County Mayor's Diary

Next week my term as Mayor of the County of Cork will come to an end. There are many ways I could describe my term. With so much change in such a short period of time, I would have to say that it has been extraordinary.

My tenure was shorter than that of others, having only taken office following the election of my predecessor, Cllr Christopher O’Sullivan, to represent his constituency as a TD in Dáil Éireann; but brevity aside, it turned out to be a term like no other.

Holding the office of Mayor is a singular privilege for a councillor, and in county Cork, it provides a distinct and unique role. Covering the largest of local authority areas in Ireland, the role calls for representation of a very diverse population over a vast area, from Mitchelstown in the north east, to Ahakista in the south west, and everyone and everywhere in between. However, a term spent on the road meeting and greeting the amazing people and groups in Cork county was not to be.

In March, a new reality shaped by Covid-19 came into focus. Travel, events and meetings were off the cards, or changed completely from what they had been before. Although such circumstances were impossible to anticipate, the response of communities throughout Cork reflects the values, commitment and care that has been practiced here for years.

My career in politics began with community activism, something which I have maintained throughout. What we witnessed together in response to Covid-19 was just that – community activism. Cork County Council’s Community Support Programme saw the mobilisation of the council, of community and voluntary organisations and of many more organisations who are embedded in the fabric of community life in our county. It allowed us to identify the needs of the most vulnerable and respond with the knowledge and care that can only be found locally.

This is at the heart of why I am involved in local politics, and why I am involved in community organisation.

I firmly believe that for a community to thrive, and for a town or village to reach its full potential, it has to be driven locally, with residents at its centre. Cork is full to the brim of compassionate and creative people who work to support their neighbours and enhance their local communities.

In my term as Mayor, I have had the privilege to see the very best of such work, by the many community groups, healthcare workers, frontline staff, voluntary organisations and statutory agencies working in Cork. Seeing our county respond to such exceptional times has been an outstanding honour.

I look forward to continuing to support the people of Cork as a councillor, and wish my successor the very best of luck in their term.