Mayo's ‘M’ logo globally recognised symbol

THE 'M' logo adopted by Mayo County Council has become a nationally and internationally recognised symbol.

Its use was the subject of a detailed report after elected members of the local authority questioned the downgrading of the county crest, saying they wanted it used as prominently as the M logo.

In a report for the July monthly meeting, councillors were told that since this matter was raised by members in autumn 2021, the council has worked to include the M and the crest on their publications, letterheads, adverts, etc., in an effort to show the evolution and forward-looking character of the county whilst recognising the traditions of our past.

The Mayo crest was devised and introduced into use sometime during the 1980s.

The M symbol has been in use by Mayo County Council for approximately seven years.

During that time, members were told, it has been positively received and is recognisable as a progressive and affirming symbol of the local authority and County Mayo.

Not alone has it reached awareness at county level, but nationally and internationally the M symbol is used widely.

Councillors were advised: 'Given the efforts and investment that has been put into this logo and the awareness of Mayo created as a result, it is recommended that as a council we continue to maintain the strong and consistent use of our logo.'

Members were also advised that if a decision was made to add the crest to the council's vehicle fleet branding, work would commence on finalising the design of same and a decision will then be required on whether any amended branding would only apply to new vehicles or would be applied retrospectively to all vehicles.

The report also set out how the move by local authorities to introduce a logo/brand/unique identifier of their local authority is common practice. While Mayo may have been a front runner with the introduction of the M symbol, many local authorities around the country have launched a modernised version of their council logo in recent years.

The main reasons for this include difficulty in differentiating crests - not unique to a council as GAA, county associations and sports clubs also use crests, modernising the emblems/logos of a local authority to ensure inclusivity, and it is an opportunity to incorporate a logo that assists in the promotion of the county from an economic, social and cultural perspective.