New Lord Mayor of Cork offers simple policy for his term: 'Be sound'

The new Lord Mayor of Cork has summed up his policy for the coming year with a simple two-word phrase: “Be sound”.

Fine Gael councillor Damian Boylan was elected first citizen at the annual meeting of Cork City Council on Friday evening.

The Blarney native, who represents Cork city’s north-west ward, was elected by 19 votes to eight, with one abstention, before the ceremonial passing of the historic lord mayor’s chain.

Mr Boylan, who is not noted for shyness when it comes to advertising that he went to the North Monastery, is the school’s 16th past pupil to serve as lord mayor, among them Tomás Mac Curtain and Terence MacSwiney. In fact, four earlier Mon mayors served before the office was lorded by Queen Victoria in 1900.

Describing his election as a “tremendous honour and a deeply humbling experience”, Mr Boylan said it was a privilege beyond anything he could have imagined when he was growing up.

“Like many Cork people, I didn’t spend much time thinking about titles or offices,” he said.

“I was raised to believe that if something needed doing, you rolled up your sleeves and got involved. You worked hard. You helped where you could. You left things a little better than you found them.

“That simple philosophy is what first brought me into community life, then into business, and ultimately into public service.

“Tonight, I want to thank my fellow councillors for placing their trust in me.” 

Introducing his two-word message for the year ahead – “be sound” – Mr Boylan said it was one that every Cork person understands exactly.

“You won’t find it in any policy document. You won’t hear it in many boardrooms. But you will hear it every day across our city.

“Be decent. Be kind. Be fair. Look out for one another. Give somebody a hand when they need it. Show patience when it would be easier to show anger. Treat people with respect even when you disagree with them,” he said.

“It sounds simple because it is simple. Yet I believe it is one of the most powerful ideas we possess.

“Over the coming year, I hope to bring that message into schools across our city.

“Not a slogan. Not a campaign. A way of living.

“A reminder that every one of us has the ability to make life better for somebody else.

“One conversation at a time. One interaction at a time. One act of kindness at a time.”

Mr Boylan paid tribute to the outgoing lord mayor, Fergal Dennehy, who he said had represented the city with dignity, commitment and enthusiasm.

“Fergal has given his all to the role, and I thank him sincerely for his service to our city. He has played a blinder. I would also like to acknowledge the lady mayoress, Karen Brennan,” he added.

The outgoing lord mayor said serving the city as first citizen had been the greatest privilege of his life.

“If there is one thing I will take from this year, it is this: Cork is defined by its people, their decency, their creativity, their resilience, sense of humour and their community spirit,” Mr Dennehy said.

“This year has also been a time of real progress and ambition for Cork.

“We are living through a period of unprecedented change, a city growing in confidence, in scale, and in opportunity. Cork today stands at a crossroads, but it is a positive one.

“We have the vision, the ambition, and most importantly the people to shape a city that is inclusive, vibrant and future-focused. As I hand on the chain of office this evening, I do so with great confidence in the future of this city.” 

Mr Dennehy received a standing ovation and a sustained round of applause from his colleagues and from the public gallery.

Nominating Mr Boylan, his party colleague Shane O’Callaghan said that despite the Blarney man being “Fine Gael to his core”, he was not partisan and had no problem working with councillors from any party.

That drew from the benches opposite a growl from Fianna Fáil’s Terry Shannon: “You should follow his example”.

Seconding the nomination and referencing Mr Boylan's pride in his former school, Fianna Fáil’s Colm Kelleher noted that he is the only former lord mayor to have attended Coláiste Choilm, telling his fellow alumni, Sinn Féin’s Joe Lynch and Fine Gael’s Gary O’Brien: “Lads, the pressure is on, we’re 15-down”.

Sinn Féin proposed its councillors Fiona Kerins for árdmhéara, and Michelle Gould for leas árdmhéara, with both receiving eight votes each.

Congratulating Mr Boylan, Ms Kerins quipped: “There are no hard feelings, I’m going to be sound”. 

Fine Gael’s Gary O’Brien was elected Mr Boylan’s deputy lord mayor.

The city's chief executive, Valerie O'Sullivan, offered her congratulations to Mr Boylan, her "fellow proud Norrie".

In the public gallery were Fine Gael TDs Colm Burke and Jerry Buttimer, and Cork senators Garet Kelleher and Laura Harmon. All bar Mr Buttimer are former members of Cork City council. Another former member of the chamber was watching online from home, Mr Dennehy’s father, John, a former lord mayor and TD.

After the meeting, Mr Dennehy prepared to head a way for a well-earned break, and Mr Boylan settled into a role he is alleged to have wished for since he was ten years old.

At the door of the chamber, Finbarr Archer, the Lord Mayor’s driver, told The Echo: “He might be a North Mon Lord Mayor, but he’s going nowhere without a Chríost Rí driver”.