Lord Mayor's column: Marking a major milestone with visit to Cork’s sister city

This week has been a remarkable and deeply rewarding chapter in our city’s ongoing story, one that speaks to the power of friendship, collaboration, and innovation.

It was an honour to lead a Cork delegation on a visit to our sister city, Shanghai. This year marks the 20th anniversary of that twinning, first formalised in 2005. The milestone made the visit all the more meaningful.

During our time in Shanghai, we had the privilege of visiting a community college, two universities, and a variety of biodiversity projects, and we met with business leaders and public officials, culminating in a formal meeting with the Mayor of Shanghai.

The breadth of our programme reflected the many strands along which Cork and Shanghai have built strong ties over the past two decades, in education, research, health, enterprise, and cultural exchange.

Agreements

In particular, our third-level institutions and health service organisations have developed extremely productive collaborations and memoranda of understanding that now bear real fruit. From joint research and academic exchange to shared innovation in public health and sustainability, these agreements have grown in ambition and substance over the years.

I was heartened to see how firmly those links are established in Shanghai — a testament to the vision of the many Cork people who championed this relationship from the beginning.

Back at home, this week also involved two trips to Dublin for the hugely successful Cork Chamber Dublin dinner. Over 600 representatives of the business community gathered to celebrate and encourage the Cork business sector, a sign of confidence, resilience and ambition.

Electric

The energy in the room was electric: from established firms to young entrepreneurs, there was a real sense that Cork’s economic future is bright, and that our partnerships, both local and international, are bearing fruit. A huge congratulations to all at the Cork Chamber for organising the event.

Moreover, I am proud to report that Cork again excelled at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards, picking up the award under the age friendly / environment category for our energycloud age friendly pilot project, a groundbreaking effort to provide free hot water to older citizens by redirecting surplus renewable energy from wind farms.

Launched earlier this year, the pilot has already benefited over 40 older households across Cork. With simple smart-technology devices installed in immersion tanks, surplus renewable energy is harnessed overnight to provide free hot water, reducing energy costs, lowering carbon emissions, and combating energy poverty among older people.

Compassion

It is a brilliant example of creativity, compassion, and sustainability working hand-in-hand, and I want to extend a huge thank-you to Cork City Council’s age friendly team, particularly Siobhán McCarthy and her colleagues, for bringing this project to life.

As I reflect on the week’s events, in Shanghai, in Dublin, and here at home, I feel a strong sense of pride in what our city is achieving. Through international partnerships, community-focused innovation, and a thriving local business ecosystem, Cork is demonstrating that it can remain deeply rooted in its values while boldly embracing the future.