A Co Meath town will decide tonight whether to name a street after DUP leader Ian Paisley for his historic deal on powersharing with Sinn Féin.
The proposal to immortalise the controversial unionist leader inside the ancient walled settlement of Trim has sparked huge debate.
The town's councillors unwittingly opened a can of worms when they asked residents to suggest names for the first street to be built inside the ramparts since the 12th century.
The call drew an unforeseen campaign spearheaded by local historian Noel French and his weekly publication to call the street after Dr Paisley.
The gesture, intended to mark the historic meeting between Dr Paisley and his one-time arch foe Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams, created a stir in the normally sedate market town - used for filming of Mel Gibson's Braveheart.
One Fianna Fáil councillor party claimed many people in the town were furious at the proposal put before Trim Town Council.
"Back in 1985 Mr Paisley said there were 101 terrorists in Trim, referring to the first preference votes for Sinn Féin," said Jimmy Peppard, a former Sinn Féin representative.
"Two weeks later there was a bomb left in a dust bin outside the young Catholic men's club in the town and then another one in Market Street.
"People can still remember that."
But Mr French said his idea was intended to recognise all who had contributed to the seismic political shifts in Northern Ireland which will see a power-sharing executive set up next month.
"It's not something I would be completely comfortable with - it was an inspiration," he said.
"It was meant as an over-generous gesture made to someone of the opposite political persuasion. It was meant to create debate but unfortunately it has limited debate."
If given the green light at a meeting of the town's nine councillors it will see Paisley Parade cross Emmet Street - named after Irish rebel leader Robert Emmet.
Mr Peppard however believes the likelihood of that happening would command odds in the bookmakers of "50 million to one".
"There's been a few other suggestions too. Elvis Street, Graceland Place, Bono Street. Ian Paisley wasn't the weirdest by any measure," he said.
Mr French hinted his idea may have been more tongue-in-cheek than he was given credit for by some of his neighbours.
"It was a modest proposal," he said, in a reference to the satirical pamphlet of the same name written by former Trim native and Irish writer Dean Jonathan Swift.
PA