County Mayor's Diary
Cllr Bernard Moynihan
It is a great honour to be serving as the new Mayor of the County of Cork, and I look forward to the year ahead with a determination to serve all of Cork county's communities and an optimism about what we can achieve together. I have served as a councillor for Kanturk and Mallow since 2014 and in that time I have met many remarkable people working for the betterment of our county. I am excited to meet people from other parts of the county of Cork and learn more about the challenges communities are facing and how Cork County Council can support them.
A great example of the community spirit and creativity that exists across the county is Culture Night 2026, which takes place on 18 September and showcases the rich artistic talent of our communities, bringing music, poetry, and sculpture to new audiences. There are over 150 free events on the night throughout Cork county including a puppet making workshop for children in Mallow, a painting exhibition in Gortnaclohy, and a musical performance by Irish folk-rock band The Fynches in St Matthews Church, Baltimore. With events in Irish and English, for adults and children, and covering many creative artforms, there is something for everyone to enjoy and I can’t wait to attend some of the events myself. If you want to learn more, please visit the news section on Cork County Council’s website which provides a link to a listing of all the various events that will take place.
I would like to congratulate two small businesses supported by Cork county’s Local Enterprise Offices for their selection to represent county Cork at the National Ploughing Championships. Laura Lyons of Sónua seeks to reduce waste with her app-controlled scented candle, while Paddy Buckley of Target Genetics is supporting farmers through cutting-edge breeding technologies. From 15 to 18 September, they will showcase their businesses to an audience of approximately 300,000 visitors. They represent Cork’s innovative and entrepreneurial culture, and I wish them every success.As you may know, Ireland currently holds the EU presidency and Cork County Council has organised Cultúr 2026 in partnership with Cork City Council. The programme involves initiatives developed specifically to mark the presidency, from literature, music, poetry and theatre.
Some highlights this September include The Battle of Kinsale History Talk and Walk in Kinsale Museum, an art exhibition,’ Atlantic Eyes – The Irish Move’ at the Sarah Walker Gallery, Castletownbere, and Multilingual Storytimes and book displays throughout Cork county’s libraries. I hope you take advantage of the free events and learn more about Cork’s culture as well as the links between Cork and the rest of the EU.