Tadhg is latest Cork Person of the Month

Organisers of a monthly award have described its February winner as a “renaissance man”.

Tadhg Curtis, who has provided community development in Mallow for over 50 years, is the latest Cork person of Month for his involvement in the arts, development and enterprise partnerships, trade unions, community organisations, workers rights and education, local politics, credit unions, sport, residents associations, education, festivals and charities.

With a BA in Education and Training, he is particularly suited to providing inspirational leadership in all of the areas he is active in. In recent times, he is best known as Chairman of the Mallow Arts Collective that organises yearly arts summer festivals, culture nights, music and choral events, and is the lobbying force behind getting an arts centre for Mallow town.

He said: “My interaction with Mallow Urban District Council on behalf of the Arts Alliance and my residents association, gave me a keen interest in local government and I decided to stand for election to the Council in 1979.”

2 years into his career as a local representative, Curtis was elected Chairperson of Mallow Urban District Council. Curtis was 26 at the time and remained the youngest ever chair until the council’s abolition in 2014. Curtis went on to serve 3 terms as Council Chair between 1981 and 1999.

Throughout his entire spell on Mallow Urban District Council he represented Mallow UDC on the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland, which was the representative body of the 78 City Councils, Urban Councils, and Town Commissioners in the country. During his time on the body Curtis served as President twice.

In the 102 years of the Association, Curtis was one of only two councillors to hold the office of President on 2 separate occasions.

Tadhg’s name will now go forward for possible selection as Cork Person of the Year.