Category Archives: Improve Your Life

National Heritage Week Tours with Lord Mayor Cllr Kieran McCarthy

Cork City Events, Cork History, Improve Your Life, Kieran's Council Work, Lord Mayor's Work, S.E. Ward Local History, Uncategorized, Ward Events

(All tours free, no booking required, all finish near their original start)

Sunday 13 August 2023, Cork Through the Ages, An Introduction to the Historical Development of Cork City; meet at the National Monument, Grand Parade, 6.30pm. 

Monday 14 August 2023, Shandon Historical Walking Tour; explore Cork’s most historic quarter; meet at North Main Street/ Adelaide Street Square, opp. Cork Volunteer Centre, 6.30pm.  

Tuesday 15 August 2023, The City Workhouse and St Finbarr’s Hospital; meet just inside the gates of St Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, 6.30pm. 

Wednesday 16 August 2023, Cork South Docklands, in association with the Cork Jewish Community and Heritage Team; meet at Kennedy Park, Victoria Road, 6.30pm. 

Friday 18 August 2023, The Northern Ridge – St Patrick’s Hill to MacCurtain Street; Historical walking tour; meet on the Green at Audley Place, top of St Patrick’s Hill, 6.30pm. 

Saturday 19 August 2023, Douglas and its History, in association with Douglas Tidy Towns, meet in the carpark of Douglas Community Centre, 2pm. 

Sunday 20 August 2023, Views from a Park – The Black Ash and Tramore Valley Park; meet at Halfmoon Lane gate, 2pm.

Lord Mayor’s Press Release,Cork City Council installs Eleven New Outdoor Gyms, 21 July 2023

Cork City Events, Improve Your Life, Kieran's Council Work, Landscapes, Lord Mayor's Work, Uncategorized, Ward Development

Cork City Council, in association with Cork Sports Partnership and Cork Education and Training Board, are in the process of installing eleven new outdoor gyms in our Parks around the city. These clustered Callisthenic Gyms, with age friendly and accessible elements, have proven very popular at Tramore Valley Park, Harty’s Quay, and Ballincollig Regional Park. The new locations are:

  • CLOUGHEENMILCON SANCTUARY WALKWAY, BLARNEY
  • GERRY O’SULLIVAN PARK, ST COLMCILLE’S ROAD, GURRANABRAHER, CORK
  • JOHN O’CALLAGHAN PARK, BALLINGLANNA, CO. CORK
  • LOUGH MAHON (BLACKROCK CASTLE CAR PARK B), CASTLE ROAD, BLACKROCK, CORK
  • MURPHY’S FARM, BISHOPSTOWN
  • POPHAMS PARK, FARRANFERRIS GREEN, FARRANREE, CORK
  • BALLYCANNON PARK, CLOGHEEN/KERRYPIKE
  • CLASHDUV PARK
  • TORY TOP PARK
  • THE LOUGH
  • MEELICK PARK, BALLYVOLANE

Following a pilot program to provide people with the confidence and skills to use the gyms, a series of free sessions, given by trained instructors, are being offered to the public. These sessions will be open to all ages and abilities but with some targeted at young women who can be too intimidated to use the gyms.

The Lord Mayor Cllr. Kieran McCarthy praised the installation of the gyms: “The installation of new Outdoor Gyms in City parks across our city is a great way to provide a space for the people of Cork to keep active and healthy. These gym installations have proved very popular so far and there have already been public calls for more in other city neighbourhoods. The pilot programme with instructors for our younger citizens is an important opportunity to give them the confidence to use this equipment without assistance in the future”.

These sessions are all about giving people knowledge and the confidence to be able to come to these gyms with a friend, a parent or sibling and use themselves. This program is starting off with five locations, Gerry O’ Sullivan Park, Tramore Valley Park, John O’Callaghan Park, Murphy’s Farm and Lough Mahon but will be rolled out to other areas in due course.

The free training sessions will take place in the coming weeks at the following locations and times:

On Wednesdays:

Tramore Valley Park –  11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Gerry O’Sullivan Park, Gurranabraher – 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

On Thursdays:

John O’Callaghan Park, Glanmire – 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Lough Mahon, Blackrock – 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

On Fridays:

Tramore Valley Park (female only sessions) – 12:30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m.

For further information or for booking groups you can contact Gary O Sullivan at  gary_osullivan@corkcity.ie / 086 168 6159.

Vernon Mount Bridge Name, 11 July 2023

Climate Action, Cork History, Improve Your Life, Kieran's Council Work, Lord Mayor's Work, Uncategorized, Ward Development

Press Release: Lord Mayor McCarthy Welcomes New Bridge Name

Cork’s new 4m wide pedestrian and cycle path bridge, connecting Grange to Tramore Valley Park, has been officially named Vernon Mount Bridge. Lord Mayor Cllr Kieran McCarthy would like to thank all members of the public who made submissions during the selection naming process.

Over a period of a month, a total of 598 nominations were received from the public through a naming submission process set up by Cork City Council.

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy noted: ‘Many thanks to the general public for engaging in the naming process. This process has been used in recent years, for example in the naming of Mary Elmes Bridge. It is a process that my colleagues and I will continue to use, knowing that it provides the public an opportunity to be involved in shaping the culture and history of the city. This new amenity will provide much-needed connectivity for the residents of Grange and Frankfield, enhancing the active travel offering in the city.

The 63-metre pedestrian/cycle bridge and the adjoining kilometre-long cycle/ pathway will provide connectivity between Grange/Frankfield and the southern suburbs and will support residents, students, and commuters to opt for active travel and thereby reduce traffic congestion.  

Funded by the National Transport Authority (NTA), the kilometre-long pathway will provide a public amenity for local residents through the wooded area south of Grange Road, allowing direct access across the N40 dual carriageway to Tramore Valley Park via the new pedestrian and cycle-only bridge.  

The four-metre-wide pathway will also support people with mobility needs and will include environmentally sensitive public lighting. The bridge and pathway are due to be opened to the public in the Autumn.

To mark the naming of the new bridge, Kieran will conduct a historical walking tour of Tramore Valley Park and the Black Ash story on Saturday afternoon, 29 July. Meet at the Halfmoon Lane gate, at 2pm. The tour is free and no booking is required.