County Mayor's Diary

I hope everyone is recovered and raring to go after the Christmas holidays. I would again like to thank you all for shopping locally this year and supporting your local business around the towns and villages of county Cork.

As we begin a new year and start our new year's resolutions, now is an excellent time to make use of the Explore Cork App. The app boasts remarkable features such as What's Near Me? functionality, 850 points of interest categorised into 19 sections, offered in four languages and a host of other user-friendly features. There are many beautiful walking and cycling trails on your doorstep. The app is available for download on the Google Play Store and the IOS app store.

I’m delighted to announce support of more than €1.8 million to enhance community engagement and facilities in 2025 is available. The Community Fund Scheme supports a range of projects and initiatives by local voluntary groups and organisations each year and opened for applications on Monday 13 January. I am continually inspired by the incredible work carried out by community groups under this scheme. The Community Fund supports a wide range of meaningful projects and initiatives each year, and I am proud to see this vital support continue in 2025.

I have some good news for art enthusiasts as a new exhibition ‘Timelines Growth and Catastrophe’ has opened this past week at LHQ Gallery and will run until 28 February. ‘Timelines Growth and Catastrophe’ is a collaborative of eight contemporary artist weavers: Tish Canniffe, Pascale De Coninck, Heather Underwood, along with Muriel Beckett, Frances Crowe, Lorna Donlon, Terry Dunne, and Catherine Ryan.

Exploring ideas of resilience at a time of global challenge, instability and uncertainty, this exhibition showcases a collaborative 1 metre x 5 metre tapestry, eight new individual tapestries and a short documentary film. Drawing from a broad range of diverse visual references, this collaboration also incorporates current UCD plant science research imagery.

Lastly, I would like to remind everyone that there is still time to apply for the Local Festival and Event Fund for 2025. The fund is designed to support festivals and events that celebrate local culture, stimulate economic growth, and attract domestic visitors to Cork county. Festivals breathe life into our communities, energising towns, and villages across Cork county.

They reflect who we are, showcasing our unique identity and offering essential support to local businesses. With the backing of Fáilte Ireland, this fund is a key part of our commitment to ensuring the continued growth and sustainability of Cork’s vibrant cultural celebrations, and to making Cork a destination that welcomes domestic visitors all year round.