Three to contest election for Cork board vice-chairperson as O'Callaghan confirmed as new chair

A three-way contest is underway for the position of vice-chairperson on the Cork County Board executive.

Following the deadline for nominations at the end of last week, Clonakilty’s Noel O’Callaghan was the only person proposed for chairperson. He succeeds Pat Horgan and becomes the first west Cork native to assume the role.

O’Callaghan’s election was widely expected, following the trend whereby the vice-chairperson ascends to the top job following the expiry of their three-year term – the only recent exception to this custom was Kevin O’Donovan, who resigned as vice-chair so as to take up employment as county board secretary/CEO in 2018.

The new executive will be confirmed at December's annual convention and are three in the mix to follow O’Callaghan as the vice-chairperson – Derek Connolly of Brian Dillon’s, Lismire’s Tony McAuliffe and Michael O’Mahony (Blarney).

Connolly is a Seandún divisional delegate to the county board and has been on the executive for the past four years, one of two delegates elected. McAuliffe is the current Duhallow board chairman and outgoing county board safety and facilities officer while O’Mahony was the Rebel Óg chairperson from 2020-24.

The other executive officers remain in situ, having been re-elected without opposition: treasurer Diarmuid Gowen (Fermoy), communications officer Ger O’Sullivan (Canovee), Irish and cultural officer John O’Mahony (Macroom), coaching officer Francis Kenneally (Kanturk), children’s officer Donal McCarthy (Valley Rovers), planning and training officer Susan O’Brien (Kilbrittain) and Central Council delegate Marc Sheehan (Aghabullogue). Joseph Blake (Adrigole) and Paul McCarthy (Kinsale) continue as Munster Council delegates.