'I'm proud to fly the flag for the county'

Christmas marks the halfway point of my tenure as the Mayor of the County of Cork, and the season of goodwill gives me a chance to look back at everything that Cork County Council has achieved over the last six months.

This year, the festivities are extra special, as I am wearing the chain of office for the second time, after first taking on the role in 2020, at the height of the covid-19 pandemic, when the world was at a standstill.

Five years later, Cork is bursting with life with events and festivals running from the darkest nights of January to the brightest days of summer.

The Rebel County has been transformed during the intervening period, through the work done by the dedicated staff at Cork County Council, and I want to thank every single person for doing their part.

As Mayor, I see what goes into making Cork a great place to live and work.

My tenure even started with something that will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come, as we launched the 2025 Streetscape Enhancement Scheme.

This programme offered tenants or owners of occupied buildings in key locations financial assistance to improve the appearance of these buildings under the scheme, with priority being given to occupied commercial premises.

This scheme was one of many offered by Cork County Council throughout the year, as we look to brighten our towns and villages.

There were so many like this on offer, like the 2026 Built Heritage Investment Scheme and the Historic Thatched Buildings Stream, and each one is for you, with the goal to move forward and develop our infrastructure, while preserving what we love.

As Mayor, I was proud to announce each programme and scheme, as we moved into a busy season of festivals as the summer turned to autumn.

This included National Heritage Week in August, which had the highest number of events ever staged in County Cork.

We ran a nine-day programme in conjunction with Cork County Council’s Library Service, and it was a huge success as thousands of people turned up for walking tours and commemorations running from West Cork to Youghal.

After National Heritage Week, there was Culture Night, an annual celebration that marked their 20-year anniversary in 2025.

There were more than 150 free events taking place across 35 towns and villages and two islands, and record crowds turned out for workshops and performances.

It was an amazing evening, and it whet people’s appetites for the Jazz Weekend and the countdown to Christmas.

As Mayor, I take pride from the excitement created by our festivals, as they drive the local economy and attract people to parts of Cork they might never have visited.

One of the highlights of the year for me involved that very topic, as we welcomed cruise liners to Baltimore, Youghal, and Ballycotton. The passengers were allowed to experience Cork, as they got to visit sites like St Mary’s Collegiate Church and the Youghal Clock Tower.

The last six months has also seen a drive to build links between Cork County Council and different regions and cities from across the world.

This took us to Turkey in October for the 10th edition of the Kaleiçi Old Town Festival, where we discussed learning from disasters, with a particular emphasis on flooding.

Cork County Council was the only local authority that attended from the Republic of Ireland, and we spent our time listening, learning, and building links that will pay dividends for years to come.

I followed this up by joining a council delegation to the Jiangsu Province, China, alongside representatives from the Cork Education and Training Board and Cork Chamber.

We met with Jiangsu’s Governor, city mayors, universities, and leading businesses, in addition to attending the Shamrock Cup English competition, while on our nine-day tour.

This gave us an opportunity to strengthen our ties in education, culture, tourism, and economic development with the Jiangsu Province, as we renewed an education co-operation agreement.

We held similar functions closer to home, by welcoming ambassadors from Georgia and Turkey to Cork County Council.

Those days are so important as they help establish relationships with regions we hope to work with in years to come.

This year hasn’t been without sadness, as we had to deal with the passing of Councillor Patrick Gerard Murphy, former Councillors Des O’Grady, June Murphy, Timmy Collins, and Frank Metcalfe, and former Town Councillor Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin.

They represented the very best of Cork, through their dedication to public service and advocacy for communities across the county.

It was a privilege to say they were my friends, and they will be forever missed by everyone at Cork County Council.

The festive season has a way of reminding us of those we lost, and the need to hold our loved ones close. That’s just one part of the holidays, as we settle down.

I want to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Nollaig Shona agus Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit.