Covid causes delay to Cork's Over 60s talent competition return

A STAPLE of Cork’s social scene since 1977, the Over 60s talent competition will not take place this year due to ongoing concerns over covid, it has been announced.

However, it is hoped the much-loved local heats and marquee finals at City Hall will return in 2024 for the first time since 2019.

Speaking at Blackpool Shopping Centre, venue of one of the most anticipated annual heats in the competition, organiser Paddy O’Brien said he has made the tough decision with regret.

“I regret very much that we can’t go ahead and I realise that large numbers of people will be disappointed as, for many people, this is a social outlet that they very much look forward to.”

“Elderly people still need to be careful about attending social events. Many who I have spoken to have stopped attending their local community associations and functions with large gatherings. I know of some that are still not even attending mass.”

Mr O’Brien paid tribute to long-time supporters and sponsors of the competition, The Echo, Ryan’s Supervalu, and Francis Lennox Hearing Aid Specialists.

This week Anne Riordan, regional manager of the Irish Heart Foundation, thanked the Over 60s for donating the annual proceeds of the semi-finals and finals each year.

“This annual donation helped in no small way with our work trying to reduce deaths from heart disease.”

Present at the announcement that this year’s events would not take place but sounding a positive note for the future of the competition was the last overall winner of the Over 60s in 2019, Nora Mary O’Riordan, a retired school principal from Kilbrin, Co. Cork.

Past winners of the Over 60s competition are still very active as a concert group and visit nursing homes throughout the city and county with smaller gatherings of people.

Mr O’Brien said the larger heats and the City Hall finals, which accommodate up to 1,300 people, would not be feasible in the current climate but may be possible in 2024.

“Everybody misses it, I miss it myself, it’s part of my life, but we have to protect our elderly and covid is still around and we can’t take a chance. We will continue with our concert group and we will hope that next year we can return to our local heats and finals.”