County mayor's column: I was delighted to open the new fire station in Clonakilty

Spring is quickly approaching, as the ground begins to thaw and the nights get longer.

It’s a wonderful time as the world seems to wake up from its winter hibernation, with schools and colleges now back in full swing and Cork matches the highlight of our weekends at the Páirc.

As Mayor of the County of Cork, I get a first-hand view of this along with the plans being put in motion that will carry us through 2026 and beyond. Part of this is making sure our work has a lasting impact on communities, as we want to build facilities that will serve us for generations to come.

That is why I was pleased to open the new fire station in Clonakilty alongside minister of state with responsibility for nature, heritage and biodiversity Christopher O’Sullivan and chief executive Moira Murrell.

This new facility at Park Road replaces the old station at Kent Street, which was home to Clonakilty Fire Brigade for more than 80 years.

The base of operations has a state-of-the-art appliance bay that accommodates two fire engines and a domestic bay to house the watch room, muster bay, kitchenette, lecture/training room and ancillary spaces.

Staffed

All of this is for the Clonakilty Fire Service, an organisation that is staffed by a local crew of 12 which is made up of a station officer, sub-station officer, two driver mechanics and eight firefighters. They respond to 150 incidents per year including house fires, road traffic collisions, chimney fires as well as gorse, hill and grass fires.

They cover ground through West Cork as they serve nearby villages of Rosscarbery, Timoleague, Courtmacsherry, Ballinscarthy, Ring, Ardfield, and Rathbarry.

Clonakilty Fire Brigade also responds regularly to incidents in adjacent station ground areas of Skibbereen, Dunmanway and Bandon.

This coincided with the launch of Cork County Council’s campaign to promote pedestrian safety.

We are urging all road users to prioritise pedestrian safety especially at busy school gate areas, which remain high risk zones throughout the year.

By following established safety guidelines and modelling responsible behaviour, we can significantly reduce the risk of pedestrian incidents around County Cork.

Safety Advice

We also published a list of safety advice for pedestrians, school wardens, and crossing points. This initiative also saw drivers urged to slow down and act responsibly when behind the wheel of a car, and people urged to wear high visibility clothing while practicing the safe cross code.

These initiatives are so important because it’s never too late to revisit your behaviour on the roads and together, we can all make a difference.

My week continued with the launch of Cork County Council’s local festival and event fund 2026, a key investment in our cultural and tourism landscape. The fund is supported by Fáilte Ireland, and it is designed to strengthen communities, support economic growth, and position Cork County as a leading destination for visitors throughout the year.

Festival fund 

The Local Festival and Event Fund 2026 will deliver this through two distinct funding strands.

Strand A is for small/medium festivals, and it is built around strengthening local identities and attracting domestic visitors, with grants of €6,000 made available for this.

The criterion for this section is that the event must take place in Cork county, have a minimum of 150 projected bed nights, and a minimum of €7,500 total expenditure.

Strand B is for large-scale festivals and events, targeting major events that deliver significant economic impact while boosting Cork county’s profile nationally and internationally. The criteria for this is that the festival must take place in Cork, have a minimum of 1,000 projected bed nights, and a minimum of €20,000 total expenditure.

Applications are now open and close on Friday, February 27. More information can be found at

https://www.corkcoco.ie/en.