Civic reception to mark Cork City FC's 40th anniversary

THE Lord Mayor of Cork, Kieran McCarthy, hosted a civic reception for Cork City FC this week in the very building where the first notion of the club came into being.

The reception was organised to mark the club’s 40th anniversary with Mr McCarthy saying the choice of venue to mark the football club’s milestone was particularly apt.

“It is appropriate that the first event to mark the club’s 40th anniversary is being held here in City Hall as, in the words of the founding chairman Jim Hennebry, Cork City FC ‘was conceived in the Cork Lord Mayor’s office, the idea being mooted by the late Hugh Coveney (RIP) with Joe Delaney (RIP) FAI and Pat O’Brien, President of FAI (RIP)’,” Mr McCarthy said.

For all of that, Mr Hennebry had added, the club “was born in Bundoran at the League of Ireland AGM in July 1984”.

The present-day club is not the first to bear the name Cork City, with teams referred to as Cork City competing in the Munster Senior League and the Munster Senior Cup in the 1920s and another Cork City FC played in the League of Ireland between 1938 and 1940.

Mr McCarthy acknowledged “that much credit for the club’s longevity must go to Foras, who stepped in to ensure the continuation of Cork City FC ahead of the 2010 season”.

Foras was established in 2007 as a supporters’ trust, taking its name from the Irish word meaning “foundation”, and the phrase is also an acronym of Friends Of (the) Rebel Army Society.

The Lord Mayor also thanked the many fans, supporters and sponsors, without whom the club would simply not be able to function.

A decade ago, when the club celebrated its 30th anniversary, it became the first League of Ireland club from the city to do so, so to reach 40 is yet another milestone.

A host of friends, sponsors, staff and the two senior teams joined the Lord Mayor and chief executive Ann Doherty to celebrate Cork City FC’s achievement.

Speaking at the reception, Ms Doherty told supporters the club can and does have a positive impact in the city.

“And whilst it’s the senior teams that might make the headlines, I know Cork City FC is also doing great work at a community level to make football inclusive for all and to have an impact beyond football,” she said.