County Mayor's Diary
The Halloween season is in full swing, and we are proud to support an array of festivals happening throughout Cork county this year.
To name a few, we have the Leap Scarecrow Festival, Youghaloween Spooktacular, Doneraile Samhain Festival, Spirit of Samhain, Mallow Castle Haunted Walk, and An Tulca Festival.
There is something for everyone this year and I would encourage you to all to check out what is happening in your area.
You can find a full list of events on the events section of our website https://www.corkcoco.ie/en/events.
There was big news for Bantry recently as I had to pleasure to welcome Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien TD to officially open our first Cost Rental scheme at An Cnocán.
The development of ten newly built A-rated two, three, and four-bed homes aims to provide affordable rented accommodation to people on middle incomes.
Further cost rental schemes will open in Midleton and Bandon in the coming months with the rent at least 25% below private market rents in each area.
I am encouraging eligible applicants to submit their documents as soon as possible. The cost rental and affordable homes provide additional avenues for us to achieve our targets under the Government’s Housing for All national housing plan.
Continuing with housing initiatives, the Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan is available for application.
This scheme is a Government backed mortgage and loan for the purchase and renovation of derelict and non-habitable homes.
With the Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan, a first-time buyer who wishes to turn a vacant or derelict property into a new home can receive a loan to fund both purchase and renovation works.
There was good news for Michael Collins House Museum recently as a linen handkerchief, which was in Michael Collins’ pocket at the time of his death has been acquired for permanent display at the museum in Clonakilty.
Shortly after his death, Michael Collins’ siblings gave several of his close friends and colleagues similar personal items to remember him by.
Luckily, a number of these items have found their way into the Michael Collins House collection including the necktie worn by Collins during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations and a small personal prayer book, among other items.
Moving on to the Igniting Entrepreneurship event, over 300 transition year students from 11 schools across West Cork gathered at the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery recently for the event which was hosted by our Local Enterprise Office Cork North and West.
Designed to inspire the region’s young minds, the event featured double Olympic gold medallist Fintan McCarthy and his brother Jake, both international rowing champions, who shared their stories of resilience and success.