Theresa May namechecked Pettigo in her speech to the Tory Party conference yesterday. Speaking about ensuring that Brexit works in the here and now she referenced factory workers in Pendle, fishermen in Peterhead, an exporter from Penarth and people living in Pettigo. She said of the towns and villages that they were the people that “we are all here to serve. And together we will build a brighter future for the whole United Kingdom.”

Pettigo sits on the Termon river and straddles the Fermanagh and Donegal border. Part of the village is in Donegal. The other portion, which is in Fermanagh, is officially called Tullyhommon. On social media some commentators were considering May’s referencing of Pettigo as a gaff with Edward Burke Director, Centre for Conflict, Security and Terrorism, University of Nottingham, tweeting:

“Theresa May has just spoken about delivering for Pettigo as part of celebrations of being British. Pettigo is a village in the Republic of Ireland. The place she is referring to is north of the border and referred to as Tullyhommon by UK officials.”

On reply to Mr Burke's tweet queried if Mrs May was "trying to annex Donegal."

Here is the full section of Mrs May’s speech where Pettigo is mentioned:

“A Brexit that might make Britain stronger fifty years from now is no good to you if it makes your life harder today. If you work in a factory in Pendle, you need a Brexit that keeps trade friction-free and supply-chains flowing. If you are a fisherman in Peterhead, you need a Brexit that delivers full control of our waters. If you run an exporting business in Penarth, you need a Brexit that will open up new global markets. If you live in Pettigo on the Irish border, you need a Brexit that keeps it frictionless and communities connected. These things matter to you – so they matter to me. You are the people we are all here to serve. And together we will build a brighter future for the whole United Kingdom.”