Those who lost their lives during pandemic remembered in moving ceremony at Cork City Hall

A MOVING ceremony of remembrance and reflection took place in Cork City Hall today, the first public event to take place in the iconic
concert hall for over two years.

The ceremony, to remember those who lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic, and to pay tribute to those who contributed to the fight against the virus, was hosted by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Colm Kelleher and the chief executive of Cork City Council, Ann Doherty.

Prior to the event, the Lord Mayor and the chief executive laid a wreath and planted a tree on the grounds of City Hall to honour those who lost their lives during the pandemic.

In his address to the assembled crowd inside the concert hall, which included city councillors, TDs, those from community groups in Cork and members of the public, the Lord Mayor lauded healthcare workers for their trojan efforts during the pandemic.

“For over a year this great venue has served the city and its people like never before – functioning as a vaccination centre, this concert hall - and the people who worked here - were a critical part of the process where we eventually began turning the tables on the pandemic,” he said.

“It is a great honour for me also to be able to acknowledge and to thank all those who stood up - all those who put their shoulder to the wheel - all those who made extraordinary contributions in extraordinary times to fight against the ravages of a global pandemic," the Lord Mayor continued.

In his speech, Mr Kelleher noted that he is the third Lord Mayor of Cork to serve during the course of the pandemic, and paid tribute to his predecessors, Cllr John Sheehan and Cllr Joe Kavanagh for their leadership in earlier stages of the pandemic as well as the work done by Cork City Council’s Community Response Forum.

The Lord Mayor said the remembrance tree planted before the ceremony is to honour those who lost their lives during the pandemic and to pay tribute to those who sacrificed so much.

“It is important that we remember – remember those we lost over the past two years, remember those who were not able to grieve the loss of their loved ones, remember those whose sacrifice and forbearance will forever be hallmarks of how we as a community faced challenges that we could never have imagined possible. I thank each and every one of you,” he said.

“And it is important also to continue to reflect on what we have all endured.

“No magic switch has been flicked – what has been endured throughout the pandemic will continue to impact us all – both individually and collectively.

“As we reflect, our thoughts are also with the Ukraine as it faces up to the horror of war - our prayers and support go to the people of the Ukraine.” 

Today’s ceremony included musical performances by harpist Fiachra Ó Corragáin, who performed a specially commissioned piece, and the Barrack Street Band.

It also included a poetry reading of a specially commissioned poem by local poet, Tom McCarthy.

Other speakers at today’s event included Nora O’Donovan, of Cork City Age Friendly Programme; Dr Naomi Masheti, manager of the Cork Migrant Centre; Maria Daly, from the HSE and youth worker, Joe Curtin.

Just before the ceremony concluded with a performance of ‘You'll Never Walk Alone’ by the Barrack Street Band, the chief executive in her closing remarks said that the Irish saying, ‘ní neart go cur le chéile’ – ‘there’s no strength without unity’ had been quoted a lot during the pandemic and that Covid-19 had proven just how true that is.

“I’m very proud to say that Irish people are particularly good at looking after each other and long may it continue,” she said.

The ceremony in City Hall today was part of a National Day of Remembrance and Recognition. 

“It will be a poignant day for many, as we remember loved ones lost to the disease and as we remember all those others who passed away but couldn’t be grieved in the way we would have liked, or as they deserved,” Taoiseach Micheál Martin said in a statement.

“The loss is enormous and it is profound, but we will come to terms with it in the same way that we have come through every other stage of the pandemic – as a community, united and there for each other,” he said.

Mr Martin also took the opportunity to laud the solidarity shown by the Irish people during the pandemic and in particular, the sublime efforts of healthcare workers.

“Without hesitation and before we even understood the true nature or scale of the threat, they put themselves in harm’s way to protect the rest of us. Without complaint, they cared for our sickest and brought dignity and compassion to the most fraught and difficult situations.

“When science delivered a vaccine, they were on the frontline and helped deliver one of the most effective national vaccination programmes in the world.

“They deserve and enjoy the entire nation’s deep gratitude and respect.”