inléite ar feadh tréimhse níos faide ná cinn lefoirm dhúnta, nuair a fheictear iad ó achar fada nó ar claonadh. Má tá siad deaspásáilte,fanann na litreacha soiléir, ach má leagtar iad gearr dá chéile, tagannceo orthu … bíonn litreacha i gcás íochtair níos soiléire toisc go dtugann siadrithim indibhidiúil do na focail” Jean Widmer, dearthóir na gcomharthaí bóthairFrancacha (Held 1999)16 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008The relatively lighter ‘weight’ of Irish…When correctly set for signs, setting words in all uppercase requires more letter spacingthan upper & lover case (to be equally readable). In Ireland’s signs this is rarely observed,however, to the detriment of readability.‘Squeezing’ words to fit the signIt is understandable, of course, that space for signs can be limited. This is confirmed bythe NRA as a restriction, increasing road margins would be at a greater cost (Reil 2006b).However, if the compressing of spacing for the English is a function of the size of the sign(i.e. If the words are being squeezed to fit) – this is another example of poor practise.Kinneir’s view was that…The size of the panel was a function of the letter size, which was a function of thedesign-speed of the road. (Easterby and Zwaga 1984)PlacenamePLACENAMEFigure 5: Widely spaced lowercase versus tightly spaced uppercase. This has the effectof visually emboldening the uppercase. This tight setting also has negative effects insituations where halation is likely to occur (see page 57).The current practise is detrimental to readability and thereby, safety. This could beaddressed by use of a better typographic solution.“Letters with open forms are legible for longer than those with closed forms, whenthey are seen at a distance or from an angle. If they are well spaced, the lettersremain distinct, but if they are set close together the words start to blur...lowercase letters are more legible because they give an individual rhythm to thewords” Jean Widmer, designer of the French road signs (Held 1999)Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)17

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008An éifeacht a mbíonn ag an easpa spásála litreach ná go bhfágtar go mbíonn cumafhisiceach níos éadroime ar an nGaeilge ná ar an mBéarla (Figiúr a Cúig). Cibé a bhí arintinn, is é an toradh ná go ndéantar dochar d’inléiteacht an Bhéarla agus go mbíonntábhacht na Gaeilge tánaisteach.Mearbhall litreach – casann córas na sean-Ghaeilge ar chóras nahEorpa nua-aoisí…Is dócha go gcothófaí mearbhall le láimhseáil neamhoilte ar dhearadh litreacha nua –is samplaí iad an ‘A’ cás uachtair bréag-Ghaelach (i stíl chás íochtair) agus an ‘i’ i gcásíochtair gan ponc thairis. Is gá do dhearthóir comharthaí bóthair aird ar leith athabhairt ar charachtair a mbíonn mearbhall fúthu (Jury 2002). Dearbhaíonn Spenceret al é seo (1973b). Luaitear ‘a’ agus ‘o’ i gcás íochtair mar fhoirmeacha litreacha achothaíonn fadhbanna.Fiú dá ndéanfaí dea-athdhearadh den chló-aghaidh, bheadh sé mífheiliúnachcruthanna litreacha stílithe a chruthú. Is dócha go gcuirfeadh foirmeacha litreachaneamh-ghnácha bac ar inléiteacht logainmneacha.Figiúr 6: Taispeánann an teaglaim chás íochtair ‘ao’ i ‘Saorchrois’ [sic] andóchúlacht do mhearbhall litreach. Léiríonn an comhartha seo chomh maith naneamhréireachtaí spásáil litreach. Leagtar Saorchrois Thoir ar bhealach níos cirte ileagan amach spás oscailte. Fáisctear Baile na nGaibhne le hoiriúint.18 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008The effect of this lack of letter spacing is to render the Irish lighter in appearancethan English (Figure 5). Whatever the intention, the outcome is to damage thereadability of English and to make Irish secondary in importance.Letter confusion – old Irish meets modern European…Inexpert handling of drawing new letters is likely to cause confusion – an uppercasefaux Irish ‘A’ (In lowercase style) and a lowercase ‘i’ without a dot are examples.Characters commonly mistaken for each other (Jury 2002) must receive particularattention from the designer of road signs, this is confirmed by (Spencer et al. 1973b).Lowercase ‘a’ and ‘o’ are cited as such problematic letterforms.Even if this re-design of the type were well executed, it is inappropriate to createstylised letter shapes. Unusual letterforms are likely to inhibit readability of placenames.Figure 6: ‘Saorchrois’ [sic] – ‘ao’ lowercase combination here shows the potentialfor letter confusion. This sign also illustrates the common inconsistencies inletter spacing. Saorchrois Thoir is set more correctly in an open-spaced setting.Baile na nGaibhne is squeezed to ‘fit’.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)19

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Saorchrios ThoirFigiúr 7: An logainm céanna dá mbeadh sé sa bhun-chló-aghaidh Transport. Tabhairfaoi deara an a i gcás íochtair agus an ponc ar an i.San aibítir a cruthaíodh do logainmneacha Gaeilge, rinneadh roinnt athruithe le dearadhna bun-chló-aghaidhe Transport. B’fhéidir gur iarracht iad na leasuithe a rinneadhd’fhoirmeacha litreacha na n-iodálach é chun foirmeacha litreach na ‘sean-Ghaeilge’ achomhthoghadh isteach i logainmneacha Gaeilge.Figiúr 8: Leabhar Cheanannais, c AD800, sliocht ó chomhartha bóthair (léiríonn nahiodálaigh an ‘a’ agus an ‘I’ athdheartha) agus an chló-aghaidh Transport igcodarsnacht leis an bhfoirm uingeach. Cé gur féidir a áiteamh nach bhfuil aon ruduathúil i gceist leis an mbunscríbhinn a úsáidtear (bhí a leithéid de stíleannaforleathan san Eoraip), tá saincheist na soléiteachta agus na húsáide nua-aoisí níosábhartha – ar chóir do chóras comharthaí bóthair nua-aoiseach inspioráid a thógáil ófhoinsí stairiúla?I gcoitinne, is rudaí teagmhasacha iad aon airíonna carachtair de chló-aghaidhchomhartha bóthair. Is é ról an dearthóra ná an teachtaireacht a chur trasna lena laghadaireachtála den mheán is gur féidir. Is ar mhíthreoir a bheadh sé má chuirtear“carachtar” ann ar mhaithe leis féin. Déanann Margaret Calvert, comh-dhearthóir nacló-aghaidhe Transport cur síos ar an bpróiseas…“Ní raibh stíl riamh mar chuid de. Ba é bunús an ruda an sprioc a bhí ann. Conas ad’fhéadfaimis an chuma a ísliú chun an bhrí is mó agus an costas is lú a bhaintamach” (Poynor et al. 2004)20 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Saorchrios ThoirFigure 7: The same placename as it would appear in the original Transport type.Note the lowercase a and dotted i.In the alphabet created for Irish language place names several modifications weremade to the original Transport type design. Amendments to the letterforms of theitalics are perhaps an attempt to co-opt ‘old Irish’ letterforms into the Irish languageplace names.Figure 8: Book of Kells, c AD800, excerpt from road sign (the italic shows theredrawn ‘a’ and ‘I’’) and the Transport type contrasted with an uncial. While isarguable whether there is anything unique to Ireland about the script used (suchstyles were widespread in Europe), the issue of legibility and modern usage aremore pertinent – should a modern road sign system take ‘inspiration’ fromhistoric sources?In general, any character attributes of road sign typefaces is largely incidental. Therole of the designer is to communicate the message with as little perception of themedium as possible. To intentionally add ‘character’ for its own sake is misguided.Margaret Calvert, co-designer of the Transport type, describes the process…“Style never came into it. You were driving towards the absolute essence. Howcould we reduce the appearance to make the maximum sense and minimumcost” (Poynor et al. 2004)Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)21

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Figiúr 6: Taispeánann an cló iodálach Gaelach ar an gcomhartha seo nacarachtair a leasaíodh go garbh. An ‘A’ i gcás uachtair (déanta cruinn, in Áth)agus an ‘M’ (déanta i stíl chás íochtair), an ‘a’ i gcás íochtair (déanta cruinn) agusan ‘i’ (gan phonc). Rud eile atá deartha go garbh ná an síneadh fada ar an ‘u’ intSúdaire – é leagtha chomh cóngarach is go bhfuil poitéinseal go ndéabfaí é anmheascadh leis an ‘a’ i gcás íochtair.Cló iodálach – oiriúnacht do chomharthaí bóthair…Tá sé deacair sampla a aimsiú de chomharthaí mótarbhealaigh a úsáideann clóiodálach i gcomhair eolais do phríomhbhealach; is fianaise í seo ann féin gurseachaint an chleachtais is fearr atá ar siúl in Éirinn. Ní an cleachtas is fearr é úsáidcló iodála sa chomhthéacs seo agus tá an dóchúlacht ann go mbainfí de thábhachtagus inléiteacht logainmneacha Gaeilge. Ag déanamh tagairt don chóras Éireannach,tá Baines & Dixon (2003) an-soiléir…“In Éirinn, tarraingítear amhras ar bhainistíocht na dtéacsanna Béarla agusGaeilge ós rud é nach mbaineann ceachtar acu an úsáid is fearr as an aibítirTransport. In ionad an leagan is láidre cás uachtair agus cás íochtair, cuirtearan Béarla i gceannlitreacha agus an Ghaeilge i leagan éagsúil iodálach’.22 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Figure 6: The Irish Italic on this sign show crudely modified characters. Theuppercase ‘A’ (made round, in Áth) and ‘M’ (made in lowercase style), lowercase‘a’ (made round) and ‘i’ (without dot). Another poorly designed element here isthe fada on the ‘u’ in tSúdaire. – placed so close as to potentially cause confusionwith a lowercase a.Italics – suitability for road signs…It is hard to find an example of motorway signs using italic for primary routeinformation; this in itself is evidence of Ireland’s avoidance of best practise. The useof italics in this context is not best practise and it is likely to subvert the importanceand the readability of the Irish place names. Commenting on the Irish system Baines& Dixon (Baines and Dixon 2003) are unequivocal…“In Ireland the management of the English and Irish texts is severelycompromised by neither one making the best use of the Transport alphabet.Instead of using the strongest upper and lowercase setting, English is set in allcapitals and the Irish in an italic variation’.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)23

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008‘Fórsáladh’ claonadh na cló-aghaidhe iodálaí a úsáideadh do chomharthaí bóthairÉireannacha ag baint úsáid as an gcóras Autosign (Reill 2006c), gan aon idirghabháildearaidh nó athdhearadh, seachas roinnt carachtar a cuireadh leis. (Tiocfaidh mé arais chucu siúd níos déanaí sa rannán seo). Tá deacrachtaí ag baint le hiodálaighchlaonta nach ndearnadh dearadh orthu, i gcomparáid le fíor-fhoirmeacha litreachareatha (tarraingthe go speisialta mar chló-aghaidh iodálach).BallykissangelBallykissangelFigiúr 9: Léiríonn an chló-aghaidh dhubh cló-aghaidh iodálach a tarraingíodhd’aonghnó. Léiríonn an dearg Transport iodálaithe le fórsa. I mórán suímh,d’fhéadfaí breathnú ar fhoirmeacha litreacha curtha as riocht mar rudaeistéitiúil. Ach ní ar chomharthaí bóthair, rud ar a gcuirtear an-chúram lecruthanna litreacha chun aitheantas carachtar agus inléiteacht a bhaint amachag luas ard.Tá íoróin ar leith ann, sa chaoi is trí bhaint a úsáid as cló-aghaidh na RA, cuireadh arceal an iarracht, an taighde, an dearadh agus an plé suntasach a rinneadh i Sasanaagus sa Bhreatain Bheag, ag cur i bhfeidhm neamhoilte agus ag cruthú leaganachaéagsúla gan speisialtóir dearaidh chló a fhostú.Deir an taighdeoir soléiteachta Bror Zachrisson “ní foirmeacha lom rómhánachaclaonta iad litreacha iodálacha. Tá an nasc leis an litir scríofa níos sonraí” (Zachrisson1965). Athluann dearthóirí an ‘eagna choinbhinsiúnach’ seo. Deir an saineolaí GerardUnger…“Baintear úsáid as iodálaigh uaireanta i gcomhar eolais thánaistigh, mar adhéantar sa Fhrainc. Ní fhaca mé sin aon áit eile. Níos minice, is cló éadrom abhíonn ann in aice le gnáth, nó meán-rómhánach a úsáidtear don fheidhm sin.Féach ar aerfort Schipol agus roinnt aerfort eile, ar nós Reykjavik san Íoslainn”(Reill 2006a)24 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008The ‘italic’ type used for Irish road signs has been ‘force inclined’ using theAutosign system (Reil 2006c), with no design intervention or redrawing, apartfrom some unusual characters which have been added. (These I return to later inthis section). There are difficulties with ‘un-designed’ sloped italics as opposed totrue cursive letterforms (specially drawn as an italic typeface).BallykissangelBallykissangelFigure 9: The black type shows an intentionally drawn italic type. The redshows Transport force italicised. In many situations - distortions toletterforms may be seen as aesthetic. Not so road signs, where great carehas been taken with letter shapes to achieve character recognition andreadability at speed.There is a certain irony that, in using the UK type, the considerable effort,research, design and discussion in England and Wales was harnessed, only to beunknowingly undone by inexpert application and creation of variations withoutthe employment of a specialised type designer.Legibility researcher Bror Zachrisson: “…italic letters are not merely inclinedroman forms. The connection with the handwritten letter is more marked.”(Zachrisson 1965) This is echoed by ‘conventional wisdom’ amongst designers.Road sign expert Gerard Unger…“Italic is sometimes used for secondary information, as in France. I haven’tseen that anywhere else. More often it is a light [weight] beside a regular,or medium roman that is given this job. [See] Schiphol airport and severalother airports, such as Reykjavik, Iceland.” (Reil 2006a)Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)25

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Faux pas teanga iasachta?Tá tagairt Unger don ‘eolas tánaisteach’ gonta – bíonn cuma dhíluacháilte ar an nGaeilge tríí a leagan in iodálaigh. In úsáid ghinearálta chlóghrafach, úsáidtear iodálaigh i gcomhaircuspóirí an-sainiúla – go gnách i gcomhair úsáid nath cainte ó theanga iasachta.Ba chóir … focail agus frásaí iasachta … a leagan in iodálaigh, ach amháin má tá siadchomh comónta sin go ndearnadh galldú orthu agus mar sin ba chóir dóibh bheith irómhánaigh” (Economist 2000)I dtéarmaí comharthaíochta nuair atá béim nó éagsúlacht ag teastáil, is fearr cló trom. “Imbeagán focal, níl stíl i gclóghrafaíocht ina fachtóir chomh hidirdhealaitheach is atá ualach”(Spencer et al, 1973a)Aon teanga a mbainfeadh feidhm as clóstíleanna éagsúla i gcomhair gach teanga, is ea isdócha go gcothódh sí míshástacht …“Is dosheachanta an rud é go ndéanfaidh úsáid chlóstíle éagsúla laistigh de chlóaghaidhfaoi leith, ag baint úsáide as cló éagsúil do gach teanga, go ndéanfaidh séleagan amháin níos doléite ná an ceann eile” (Bord na Breatnaise, 2001).Ina theannta sin, le comharthaí bóthair, is féidir, mar dhifreálaí, go gcothóidh ualach clófadhbanna, toisc go bhfuil ualaigh bharrmhaithe ann i gcomhar inléiteacht ag luasannaarda. Is féidir le hualaigh éadroma bheith rólag. Ag an am céanna, i gcás ualach trom, isféidir leis na háiritheoirí, nó an spás bán idir na focail ‘líonadh isteach’ (Barker 2000, lth.43). An éifeacht a mbíonn aige sin ná cailliúint soiléireachta i bhfoirmeacha litreacha.Mar sin, tá sé intuigthe go mbíonn dearthóirí ag streachailt ag déanamh iarrachta teacht arréiteach rathúil ar chodarsnacht agus éagsúlacht oiriúnach a chruthú.26 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Foreign language faux pas?Unger’s comment about ‘secondary information’ is incisive – the Irish language appearsdevalued by setting in Italics. In general typographic use – italics are employed for veryspecific purposes – most commonly for a use of a foreign language expression.“Foreign words and phrases… should be set in italics unless they are so familiarthat they have become anglicised and so should be roman.” (Economist 2000)In terms of signage where stress or differentiation is required, Bold type is preferred.“In single or few words, style in typography is less of a discriminating factor thanweight” (Spencer et al. 1973a)Any solution which employs different typestyles for each language, is likely to causedissatisfaction…“Using different font styles within a given typeface – using a different font foreach language – will inevitably make one version less legible than the other.”(Welsh Language Board 2001)With road signs, furthermore, using type weight as differentiator of languages canpresent problems, as there are optimal weights for readability at speed, light weightscan be too weak, whilst with bold weights the counters, or ‘white space’ within theletters can ‘fill in’ (Barker 2000, p43) resulting in a loss of clarity in the letter forms.Therefore it is understandable that in trying to create suitable contrast anddifferentiation, inexpert designers would struggle to find a successful solution.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)27

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Saincheisteanna leis na logainmneachaBéarla reatha…Cás uachtair ar fad in éadan cás íochtair – inléiteacht agus praiticiúlachtLuann Garvey (2006) an staidéar críochnaitheach a rinne Foster et al.“Nuair a chlúdaigh focail cás íochtair agus cás measctha an t-achar comhartha céanna,d’aimsigh Forbes agus a chomhghleacaithe feabhas suntasach i dtéarmaí fad anléimh leis na focail i gcás measctha.”Sa léamh, tarlaíonn próiseas coimpléascach aitheanta, agus ár n-inchinní ag déanamhathbhreithniú tapa ar chruth focal, na chéad litreacha agus na litreacha deiridh agus alitreacha comhbhaill. Dá réir, déantar an focal aitheanta a ghearrliostáil agus a dheimhniú(Larson 2004).Word ShapeWORD SHAPEFigiúr 10: Léiríonn sé an buntáiste a bhaineann le cás uachtair agus cás íochtair in éadancás uachtair ar fad – i dtéarmaí cruthanna na bhfocal a tháirgtear.Tá dearthóirí ag seasamh leis an réasúnú le fada an lá go mbíonn buntáiste suntasach cruthfocal ag leagan cás uachtair agus cás íochtair thar leagan cás uachtair ar fad.“Léireoidh taighde maith, praiticiúil ach go háirithe, go soiléir an buntáiste abhaineann le húsáid chás íochtair.” Gerard Unger, dearthóir cló-aghaidhe agusúdar comharthaí bóthair na hÍsiltíre (Reil 2006a).Ní mór spásáil litreach a mhéadú nuair atá téacs i gcás uachtair á úsáid. Ligeann sé seo donsúil cruthanna indibhidiúla focal a aithint, áit nach mbeadh cruth focal mar threoir. Nuair aúsáidtear seo, diúltaíonn an éifeacht an fachtóir den mhéad méadaithe bainte amach agfocal i gcás uachtair. Léiríonn staidéir Mheiriceánacha (Lees 1970, Winter) go raibh gá ag antéacs ar fad ar chomharthaí mórbhealach do níos mó spásála, chomh hard le méadú 40% arghnáth-spásáil – chun soléiteacht chothrom a bhaint amach. Níor leanadh leis seo archomharthaí na hÉireann, áit a gcuirtear an cás uachtair i leagan teann, más leaganéagsúlachta é. Má leantar leis seo, beidh gá le méad comharthaí a mhéadú, nó, níospraiticiúla, ba chóir cás uachtair agus cás íochtair a úsáid.28 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008“Although capital letters were the norm for most signs up to the 1960s, thenecessity for recognition of signs at greater speeds on motorways led toresearch into the use of lowercase letters and symbols (The AndersonCommittee 1962).Legibility tests for motorways, airports, hospitals another major complexessuggest that people reading words and phrases from a distance recognize themas much for their shape as for their content” (Barker 2000)“I wouldn’t start from here”If against the prevailing wisdom, Ireland were to choose an appropriate uppercasestyle for road signs, Transport would not be the most suitable choice of typeface. Infact, renowned calligrapher David Kindersley created an uppercase only MOT Seriftype to rival Transport in the 1960s (Shaw 1989). It tested well in Transport & RoadResearch Laboratory research, compared to alternatives of the time.This is not to suggest that the Irish design should be redesigned on these lines, onlyto illustrate the inappropriateness of the current typography.Figure 11. David Kindersley’s MOT Serif. (Shaw 1989)Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)31

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Ag tabhairt faoi sholéiteacht agus úsáid spás ar fáil –saincheist an airde-xTransport ClearviewCaslonx-Height x-Height xHeightFigiúr 12: X-airde (airde an chás íochtair) na cló-aghaidhe clasaicí Caslon (ar clé) igcomparáid le Transport (lár) agus Clearview HWY, cló-aghaidh nua chomharthaíbóthair SAM. Léiríonn sé seo x-airde méadaithe an dearaidh Transport, agus anchaoi a bhfuil Clearview níos airde ná seo.Moladh níos réasúnta chun an dearadh comhartha a fheabhsú ná tabhairt faoidhearadh na cló-aghaidhe a úsáidtear. Tá dearthóirí cló-aghaidhe den tuairim le fadaan lá go bhfuil x-airde méadaithe ina bhuntáiste do dhearadh cló-aghaidhe i gcomharcomharthaí. Ó na 1960í, dhírigh dearadh ar chló-aghaidheanna comharthaíochta airseo agus ar fhachtóirí eile soiléireachta – tugann gach dearadh nua iomráiteach faoix-airde (Figiúir 12, 13 agus 14).Figiúr 13: Athdhearadh Banks & Miles ar Underground SansJohnston timpeall 1979 – rinneNew Johnston (Jury 2002) athbhreithniú ar an dearadh chun x-airdeméadaithe a chur arfáil. Bhí sé seo ríthábhachtach i dtéarmaí éifeachtúlacht threo-chomharthaí an LondonUnderground a mhéadú.32 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Addressing readability and use of available space –the issue of x-heightTransport ClearviewCaslonx-Height x-Height xHeightFigure 12: A classic type Caslon (left) has it’s x-height (height of thelowercase) compared to Transport (centre) and Clearview HWY, the recentUS road sign type. This illustrates the increased x-height of the Transportdesign, and how this has been surpassed by the Clearview design.A more reasonable proposition, in improving the sign design, is to address thedesign of the type used. It has long been held by type designers that increasedx-height is beneficial to typeface designs for signage. Since the 1960’s, design forsignage typefaces has concentrated on this and other factors of clarity – allnotable new designs address x-height (Figures 12, 13 and 14).Figure 13: Banks & Miles redesign of Johnston’s Underground Sans circa1979 – New Johnston (Jury 2002), revised the design to provide increased x-height. This was critical in increasing efficiency of London Underground’sdirectional signs.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)33

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Figiúr 14: Léiríonn comharthaí bóthair ón Ísiltír an x-airde sainiúil a bhfuil gáleis i gcomhar inléiteachta feabhsaithe agus úsáide spáis.“Dá mbeifeá le x-airde mór a úsáid, bheadh do chomharthaí 3 nó 4 huairean méad atá siad anois” Gerry O’Brien, ÚBN (Reil 2006b)Cé gur tuairim intuigthe í seo, tá dearaí cló-aghaidhe le blianta beaga anuas agcothú x-airde méadaithe agus léirigh siad gur féidir feabhsaithe breise a bhaintamach don fhad breathnaithe, gan méid an chomhartha a athrú. Bheadh seo níosdeacra, murach dodhéanta, a bhaint amach le cás uachtair amháin.D’athchur seirbhís pháirceanna SAM (freagracht acu do chomharthaí áiseanna‘donna’) a gcomharthaí Clarendon le NPS Rawlinson Roadway, ag baint amach“eochair eolais laghdaithe ag 10-15% agus inléiteacht a mhéadú 11%”.Figiúr 15: NPS Rawlinson Roadway, d’fheabhsaigh dearadh tosaighchomharthaí na Seirbhíse Páirceanna Náisiúnta faoi 2%. An toradh a bhí aran x-airde (an ceann léirithe) a mhéadú ná feabhsú de 11%. (New York Times2007) Íomhá © James Montalbano, Terminal Design, Inc.34 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Figure 14: Road signs from The Netherlands display characteristic highx-height required for improved readability and use of space.“If you were to use a large x-height, your signs would be 3 to 4 times the sizeof what they are” Gerry O’Brien, NRA (Reil 2006b)While this is an understandable observation, in recent years type designs haveproduced increased x-heights and demonstrated that further improvements inviewing distance can be achieved – without increasing sign size. This would beharder, if not impossible to achieve with uppercase only.The US national Parks service (with responsibility for ’brown’ amenity signs)replaced its Clarendon signs with NPS Rawlinson Roadway, achieving “decreasedlegend length by 10-15% while increasing readability by 11%”.Figure 15: NPS Rawlinson Roadway, an initial design improved National ParkService signs by 2%. Increasing the x-height (version shown) resulted in an 11%improvement. (New York Times 2007) Image © James Montalbano, TerminalDesign, Inc.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)35

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Baineann cló-aghaidh nua SAM feabhsú faid de 16% thar chló-aghaidh choinbhinsiúnachMhorbhealaigh SAM. Is méadú é sin de 80 troigh ag 45 míle san uair (Meeker, 2004).Pléitear na forbairtí seo níos déanaí i gCuid a Trí.Figiúr 16: Clearview Highway (SAM). Íomhá: Meeker & Associates.36 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Another new US type achieves a distance improvement of 16% over theconventional US Highway type. That is an increase of 80ft at 45mph (Meeker2004). These developments are dealt with further in Part 3.Figure 16: Clearview Highway (USA). Image: Meeker & Associates.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)37

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Cuid 2:Spléachadh ar chórais chomharthaí bóthair dátheangacha…38 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Part 2:A brief look at bilingual road sign systems…Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)39

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008‘Moill ama’ dátheangach…Glacann réiteach na Breataine Bige níos faide le léamh ná comhartha aon-teangach(Rutley 1972). Ní nach ionadh, mar go méadaíonn níos mó eolais am tuisceana anchomhartha.Agus méadaítear an t-am arís, go háirithe do thiománaithe gur Béarlóirí iad, nuair achuirtear an Bhreatnais os cionn an Bhéarla .Cuireann sé in iúl an tábhacht a bhaineann lenár logainmneacha Gaeilge a dhifreáil óna cinn Bhéarla. I bhfianaise stádas na Gaeilge, conas a bhaintear seo amach ar anmbealach is fearr, agus suntasacht chothrom a chaomhnú ag an am céanna?Figiúr 17: Comhartha Breatnaise/Béarla40 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Bilingual ‘time delay’…Wales’ bilingual solution takes longer to read than a one-language sign (Rutley1972). This is hardly surprising, not the least because more information on asign increases comprehension time.And the time is increased further, especially for English-speaking drivers, whenWelsh is placed above English.It does suggest the importance of differentiating our Irish place names fromthe English. In view of the status of Irish, how is this best achieved, whilstpreserving equal prominence?Figure 17: Welsh/English signReport by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)41

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Difreáil i gcomharthaí dátheangacha sa Bhreatain BheagFigiúr 18: Comhartha Dátheangach, An Bhreatain Bheag.Ar chomharthaí na Breataine Bige, níl aon difreálaí ag teastáil. Cuid de seo nágurb é an aidhm atá leis seo ná suntasacht chothrom a thabhairt don Bhreatnais.D’fhéadfaí Breatnais a leagan os cionn nó faoin mBéarla (ag discréid na comhairleáitiúil) in ualach céanna Transport. An teoiric leis seo ná, tar éis do na húsáideoiríaithne a chur ar an socrú le roinnt comharthaí ar dtús, lorgaíonn siad gohuathoibríoch an rogha teanga - .i. más Béarla, beidh logainm le feiceáil ar andara líne.Cé gur thástáil Roinn Comhshaoil na Ríochta Aontaithe roinnt roghanna ag an am,measadh gurbh é seo an réiteach ab fhearr. Ní raibh logainmneacha fada marfhachtóir aige.I gcás logainm fada, cibé i mBéarla nó i mBreatnais, bíonn dhá líne ag teastáildon chomhartha. Eangaítear an dara líne beagáinín ar mhaithe le mearbhall asheachaint don tiománaí, .i. An logainm nua í an dara líne seo? Má bhíonnmíthuiscint ann gurb amhlaidh, cuirtear ord léamh an tiománaí trí chéile (agusé ag ceapadh gur teanga eile í an chéad líne eile).42 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Differentiation in dual language signs in WalesFigure 18: Dual language sign, Wales.In Welsh road signs no differentiator is provided. In part, the aim of this is toafford Welsh equal prominence. Welsh may be placed above or below English(at the discretion of the local council) in the same weight of Transport. Thetheory here is that users, having familiarised themselves with the arrangementover an initial number of signs, automatically seek the language of choice –ie. if English, the placename will appear on the second line.Whilst the UK DoE tested a number of options at the time and this wasdeemed the most favourable solution. It did not factor the common occurrenceof long placenames.In the case of a long name, whether in English or Welsh, the placename runsto two lines on the sign. The second line is indented slightly. This is to preventthe driver becoming confused – ie. Is this new line a new place name? If it ismisunderstood as such, the reading-order of a driver (believing the next lineto be another language) is upset.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)43

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008I dtástáil tosaigh na Roinne Comhshaoil, léiríonn samplaí a cuireadh ar fáil sa tuairiscan tástáil á déanamh ar a leithéid de logainmneacha fada (Rutley 1972). Níos déanaí,nuair a rinneadh a thuilleadh tástálacha (Rutley 1974), úsáideadh logainmneacha níb’fhaide, ach níor taispeánadh aon eangú ar bith. Glactar leis gur cuireadh seo leisníos faide anonn.Figiúr 19: Tástáil ar chomhartha bóthair Breatnaise – bhain sé úsáid as modhthar cuimse i gcomhar difreála (Rutley 1972)Creidim go mbeadh torthaí ní b’fhearr ag dath tánaisteach. Cé go ndearnadhtástálacha ní ba luaithe na mBreatnach iarracht dath éagsúil a úsáid, fágadh gachfocal ar mhalairt slí ar chúlra dubh. An éifeacht a bhí aige seo ná ró-bhéim a chur airagus aird a bhaint.Cibé na heasnaimh atá ag córas na Breataine Bige, rinneadh tástáil mhaith air, agusbaineadh amach an aidhm chun tábhacht chothrom a thabhairt don Bhreatnais igcomparáid leis an mBéarla. Cosúil le haon chomhartha dátheangach eile – táéifeacht aige seo ar fheidhmiú an chomhartha.In Éirinn, creidim go bhféadfadh na ceachtanna a fhoghlaimíodh sa BhreatainBheag a chur in úsáid trí chóras níos éifeachtúla a chruthú do gach úsáideoirbóthair – agus a bhaineann amach aidhm an rialtais stádas cothrom a thabhairtdon Ghaeilge.44 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008In the initial DoE tests, samples made available in the report, show such longplace names being tested (Rutley 1972). Later, in further testing (Rutley 1974)longer place names were indeed used, but no such indent is shown, presumablythis was added at a later date.Figure 19: Welsh road sign test - used an extreme method ofdifferentiation. (Rutley 1972)I believe a secondary colour would have yielded better test results. While theWelsh earlier tests did attempt a colour variant, each word was renderedreversed out of a black background. This perhaps had the effect to overemphasiseand distract.Whatever shortcomings the Welsh system may have, it has been well tested –and the goal of representing Welsh as equally important to English has certainlybeen achieved. As with any bilingual sign – this has an effect on the performanceof the sign.In Ireland, I believe lessons learned in Wales could be put to use in creating amore efficient system for all road users – and which delivers the government’saim of equal status for Irish.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)45

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Figiúr 20: Glactar le difreáil teanga trí úsáid a bhaint as dathanna mar chleachtas ag aerfoirt.Grianghraf © Per Mollerup. (Mollerup 2005).Samplaí de dhathanna á n-úsáid i gcomhair difreála teanga…Tá úsáid rathúil bainte ag tíortha eile as modh na difreála dathanna. Is féidirteacht ar réitigh chosúla dearaidh in aerfoirt idirnáisiúnta (Figiúr 19). Ó thaobhdearaidh de, tá a dhóthain anseo chun cúiseanna le bheith muiníneach gur féidirréiteach rathúil dearaidh a bhaint amach ag baint úsáide as dathanna. B’fhéidirnach comhtharlú é go bhfuil úsáid an dath buí i measc na réitigh is rathúla, margo bhfuil seo comhsheasmhach leis an rud a fheicimid in aerfoirt (Figiúir 20 & 21).46 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Figure 20: Language differentiation using colour is accepted practise at airports.Photo © Per Mollerup. (Mollerup 2005).Examples of colour used for language differentiation…Other countries have used a colour differentiation technique with some success.Similar design solutions can be found in international airports (Figure 19). From adesign point of view, there is enough here to give grounds for confidence that inthe right hands a successful design solution utilising colour can be achieved. It isperhaps no coincidence that the use of the yellow (route) colour is amongst themore successful of these solutions, as this is consistent to what we see in airportuse (Figures 20 & 21).Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)47

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Figiúr 21: Comhartha bóthair dátheangach, An Ghréig. Léiríonn an sampla seo anúsáid éifeachtúil as dath reatha comhartha (bealach buí) mar dhifreálaí. Grianghraf:Dr Pádraig Ó Laighin.Figiúr 22: Comhartha bóthair dátheangach, Albain. Baineann an comhartha dátheangachseo úsáid as córas na RA, ach ag úsáid dath mar dhifreálaí. Grianghraf: Owen Blacker.48 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Figure 21: Dual language road sign, Greece. This sample illustrates effective use of anexisting sign colour (route yellow) as the differentiator. Photo: Dr Pádraig Ó Laighin.Figure 22: Dual language road sign, Scotland. This bilingual sign uses the UK system butwith the addition of colour as a differentiator. Photo: Owen Blacker.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)49

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Figiúr 23: Comhartha bóthair dátheangach, Na Garbhchríocha, Albain.Grianghraf: Ewen Denney.Daille ar dhathannaNuair a chuirtear dathanna chun cinn mar réiteach dearaidh, tá sé dosheachanta gondéantar mionscrúdú air i dtéarmaí impleachtaí do dhaoine atá dall ar dhathanna.Léiríonn Figiúr 23-25 a leanas na héifeachtaí a bhaineann le radharc easpach ardhathanna ar chomhartha reatha do bhealach náisiúnta. Léiríonn Figiúr 25 (ar an gcéadleathanach eile) an easpa dathanna is coitianta (dearg). Amach is isteach ar fhearamháin as dáréag a mbíonn leibhéal éigin de radharc easpach ar dhathanna acu(Rigden 1999).Más bunaithe ar thaithí agus ar na tástálacha seo a gcuirimid i gcás go bhfuilscéimeanna dathanna comharthaí bóthair reatha gan mhórcheisteanna, ní bheidh aonghá d’úsáid dath aibhsithe reatha le tuilleadh tástálacha ar dhaille ar dhathanna.Bheadh gá d’aon teaglamaí nua do thuilleadh tástálacha.50 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Figure 23: Dual language road sign, Scottish Highlands. Photo: Ewen Denney.Colour blindnessWhen colour is raised as a design solution, it is inevitably scrutinised in terms ofimplications for colour-blind individuals. Following (Figures 23-25) demonstrate theeffects of colour deficient vision on a current national route sign. Figure 25 (overleaf)shows the most common (red) deficiency. Approximately 0ne in twelve men hassome degree of colour deficient sight (Rigden 1999).If, based on experience and these tests, we assume that existing road signs colourschemes are without significant issues; using an existing sign highlight colour willnecessitate no further testing for colour blindness. Use of any new colourcombinations would require testing.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)51

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Sampla de chomhartha scagtha i gcomhar daille ar dhathannaFigiúr 24: Gnáth-chomhartha bóthair náisiúnta ar chúlra glas scagtha i gcomharDeotranópach (duine easpach ar an dath glas).Figiúr 25: Gnáth-chomhartha bóthair náisiúnta ar chúlra glas scagtha i gcomharTríteanópach (duine easpach ar an dath buí). Tá sé suimiúil go dtagann sé trasna marchomhartha gorm mótarbhealaigh.Figiúr 26: Gnáth-chomhartha bóthair náisiúnta ar chúlra glas scagtha i gcomharPrótanópach (duine easpach ar an dath dearg). Arís, ní dócha go bhfuil an úsáideoir agdéanamh idirdhealú idir comhartha mótarbhealaigh agus comhartha do bhótharnáisiúnta. (Scagaire tástála dathanna Photoshop ó Vischeck.com).52 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Sign sample filtered for colour deficiencyFigure 24: A standard green background national road sign - filtered for Deutoranope(green deficient) colour deficiency.Figure 25: Standard green background national road sign – filtered for Tritanopedeficiency (yellow deficiency). Interestingly, this ‘becomes’ a blue motorways sign.Figure 26: Standard Green background road sign – filtered for Protanope deficiency (reddeficient). Again - it is unlikely that the viewer is differentiating between motorway andnational route signs. (Photoshop colour test filter by Vischeck.com).Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)53

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Cuid 3:An bóthar romhainn…Tá infheistíocht shuntasach inár n-infrastruchtúr bóthairtosaithe cheana féin, agus an chuma air go leanfaidh sé. Anseo,féachaimid ar fhadhbanna poitéinsiúla a bheidh orainn aghaidha thabhairt fúthu maidir le daonra ag dul in aois; maidir leis anteachtaireacht a chuirimid trasna lenár gcomharthaí reatha;agus maidir le réitigh phoitéinsiúla; agus moltaí ag eascairt astu.54 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Part 3:The road ahead…Significant investment in our road infrastructure isunderway, and set to continue. Here we look at potentialproblems we face with an aging population, the message wesend with our current signs; and possible solutions, leadingto recommendations.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)55

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Gnéithe agus forbairtí eile a bhaineann le hinúsáidteachtcomharthaí mótarbhealachAn daonra ag dul in aois…Thug SAM faoi imní faoi shaincheisteanna inléiteachta do thiománaithe níos sine. Idtosach, i 1996, mhol innealtóirí méadú ollmhór i méad cló-aghaidhe archomharthaí.Ní mór méad gach carachtair ar gach comhartha a mhéadú faoi ar a laghad30%, rud a chiallaíonn aon orlach amháin d’airde charachtair do gach 38troigh d’fhad radhairc, in éadan caighdeán MUTCD d’aon orlach amháin dogach 50 troigh. D’fhreastalódh seo ar thiománaithe le toradh 20/30 ar angcairt chaighdeánach súl … (Francis A Greene 1996)Nochtann na daoine céanna, Institiúid Iompair Texas, falsacht na leath-thuairime gomoillíonn amanna freagartha síos de réir mar a théitear in aois, agus luannsaincheisteanna radharc súl mar an bhfadhb. Taispeánann sé, áfach, go mbíonntranglam agus ‘an iomarca eolais’ ar chomharthaí agus go bhfuil seo inamíbhuntáiste don tiománaí. Tá sé suimiúil dúinn, nuair a chuirtear san áireamh gobhfuil ár gcomharthaí dátheangacha dúshlánach ó thaobh eolais agus ó thaobhtranglaim de.Mhol innealtóirí mórbhealach an Rialtais méid na litreacha a mhéadú faoi 20faoin gcéad. Ach chiallódh litreacha ní ba mhó comharthaí ní ba mhó arís,fiontar a bheadh costasach agus nach mbeadh éasca nach ndéanfadh móránach tranglam amhairc a mhéadú ar an mbóthar (New York Times, 2007)Fadhb áirithe do thiománaithe níos sine ná an feiniméan tiomána tráthnóna agusoíche ‘luanú’, mar a ghlaoitear air, nuair a líontar isteach cruthanna litreacha toisclitreoireacht fhrithchaiteach (Figiúr 21).56 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Other considerations and developments in usability ofmotorway signsOur aging population…The US has recently addressed concerns about readability issues for olderdrivers. Initially, in 1996, engineers recommended a dramatic increase in typesize on signs.The size of characters on all signs must be increased by at least 30%,which means 1 inch of character height to 38feet of sight distance,versus the MUTCD standard of 1 inch for 50 feet. This wouldaccommodate motorists testing 20/30 on the standard eye chart…(Frances A Greene 1996)The same Texas Transportation Institute debunks the notion of a ‘slowing down’of reaction times as a function of age, citing eyesight issues as the problem. Itdoes however, point to cluttered signs and ‘too much information’ as putting themotorist at a disadvantage. This is of interest to us, given that our bilingual signsare challenging from the point of view of information and clutter.The government’s highway engineers proposed increasing the size of theletters by 20 percent. But larger letters would mean even larger signs, acostly and cumbersome venture that would do little but increase visualclutter on the roadway. (New York Times 2007)A particular problem for older drivers is the evening and night drivingphenomenon known as halation, where reflective lettering causes letter shapesto infill (Figure 21).Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)57

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Figiúr 27: Léaráid d’iarmhairt an luanaithe ar chló-aghaidheanna SAM (NewYork Times). Slide © Donald Meeker & Associates.Is fadhb ar leith é an luanú do thiománaithe níos sine agus do thiománaithele goilliúnacht chodarsnachta nuair a bhaineann litreacha úsáid as ábhairais-fhrithchaiteach de ghile ard (Carlson 2006)Thángthas ar réiteach dearaidh le cruthú na cló-aghaidhe Clearview Highway, ruda cruthaíodh as taighde a dhéanamh. Ag tógáil próifíl an daonra atá ag dul in aois,bheadh sé tráthúil athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar ár dearaí reatha. Tá ‘agationscanta’ níos faide againn leis an ábhar i gcomparáid leis an gcuid is mó dárgcomharsana; tugann sé seo an deis dúinn réiteach a dhearadh, sula dtagann anfhadhb anuas orainn.58 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Figure 27: Illustration of impact of halation on US types (New York Times).Slide © Donald Meeker & Associates.Halation is a particular problem for older drivers and drivers with contrastsensitivity when letters use high brightness retro-reflective materials.(Carlson 2006)A design solution was found with the creation of research-led Clearview Highwaytypeface. Given our aging population profile, a review of our current designswould be timely. We have a longer ‘lead time’ to the issue than most of ourEuropean neighbours; this presents us with the opportunity to design a solution –before the problem is upon us.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)59

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Figiúr 28: Comparáid idir bun-chló comhartha SAM FWHA leis an litreoireachtClearview. Léiríonn an litreoireacht bhán an x-airde níos airde agus cruthannalitreacha leasaithe Clearview. New York Times, © Meeker & AssociatesIna thuairisc ar dhearadh aosaithe, deir Comhairle Dearaidh na RA maidir lecomharthaíocht i gcoitinne…‘Tá an sonra a bhaineann le turas réasúnta éasca an-mhór, agus ag gach céimden bhealach, tá an dóchúlacht ann nach gcuirfear san áireamh ní hamháindaoine níos sine, ach tuismitheoirí le pramanna agus daoine le míchumaisshealadacha agus bhuana – aon duine nach dtagann leis an sainmhíniú cúngar ‘normalacht’ (The Design Council, 2001)I gcomharthaí bóthair, tagann dúshláin uathúla roimh mheathlú sainaoise arradharc na súl. Go nuige seo, níl ach SAM tar éis céimeanna sainiúla a thógáil leisan saincheist seo a réiteach. Ag tógáil san áireamh an choimpléascachtchoibhneasta a bhaineann le dearadh ár gcomharthaí dátheangacha, bheadh séinmholta d’Éirinn céimeanna a thógáil lenár gcóras a fheabhsú agus a bheithdaingean sa todhchaí. Déanfaidh na hathruithe seo an córas soláimhsithe dárn-úsáideoirí bóthair ar fad.60 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Figure 28: A comparison of the original US FWHA sign type with the Clearviewlettering. The white lettering shows the higher x-height and modified lettershapes of Clearview. New York Times, © Meeker & AssociatesIn its report on design for aging the UK’s Design Council, referring to signage ingeneral, remarks…‘The detail of a relatively simple journey is enormous, and at each step ofthe way there is the possibility of excluding not just older people, butparents with pushchairs and people with temporary or permanentdisabilities – anyone who does not conform to a narrow definition of‘normality’. (The Design Council 2001)In road signs, age specific deterioration of eyesight presents unique challenges.Thus far, only the USA has taken specific steps to combat this issue. With therelative complexity of our dual language signs design, it would be advisable forIreland to take steps to improve and ‘future-proof’ our system. These changeswill make the system user-friendly for all of our road users.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)61

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Fotheachtaireachtaí curtha trasna ag ár gcomharthaí bóthair…Féiniúlacht náisiúntaTéann sé i gcoinne an chleachtais is fearr má dheartar saintréithe stíle ar chlónnacomharthaí bóthair d’aonturas. Ní mór an fócas a bheith ar shoiléireacht. Ach tá sésuntasach go n-éiríonn le comharthaí mótarbhealaigh bheith ina ráiteas dárbhféiniúlacht náisiúnta. Luann Margaret Calvert, comh-dhearthóir Transport anfotháirge nach d’aonturas é…Níor smaoiníomar air mar fhéiniúlacht chorparáideach, toisc nach féiniúlachtchorparáideach iad comharthaí amháin, ach má fheiceann tú é gach áit, tá sémar chuid de chuma na Breataine. Domsa, agus mé ag labhairt faoi Londain,baineann sé le busanna dearga agus tacsaithe dubha (Poynor et al, 2004)Téann an gné seo den fhéiniúlacht i bhfad níos faide ná fheiniméan simplí infheicthe indlínsí dátheangacha ar nós Éireann. Níor rud dearfach é nádúr ‘taismeach’ andearaidh ar ár gcomharthaí bóthair go dtí seo, i dtéarmaí féiniúlachta, ag déanamhmagaidh d’Éirinn agus ag cothú gearán ó chuairteoirí le fada an lá (Fáilte 2000)seachas ceannródaí a dhéanamh dínn.Tá dul chun cinn déanta ag an ÚBN i dtéarmaí láithriú comharthaí, ag cur lecomharthaí eolaire, uimhreacha acomhal agus ag úsáid treo-chomharthaí lasnairde.Tá úsáid mhéadaithe treorach de mhéid oiriúnacha clónna tairgthe aige chomh maith(Reil 2006b). D’fhéadfadh go gcabhróidh sé go pointe le tabhairt faoishaincheisteanna, ach go bunúsach beidh siad i gcónaí ag obair chun dul i gcoinne laigíchórais atá in amhras.Tá sé soiléir nach leanann ár gcomharthaí dátheangacha an cleachtas is fearr. Ach táár gcomharthaí bóthair ar cheann de na ráitis is sofheicthe a dhéanaimid faoithábhacht na Gaeilge. Dá réir, ag am ina bhfuilimid tiomanta chun úsáid na Gaeilge afheabhsú agus ina bhfuil a stádas bunreachtúil deimhnithe mar ár gcéad teanga, tádeis ann bheith ceannródaíoch. Bheadh sé ina ábhar ní ba mhó ná an teanga agusdheimhneodh sé Éire mar gheilleagar dírithe ar dhearadh agus taighde.62 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Incidental messages sent by our road signs…National identityIntentionally designing style attributes into road sign types is contrary to bestpractise, the focus must remain on clarity. But it is notable that motorway signsbecome a visible expression of national identity. Margaret Calvert, co-designer ofTransport mentions this unintentional by-product…We never thought of it as a corporate identity, because a corporate identity isnot just signs, but if you see it everywhere, it is part of the look of Britain.For me, and this is speaking of London, it goes with red buses and black cabs.(Poynor et al. 2004)This element of identity goes far beyond a simple visual phenomenon in bilingualjurisdictions like Ireland. The ‘accidental’ nature of the design of our road signs todate has not been a positive in terms of identity, making Ireland the butt ofhumour (and longstanding visitor complaints (Fáilte 2000), rather than a leader.The NRA has made inroads in placement of signs, adding directory signs, junctionnumbers and using overhead directional signs. It has also offered increasedguidance use of appropriate type sizes (Reil 2006b). This may go some way toaddress issues, but essentially they will always be working to counter theshortcomings of a compromised system.Clearly, our bilingual signs do not follow best practise. But, our road signs are oneof the most visible statements we make about the importance of the Irishlanguage. As such, in a time where we are committed to improving the use of Irishand have affirmed its constitutional status as our first language, there is anopportunity to lead the way. This would go beyond the matter of language andaffirm Ireland as a design and research-focused economy.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)63

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008“…teanga iomlán nua-aimseartha Eorpach”Déantar cur síos ar an nGaeilge mar theanga “iomlán nua-aimseartha Eorpach” iRáiteas i leith na Gaeilge 2006 (Rialtas na hÉireann, 2006).Níor chóir geiteo a dhéanamh de theanga nua-aimseartha agus bheo agus tá níos mótuillte aici ná leagan bréag-Cheilteach de chúpla carachtar clóghrafach. Chomh maithcéanna, is cinnte go bhfuil sé tuillte ag logainmneacha Gaeilge bheith chomh inléite isna leaganacha Béarla. Agus más féidir linn, mar fhotháirge, gur féidir linn inléiteachtagus éifeachtacht an Bhéarla a fheabhsú ag an am céanna, is argóint an-láidir í chunathrú a chur i gcrích.BalFigiúr 29: Comparáidí tosaigh tástála leis na hualaigh éagsúla den chló Transport(ar clé) agus clónna sceitse trialacha (ar dheis), ag méadú an x-airde agus nacomhréireanna oscailte de chruth na litreacha. Garrett Reil – Coláiste NáisiúntaEalaíne is Deartha, 2005Taighde tosaigh – i dtreo réiteach cló nua-aimsearthacomhartha bóthairCuireann mo thaighde tosaigh dearaidh, a rinneadh faoi chúram an chláir taighdeiarchéime ag an gColáiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha, in iúl go bhfuil sé indéantaforbairt a dhéanamh ar chóras feiliúnach. Chun go bhforbrófaí go rathúil a leithéid dechóras cló, go dtástálfaí é agus go gcuirfí é i bhfeidhm, bheadh tiomantas rialtais agteastáil chun an ÚBN a chur faoi shainordú le tabhairt go hiomlán faoin bhfiontar.64 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008“…a fully fledged modern European language”Irish is described as “a fully fledged modern European language” in the Statementon Language (RIALTAS na hÉIREANN; GOVERNMENT of IRELAND 2006).A modern and living language should not be ghettoised and deserves more than afaux Celtic rendition of a few typographic characters. Likewise, Irish place namessurely deserve to be read as easily as English. And if, as a happy by-product, we canimprove the readability and effectiveness of the English simultaneously, this is acompelling argument for change.BalFigure 29: Initial test comparisons with the differing weights of theTransport type (left) and experimental sketch types (right), increasingx-height and open proportions of the letter shapes. Garrett Reil –National College of Art and Design, 2005Initial research – toward a modern road sign type solutionMy initial design research, conducted under the auspices of the postgraduateresearch programme at the National College of Art and Design, suggests thatdevelopment of a suitable system is feasible. For such a type system to bedeveloped successfully, tested and implemented thoroughly; governmentcommitment would be required to mandate the NRA to engage fully in the project.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)65

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Transport type amended (IRL)Transport typeface (UK)Test type (Reil, NCAD)Tearmann FeichínTermonfeckinTearmann FeichínTermonfeckinFigiúr 30: Tástálacha sceitse i gcomhar cló ‘carachtar oscailte’ (ar dheis) lex-airde méadaithe. Baintear cuma mhéad cló níos mó amach laistigh dechomh-choiscéim ná an cás uachtair agus íochtair, agus i spás maith níos lú náan leagan cás uachtair ar fad (thuas). I gcomparáid le Transport (ar chlé).Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha, Taighde Iarchéime. Íomhá 2006 ©Garrett Reil, Rain design partners limited.Níorbh é cuspóir na hoibre taighde seo suntasacht chothrom a bhaint amach donGhaeilge, ach le teacht ar bhealach níos éifeachtúla chun eolas a sheachadadhchuig tiománaithe. Is cuid riachtanach den phróiseas seo é idirdhealú a dhéanamhgo héifeachtach idir logainmneacha Gaeilge agus Béarla i gcóras simplí, soiléir, aguséasca le tuiscint, agus dá réir ag laghdú amanna freagartha agus léimh nadtiománaithe. Cosúil le haon réiteach dearaidh rathúil eile, ba chóir go mbeadh anidirdhealú dealraitheach, ar bhealach a mbeadh imfhiosach don úsáideoir - .i. níorchóir don úsáideoir ‘foghlaim’ go comhfhiosach conas na comharthaí a léamh nó athuiscint, rud atá mar laige ag córas na Breataine Bige.Ba chóir do dhearadh aon chórais mar seo an dá chúram a dhéanamh in éineachtagus ár gcomharthaí a chosaint don todhchaí i gcoinne éifeachtaí luanaithe, agdéanamh na bóithre níos fusa le húsáid do thiománaithe níos sine agus níossábháilte do chách.66 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Transport type amended (IRL)Transport typeface (UK)Test type (Reil, NCAD)Tearmann FeichínTermonfeckinTearmann FeichínTermonfeckinFigure 30: Sketch tests for an ‘open character’ type (right), with increasedx-height – an appearance of greater type size is achieved within a similarfootprint than the upper and lowercase and in considerably less space thanthe all uppercase setting (above). Compared with Transport (left). NationalCollege of Art & Design, Postgraduate Research. Image 2006 © Garrett Reil,Rain design partners limited.The intent of this research work was not to achieve equal prominence for Irish –but to discover more efficient means of delivering information to drivers. It is anecessary part of this process to effectively differentiate Irish from English placenames in a simple, clear and easily understood system, thereby reducing thereaction and reading times of drivers. As with any successful design solution, thedifferentiation should be apparent, in a way intuitive to the user – i.e. the usershould not need to consciously ‘learn’ how to read or interpret the signs, whichis perhaps a shortcoming of the Welsh system.The design of any such system should ‘kill two birds’ and future-proof our signsagainst the effects of halation, making roads easier to use for older drivers andsafer for all.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)67

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Transport type typeFrutiger utiger 55 55Test 1Test est 2Test est 3AscenderCapX-heightBaselineFigiúr 31: Carachtair Thástála, forchéimniú cruthanna i gcomparáid le clóaghaidheannacomharthaí reatha, ó thionscadal taighde iarchéime de chuid anCholáiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha, © 2006 Garrett Reil.Is féidir a leithéid de dhearadh a bhaint amach ar an mbealach is éifeachtaí trífhorbairt dearaidh breisíoch: tástáil, leasú, agus ath-thástáil. Is beag an costas abhainfeadh leis an mbeart i gcomparáid: leis an gcostas a bhaineann leis nacomharthaí a chur i gcrích, costas na gcomharthaí níos mó in éadan dearadh níoséifeachtaí agus níos lú, an buntáiste náisiúnta geilleagrach a mbainfeadh le bóithreníos intiománta, agus níos tábhachtaí fós, an buntáiste a mbainfeadh le bóithreníos sábháilte.Figiúr 32: Reil/Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha, garbh-chló-aghaidh tástála,taobh ar dheis ag léiriú éifeachtaí insamhailte luanaithe – an ‘a’ agus an ‘o’laistigh ag léiriú níos lú líonadh isteach ná cló-aghaidheanna comparáideacha.© 2006 Garrett Reil68 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Transport type typeFrutiger utiger 55 55Test 1Test est 2Test 3AscenderCapX-heightBaselineFigure 31 Test characters, progression of shapes compared with existing signtypefaces, from NCAD postgraduate research project, © 2006 Garrett Reil.Such a design can be achieved most effectively by incremental designdevelopment: testing, adjustment and retesting. The cost of such an exercise isminimal comparative to; the costs of implementing the signs, the cost of largersigns versus a smaller more effective design, the national economic benefit ofmore easily navigable roads, and – most importantly – the benefit of safer roads.Figure 32: Reil/NCAD rough test typeface, right showing simulated effects ofhalation – the inner ‘a’ and ‘o’ showing less ‘infill’ than comparativetypefaces. © 2006 Garrett ReilReport by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)69

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Go luath, beidh mótarbhealaigh den scoth ag trasnú na hÉireann; ar mhaithe lesábháilteacht tiomána, ar mhaithe le éifeachtúlacht ghnó, agus don ‘tírdhreachteangeolaíoch’ le polasaí rialtais a léiriú; ní mór dearadh comharthaí bóthair aleanúint a bhfuil dea-taighde déanta air.Moltaí chun cothromaíocht a bhaint amach don Ghaeilge agus donBhéarla ar chomharthaí bóthairCuir tástáil ar bun ag baint úsáide as caighdeáin reatha ó thíortha éagsúla. BheadhClearview HWY agus cló-aghaidh ANWB an-mhaith mar ábhar tástála. BeidhTransport sár-mhaith mar stiúradh i gcomhar aon tástáil.Coimisiúnaigh dearadh cló-aghaidhe éagsúil Éireannach, cruthaithe lenár riachtanaisleithleacha féin san áireamh (soiléir, inléite, infhiosach ar riachtanais an dá theanga).Déan tástáil ar an leagan seo i gcoinne na gclónna allmhairithe.Déan tástáil ar dhath mar dhifreálaí.Bí ceannródaíoch i ndearadh comharthaí Eorpacha.Cruthaigh réiteach ar leith a bheadh tuillte ag teanga iomlán nua-aimseartha (agus agstát forásach). Dá réir, ag athrú léargas diúltach ar Éirinn (mearbhall faoi comharthaíbóthair, cur chuige gan chúram), go ráiteas nua d’fhéiniúlacht náisiúnta (comharthaíéifeachtúla bóthair, cultúr bródúil Gaeilge).D’fhéadfadh sé seo bheith mar chuid de thacaíocht sofheicthe don phlean fiche bliaindon Ghaeilge agus go sainiúil tabharfaidh sé tacaíocht d’aidhm shonrach an rialtais...‘a chinntiú go mbeidh úsáid na Gaeilge nó an Bhéarla mar rogha ag ansaoránach, chomh fada agus is féidir, i ndioscúrsa poiblí agus i seirbhísí poiblí”(Rialtas na hÉireann, 2006)Ní hamháin go praiticiúil go bhfuil sé sodhéanta, is an-mhian é le feabhsú adhéanamh ar ár gcomharthaí, agus is féidir seo a bhaint amach gan iomadú fógraíníos mó arís, agus trí thacaíocht a thabhairt do struchtúir ar ár mbóithre (agus nacostais a bhaineann leo).70 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Soon, Ireland will be traversed by world-class motorways; for driver safety, forbusiness efficiency, and for the ‘linguistic landscape’ (Puzey 2007) to reflectgovernment policy; a well-researched road sign design should be pursued.Recommendations for achieving equality between Irish andEnglish in road signsConduct testing using existing standards from different countries. Clearview HWYand ANWB typeface (The Netherlands) would prove good test material. Transportwill provide an excellent ‘control’ for any experiments.Commission a new specific Irish-designed alternative typeface design, created withour distinct requirements in mind (clear, readable, cognoscente of the needs of bothlanguages). Test this new variant against the imported types.Test colour as a differentiator.Take the lead in European signs design.Create a distinctive solution worthy of a fully-fledged modern language (andprogressive state). Thereby turn a negative perception of Ireland (confusing roadsigns, careless approach) into a new statement of national identity (efficient roadsigns, proud Irish language culture).This could form a very visible supporting part of the ‘twenty year strategy for Irish’and specifically support the government’s stated aim...‘ensure that in public discourse and in public services the use of Irish orEnglish will be, as far as practical, a choice for the citizen to make’(Government of Ireland 2006)It is not only practically possible, it is highly desirable to make an improvement inour signs, and this can be accomplished without a proliferation of ever-larger signsand supporting structures on our roads (and the costs these entail).Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)71

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Réiteach mear…Má mheasfar, toisc cúiseanna ama nó costais, go mbeadh sé míphraiticiúil tástáilfhairsing a dhéanamh, bheadh modh mear cur i bhfeidhm ag tógáil ar angcleachtas is fearr idirnáisiúnta agus ar ár dtaighde go dtí seo.Sa chás seo, mholfainn…Tástáil chomparáideach shimplí ar chás uachtair agus íochtair,Tástáil a dhéanamh (le agus gan dath) ar dhifreáil dathanna ag úsáid clóaghaidheanna,san áireamh Clearview HWY, agus cló ANWB na hÍsiltíre.Deireadh a chur le leaganacha éagsúla stílithe agus uchtaithelitreacha (A, a, i, M, N)Go bhfanfadh an Ghaeilge ar dtús mar atá ar na comharthaí reathaGo mba chóir an méad cló céanna a úsáid don dá theanga.Dul i gcomhairle le dearthóir speisialaithe clóghrafaíochtaNóta: Bheinn sásta cabhrú le teacht ar réiteach rathúil. B’fhéidir go bhféadfadhacmhainní a fhostú sa Choláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha chun cabhrú leis antoradh seo.Tosaíonn turas nua anseo…72 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008A fast track solution…If, for reasons of timing or cost, it’s deemed impractical to conduct extensivetesting, a fast track method of implementation would build on international bestpractise and our research to date.In this case, I would recommend…Simple comparative testing of upper and lowercase,Test (with and without) colour differentiation and using typefaces includingClearview HWY, and the Netherlands’ ANWB type.An end to use of stylised or adapted letter variants (A, a, i, M, N),Irish remain first as with current signs,The same type size should be used for both languages.Employ specialist advice from a typographic designerNote: I would be happy to assist in finding a successful solution. It may bepossible to deploy resources at the National College of Art and Design to assistin this outcome.A new journey starts here…Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)73

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Eolas faoin údarIs dearthóir cumarsáide cleachtach é Garrett Reil. Is buaiteoir na duaise i gcomhardearthóireachta eolais de chuid an Royal Society of Arts é; is tríd seo a bhí sé agobair le Banks and Miles i Londain, an chomhairleacht chlúiteach dearthóireachtchlóghrafaíochta. Ag Banks and Miles, rinneadh comhairleoir de do LondonTransport, ag déanamh maoirseachta ar chur i bhfeidhm agus ar bhainistíocht agcló-aghaidheanna dílsithe agus ag dearadh leagan éagsúil nua den aicme chlóaghaidheNew Johnston.Níos déanaí, le BCD (Londain), chomhdhear sé an Lámhleabhar um ChaighdeáinChomharthaíochta d’eastát náisiúnta Bass Plc agus rinne maoirseacht ar iniúchadhagus ar athdhearadh comharthaí toirmisc, rabhaidh agus eolais. Ag Landor(Londain), comhairleoirí uimhir a haon an domhain, rinne sé maoirseacht arthionscadal féiniúlachta Delta Airlines (Atlanta, SAM), san áireamh libhré nuafeithiclí agus comharthaí nua aerfoirt. Ag filleadh ar Éirinn dó, threoraigh sé an t-iniúchadh amharc-fhéiniúlachta do Telecom Éireann, a rinneadh Eircom díbh.Deich mbliana ó shin, chomhbhunaigh sé Rain design partners agus chruthaighréitigh dearaidh chumarsáide agus fhéiniúlachta i gcomhar réimse grúpaícorparáideacha Éireannacha, miondíoltóirí, carthanachtaí agus eagraíochtaí leathstáit.I measc an obair is déanaí a rinne sé tá obair don Wexford Festival Opera agusdon Wexford Opera House, san áireamh tá brandáil, dearadh cumarsáide aguscomhairliúchán.Is aoiléachtóir agus comhairleoir é Garrett ar an gclár MA Design Communicationsag Ollscoil Plymouth, Sasana. Is comhalta é den RSA (Royal Society of Arts,Manufactures and Commerce), ball de Institiúid na nDearthóirí in Éirinn, CumannIdirnáisiúnta na nDearthóirí Clóghrafaíochta, AtypI Association TypographiqueInternationale agus ball den GDBA/Design Business Ireland.74 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008About the authorGarrett Reil is a practising communications designer. He was a winner of the RoyalSociety of Arts award for information design; which led to working with Banks andMiles, London, the renowned typographic design consultancy. At Banks and Miles hebecame typography consultant to London Transport, overseeing implementationand management of their proprietary typefaces and designing a new variant of theNew Johnston typeface family.Later, with BCD (London), he co-designed the Bass Plc national estate SigningStandards Manual and oversaw an audit and redesign of prohibitive, warning andinformation signs. At Landor (London), the world’s number one design consultants,he oversaw the Delta Airlines (Atlanta, USA) identity project including new vehiclelivery and airport signs. Returning to Ireland, he led the visual identity audit forTelecom Éireann, becoming Eircom.Ten years ago he co-founded Rain design partners and has created communicationsdesign and identity solutions for a variety of Irish corporate groups, retailers,charities and semi-state organisations. Some of his most recent commercial workhas been for Wexford Festival Opera and the new Wexford Opera House, includingbranding, communications design and consultancy.Garrett is a guest lecturer and advisor on the MA Design Communicationsprogramme at the University of Plymouth, England. He is a Fellow of the RSA(Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce), a member of the Instituteof Designers in Ireland, the International Society of Typographic Designers, AtypIAssociation Typographique Internationale and a member of the GDBA/DesignBusiness Ireland.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)75

Comharthaí bóthair dátheangacha na hÉireann, Deireadh Fómhair 2008Leabharliosta | BibliographyBaines, Phil and Catherine Dixon. 2003. Signs: lettering in the environment. London:Laurence King.Barker, Peter and Fraser, June. 2000. Sign Design Guide, a guide to inclusive signage:JMU and the Sign Design Society.Carlson, Paul J. 2006. “Clearview Font on Negative Contrast Traffic Signs: SummaryReport.” College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University, Texas Transportation Institute.Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. 2006. “Official Languages Act2003 (Section 9) Regulations 2006.” Dublin: Government of Ireland.Easterby, Ronald and Harm Zwaga. 1984. Information design: the design and evaluationof signs and printed material. Chichester: Wiley.Economist, The. 2000. The Economist style guide. New Edition. London: Profile Books.Fáilte, Bord. 2000. “Challenging Times for Irish Tourism.” In Business 2000. Dublin:Woodgrange Technologies.Frances A Greene, Rodger J Koppa, Katherine Rodriguez, and Samantha Wright. 1996.“Positive Guidance for Older motorists – Guidelines for Maintenance Supervisors.”Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&M University System.Garvey, Philip M., Pietrucha, Martin T. & Meeker , Donald T. 2006. “Effects of Font andCapitalization on Legibility of Guide Signs.” Transportation Research Record, NationalResearch Council (US)(No. 1605 Research o Traffic Control Devices):73-79.Held, Ursula. 1999. “Reputations, Interview with Jean Widmer.” Eye 34 9(Winter, 34).Jury, David. 2002. About face: reviving the rules of typography. Switzerland ; Hove:RotoVision.Larson, Kevin. 2004. “The Science of Word Recognition.” Microsoft.Lees, John and Farman, Melvin. 1970, Winter. “An investigation of the design andperformance of traffic control devices.” The Journal of Typographic Research iV(I):7-38.Meeker. 2004. “Clearview HWY – Enhanced Legibility.” New York: Treminal Design.Mollerup, Per. 2005. Wayshowing : a guide to environmental signage ; principles &practices. Baden: Lars Mu\0308ller.New York Times, JOSHUA YAFFA. 2007. “The Road to Clarity.” 12 August 2007 Edition:New York Times.Poynor, Rick, David Crowley and Barbican Art Gallery. 2004. Communicate:independent British graphic design since the sixties. London: Laurence King.Puzey, Guy. 2007. “Planning the Linguistic Landscape: A Comparative Survey of the Useof Minority Languages in the Road Signage of Norway, Scotland and Italy.” InScandanavian Studies. Edinburgh: Univeristy of Edinburgh.Reil, Garrett. 2006a. “Email interview with Unger, Gerard.”76 Tuairisc ó Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & An Coláiste Náisiúnta Ealaíne is Deartha (NCAD)

Ireland’s dual-language road signs, October 2008Leabharliosta | Bibliography (2)Reil, Garrett. 2006b. “Interview with Gerry O’Brien NRA.” Naas.Reil, Garrett. 2006c. “Telephone Interview with Dan Rowan, DoE.” DOE, Dublin.RIALTAS na hÉIREANN; GOVERNMENT of IRELAND, Government. 2006. “RÁITEAS I LEITHNA GAEILGE 2006; STATEMENT ON THE IRISH LANGUAGE 2006.”Rigden, Christine. 1999. “‘The Eye of the Beholder’—Designing for Colour-Blind Users.”British Telecommunications Engineering, Human Factors Vol. 17(Jan. 1999):2-6.Rutley, KS. 1972. “An investigation into bilingual (Welsh/English) traffic signs.”Crowthorne, Berks: Department of the Environment (UK), Transport and Road researchLaboratory.Rutley, KS. 1974. “A second investigation into bilingual (Welsh/English) Traffic signs.”Crowthorne, Berkshire: Transport and Road research Laboratory, Dept of theEnvironment (UK).Shaw, Montague. 1989. David Kindersley : his work and his workshop ; with illustrationsfrom the workshop archives. Cambridge: Cardozo Kindersley Editions & Uitgeverij deBuitenkant.Spencer, Herbert, Linda Reynolds and Brian Coe. 1973a. A comparison of the effectivenessof selected typographic variations. [London] (Kensington Gore SW7): Royal College of Art,Readability of Print Research Unit.Spencer, Herbert, Linda Reynolds and Brian Coe. 1973b. A report on the relative legibilityof alternative letter shapes. [London] (Kensington Gore, S.W.7): Royal College of Art,Readability of Print Research Unit.The Design Council, (UK). 2001. “Living Longer.” London: The Design Council.Welsh Language Board, BWRDD YR IAITH GYMRAEG. 2001. A guide to bilingual design,Canllawiau dylunio dwyieithog. Cardiff: Welsh Language Board, BWRDD YR IAITHGYMRAEG.Zachrisson, Bror. 1965. Studies in the legibility of printed text. Uppsala: Almqvist& Wiksell.Report by Garrett Reil MISTD FRSARain design partners limited & National College of Art and Design (NCAD)77

Coláiste NáisiúntaEalaíne is DearthaConradh na Gaeilge6 Sráid FhearchairBaile Átha Cliath 201-4757401www.cnag.ieeolas@cnag.ieRain design partnersArena House, Arena RoadSandyford, Dublin 1801-213 0898www.raindesign.comhello@raindesign.comThe National Collegeof Art and Design100 Thomas StreetDublin 801-636 4200www.ncad.iefios@ncad.ie