County Mayor's Diary Cllr Mary Linehan Foley
At Cork County Council, we strive to make to make Cork better every single day and that means supporting the people that make our county a great place to live and work.
That is why I am glad to announce the latest initiative to support young people in Cork, our 2026 Cruinniú na nÓg programme.
Cruinniú na nÓg is designed to celebrate Ireland’s National Day of Creativity for young people on Saturday 6 June. This year’s programme features over 40 free events taking place in towns across county Cork, including a series of lively outdoor celebrations in Cobh, Mallow and Kinsale. These events are family-friendly, and they will feature live music, hands-on art activities, performances and interactive workshops. Our libraries will also host an exciting range of workshops, including dance, animation, painting, and more.
Further details can be found on the news section of corkcoco.ie.
I am also delighted to announce the Irish Language Events and Initiatives Grant Scheme for 2026. Cork County Council invites applications from organisations who are planning an initiative or event which is substantially or entirely in Irish. This can include bilingual events aimed at introducing the public to the Irish language, and events can be recurring or once-off.
The aim of this scheme is to provide financial aid for Irish language events, projects, initiatives within the functional area of the county of Cork which benefit the community and promote the language. We do this because Cork County Council is committed to supporting the Irish language not just during Seachtain na Gaeilge but year-round.
The scheme is open to applications until close of business on Friday 26 June. Please apply through the Irish Language Office section of our website and for further information, or if you have any questions, please email.
Finally, I am pleased to announce the allocation of €272,000 in funding to support festivals and events across the county under the 2026 Local Festival and Event Fund. Cork County Council has approved 63 festivals and events for funding following a competitive application process.
55 small to medium-scale festivals and events will share €125,000 in funding, while €147,000 has been allocated to deliver 8 large scale festivals and events with strong regional, national and international appeal.
Festivals supported under the scheme span the entire calendar year and include a wide range of cultural, music, food, sporting and family-focused events across all municipal districts, helping to sustain visitor numbers outside the peak summer period and support local communities and the hospitality trade that depends on tourism.
For more information visit corkcoco.ie.