Cork Profile

Anne Doherty, Chief Executive of Cork City Council

When you were small, what did you want to be as a grown-up?

I wanted to be a teacher when I was very young. I think it was because teachers were the only profession that a child saw women in back then. I’m delighted to say that we now see far more women excelling in careers that were once the preserve of men. Unfortunately however, women remain woefully under-represented in politics and there is a clear lack of wider diversity, despite some recent gains in local government. And that’s why Cork City Council’s Women’s Caucus Webinar on Women in Politics – Be the She Change is so important. We need more women at the decision making table and more women from a variety of backgrounds.

Tell us about your career progression to your role today:

I trained as a nurse at the former Cork Regional Hospital before moving into clinical management and general management at Kings College Hospital Hospital in London. I returned to Ireland to work in a management role in West Cork before taking up a position with the Southern Health Board before becoming a national director of the then newly formed HSE and prior to coming to Cork city, I was appointed as CEO to establish the University of Limerick Hospitals Group.

What is the most enjoyable aspect of what you do? My job satisfaction has never derived from the personal but from the collective and that is why I enjoy leading in the public sector. Just like in clinical care in my early days, it is about bringing the right team together and creating the conditions so that each person can play to their strength and deliver.

What motivates you?

Local government is the closest and most accessible form of government in Ireland and so we can make a real difference to people lives across planning, housing, transport, economic development, green spaces and arts and culture and more.

What advice would you give your 15 year old self?

Believe in yourself and your ability to challenge assumptions all the way.

What is your greatest life or career achievement to-date? Being CE of Cork City Council at a time when the city is earmarked to be the fastest growing city in the country is an amazing opportunity. To be the first female CE is also important.

Who has had the biggest influence on you in your life?

My mother. She was creative and innovative yet focused and disciplined. She instilled a strong work ethic in me.

What is the life dream now?

I want Cork to grow as a city of scale but to simultaneously, grow its quality of life. Put simply, make it a great place to live and the people will come.

How do you switch off?

For a recent anniversary, my husband bought me an electric bike in the hope that we will exercise at night rather than just collapse in front of the telly. I’ve always enjoyed cycling on holidays so he couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t consider it as a year round hobby.

What is your favourite place in Cork?

I like the cultural scene in Cork – a visit to the Crawford, Opera House or Everyman after lunch or dinner with friends. I really enjoyed the outdoor concerts that took place in the city’s parks and at Elizabeth Fort this summer. As a city, we re-imagined public space in a way we hadn’t previously and I think we will carry that experience with us.

Do you have a favourite quote or motto?

Success is 90 per cent planning and ten per cent execution.

When are you at your happiest?

Roaring laughing with friends and family.

What might we be surprised to know about you?

I can sing and ride a horse. I try not to do both simultaneously.

Anything else you’d like to share with us? Yes, you need a tough skin to be in public life but public life also needs more women at the decision making table so we can effect the change that we want to see. Join the Cork City Council’s Women’s Caucus for the Women in local politics – Be the She Change webinar next Wednesday 17 November from 12pm-1.30pm on corkcity.ie.

Factfile

Name and position: Ann Doherty, Chief Executive, Cork City Council

Age: 56

Lives: Riverstick, Co Cork

Family: Two sons and one daughter. Rory (26), James (30) and Michelle who, aged 15, is living at home with my husband, Jim and myself.

Pets: Charlie the dog, three hens and a rooster.

Favourite thing about Cork: Cork is masterful when it pulls together and nationally it is recognized for its interagency collaboration. During the pandemic, we saw it when city traders and the hospitality sector worked with the Council to ‘reimagine Cork’ and when the voluntary sector, homeless services, the community sector, church representatives, the GAA, An Garda Siochana, the HSE and Cork City Council all rallied together as part of the Community Response Forum to support the vulnerable during the lockdowns.

Least favourite thing about Cork: The author Colum Mc Cann recently spoke of the ‘disease of simplicity’. I think this is a challenge for anyone in public life. Very often in life, sometimes solutions are ‘deeply layered, complex, messy truths’.

One thing you’d change about Cork: I’d accelerate our transition to becoming a more sustainable city with greater transport choice for people who live, work and visit here. Up to 3.5 billion euro is being invested in the city to provide world class transport options and I think it will be a gamechanger for the city and key to helping people to leave the car at home and walk, cycle or take the bus or train to school or work. This will all add up to a cleaner, greener and healthier city.