County Council to continue to support Ironman Cork event planned for 2024

Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey has advised the elected members of Cork County Council that the council will continue to support the Ironman Ireland Cork event planned for 2024.

In a statement issued this afternoon by the local authority, it said that the decision was made having considered accounts presented by both Ironman and Triathlon Ireland on the Ironman Ireland Cork event held in Youghal last August.

"Cork County Council, as host sponsor, has supported the Ironman Ireland Cork Triathlon events in Youghal, East Cork in 2019, 2022 and 2023. 

"The Ironman Ireland Cork event is of significant tourism and economic importance to the region, having already generated an economic impact of almost €20m, a continuation of which Cork County Council would wish to see," the statement reads.

"As part of this arrangement, Ironman is the owner of the event. Ironman has sole responsibility for the management and coordination of the event. This responsibility includes running the event with due care, skill and attention.

"The matter of the sanctioning of a permit by Triathlon Ireland, such that triathlon is run under federation technical rules, is a separate matter between Ironman and Triathlon Ireland. This is a matter which will be determined between both parties, independently of Cork County Council."

Two participants in this year's event in Youghal - Brendan Wall and Ivan Chittenden - died while participating in the event.

Mr Wall was originally from Co Meath but was working in the UK as a sales director for Top Tubes Ltd In Solihull.

A Canadian, Mr Chittenden was an accomplished athlete, who started training 12 years ago following the sudden death of his first wife.