County Mayor's Diary

Cllr Mary Linehan Foley

Covid-19 has defined the past year, and as the vaccine programme is rolled out, it is vital now more than ever that we hold firm. For many of us this means avoiding contact with people from other households and staying at home apart from essential journeys.

These sacrifices will give our frontline workers the best chance possible to get ahead of the virus, and to assist those in need of critical care.

With the virus now so prevalent in our community, many will find that the personal supports they relied on last year may become unavailable. For anyone in this situation or anyone who knows someone in this situation, I urge you to contact the Council’s Community Support Programme Helpline by calling 1800-805819, texting 085-8709010 or emailing covidsupport@corkcoco.ie.

Your call, text or email can connect you or someone you care about with local practical and emotional supports, as well as providing reliable information.

With restrictions in place in terms of where you can go, what you can do and who you can see, looking after our physical and emotional wellbeing is vital and doing so helps protect our community and our health system. Reach out to friends and family by phone or online or contact the Community Support Programme as needed.

You can access a variety of resources on the Cork County Council website, including activities that you and your household can engage in for fitness and mental health, along with contact details for a range of support services.

As we look forward with hope to a brighter future, there are many lessons that we can take with us. In particular, we should never forget how important our local amenities, volunteers, community groups and businesses have been to us, as we continue to rise to the challenges of the past 12 months. I, for one, am eagerly looking forward to a time when we can make the very most out of our wonderful local scenery and amenities again.

A new chapter for Cork Harbour and its residents began last week as Haulbowline Amenity Park has finally opened to those living within five kilometres, following extensive remediation works by the council. When restrictions ease, this site will be a welcome amenity for locals and visitors alike and will further enhance the rich heritage of Cork Harbour. Alongside walkways and a jogging route, the site will feature over 200 trees and wildflower areas to support wildlife and biodiversity.

We have a lot to look forward to together as a community, but for now we need to do what communities do best – we need to look out for one another and ourselves.

I implore you all to stay home, stay safe and keep well, and let’s work towards beating this pandemic together.