It’s the newest attraction in downtown Buffalo. Since its opening May 23, the historic site has attracted thousands of visitors, all interested in seeing the terminus of the Eire Canal.

Eire?

That’s what several Fix It readers who have visited the new Erie Canal Harbor on Buffalo’s waterfront have been wondering, noting that one of the historic information markers at the site recounts the early history of the canal under the heading “Eire Canal”.

“That’s intentional,” Matthew Davison, communications director of the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp., told Fix It when we questioned that and another misspelling on the sign.

Davison said the unusual spelling is Gaelic for “Ireland” and is a reference to the contributions the Irish made not only in the building of the canal, but on Buffalo’s waterfront.

But what about another apparent misspelling, in the narrative about “Fingy” Conners, a major political figure of the time, in which Fingy “spoked” like a dock worker?

“The signage at Erie Canal Harbor was developed to capture the historic nature of Buffalo’s inner harbor and convey the story of some of the most prominent figures impacting our waterfront throughout the years,” Davison said by e-mail. “Wording variations on the signage were intentionally utilized to capture the rich cultural heritage of the inner harbor, as well as help establish an ‘old tyme’ feel and experience for visitors.”

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