Kieran’s motions, Tuesday, 27 October 2009:

That the invasive species of Japanese Knotweed on Blackrock pier and eastwards to the rowing club be treated and removed (Cllr. K. McCarthy).

Arising out of the recent arts report and to enhance the City Council’s investment and the future development of Cork’s international tourist market, that a S.W.O.T. analysis of Cork Marketing Partnership be conducted and the report sent back to the City Council (Cllr. K. McCarthy).

27/ 10/ 09 Question to the City Manager:

Further to Cllr John Kelleher’s recent question to the City manager, when will repair work begin on the slipway on the Marina, used by the Lee Rowing Club? (Cllr. K. McCarthy)

Last Thursday evening, I had the pleasure of deputising for the Lord Mayor at the Southside Sports Awards at the Cork International Airport Hotel. The award winners were Noel Galvin (August winner, All-Ireland County Champion, All-Ireland medal at U-21 level with Cork), Aoife Murray (September winner, goal keeper, woman of the match in All-Ireland Camogie final for Cork against Kerry), Nollaig Cleary (October winner, member of Cork Ladies Football five-in-a-row side, scored vital goal and point in final. Her brother John is winning coach of Cork Under 21 football side). My thanks  to Aaron Mansworth, General Manager at the  Cork International Airport and Sean O’Sullivan, organiser of the awards for their hosting of this event.  My thanks also to Red FM sport for their sponsorship of this event.

Kieran’s Speech:

When I was growing up, I always enjoyed my schools’ sport day. I was never a winner but always admired and perhaps envied my school colleagues that ran faster than me – that were stronger than be – but I suppose as my own life’s journey progressed, I got over it and accepted their talents and their abilities and eventually found my own, which I nurtured like my sporting colleague.

I also remember when Cork won various football and hurling finals and the relevant cups were brought to the schools

I recall staring at the lads in front of me and seeing these guys as heroes

Society needs heros, defenders; it needs leaders, people who will show us new ways of seeing and ways of life.

As a city, we are slow to celebrate our local heroes, which we need to do alot more

Guys you are heros,

You have wielded sport and its power to grasp, inspire confidence, self-purpose, provoke questions and the imagination and draw in the viewer and so much more

Ladies and gentlemen there is so much to learn from these individuals –

all bring their own talents, confidence self pride, self belief and a desire to perform their sport, a self purpose

Ladies and gentlemen, in this world, we need more of such confidence, pride and belief – we need to mass produce these qualities, all of which these sports stars stands for

Ladies and gentlemen, we need more of these sportstars – They continue whether they realise or not to build a legacy and also continue to present us with the question

– well what are we doing in our own lives to push forward?

 There is a film speech, which I play on my youtube every now and again to inspire me. Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday talks about life being a game of inches and about fighting for oneself. I wish to share part of the speech with you. I quote

You know when you get old in life
things get taken from you.
That’s, that’s part of life.
But,
you only learn that when you start losing stuff.
You find out that life is just a game of inches.
So is football.
Because in either game
life or football
the margin for error is so small.
I mean
one half step too late or to early
you don’t quite make it.
One half second too slow or too fast
and you don’t quite catch it.
The inches we need are everywhere around us.
They are in ever break of the game
every minute, every second.

On this team, we fight for that inch
On this team, we tear ourselves, and everyone around us
to pieces for that inch.
We CLAW with our finger nails for that inch.
Cause we know
when we add up all those inches
that’s going to make the difference
between WINNING and LOSING
between LIVING and DYING.

I’ll tell you this
in any fight
it is the guy who is willing to die
who is going to win that inch.
And I know
if I am going to have any life anymore
it is because, I am still willing to fight, and die for that inch
because that is what LIVING is.

End quote

I would like to encourage everyone to keep fighting, keep setting an example to all of us and keep fighting for that inch

I would also like to thank the coaches who watch, praise, critique and give direction – for their hard and tireless work – thank you

You have also given hope and have no doubt have saved souls.

I wish to congratulate our sports stars and all involved in their respective teams and all the best for the future.

Go raibh maith agaibh

Kieran’s Report to Cork City Council on re: Arts Report, 9 October 2009

Lord Mayor,

It is clear that the Arts have made a tremendous contribution to the economy, employment and the well-being and self confidence of Metropolitan Cork and I wish to thank the city management for building such a good structure leading up to Cork 2005 and building post Capital of Culture legacies.

However, when one gets into the guts of the report, there are areas where the City Council can improve on.

Through this report, the arts amenities of the county are faring much better compared to the city.

Page 10 of the report supports this argument,

Blarney Castle had 297,000 visitors in 2007 whilst Fota Island and House had 290,000 whilst Cobh Heritage Centre had 109,000

Putting the city in the context of the metropolitan Cork, the Crawford Art Gallery did have a great season with 200,000 visitors (an institution now in danger of being amalgamated under the National gallery)

then one comes to the smaller numbers –

Cork City prison (50,000), the Cork Vision Centre (40,000), Fitzgerald’s Park Museum (26,000) which from the recent financial report is being invested with E.810,000 per annum from the Council – one would have the question the value for money here

And then you have the Cork Butter market which only attracted a mere 4,500 people, which is located in the historic Shandon area and reflects the under-selling of the historic Shandon area and its cultural heritage. The footfall was fifty times more in Blarney Castle than around Shandon.

Page 11 shows another startling fact – that 8 per cent of those attending festivals are from outside the country – this is a very low figure especially with the amount of Trojan work that goes into carrying out the festivals.

I am aware that the City Council is investing on average 250,000 into Cork Marketing Partnership – the total annual budget of the Partnership comes in around the E.500,000 mark. So City Council have a fifty per cent stake. So Lord Mayor, I wish to call for a  strategy review of the money being invested in marketing Cork City. The share of success should be equally shared amongst the institutions and partners.

It is clear especially in the Blarney and Fota case that tourists are being bused to these locations past the city attractions. This needs to be reviewed. Thanks Lord Mayor.

Kieran’s Report to Cork City Council on re: Change of name, 9 October 2009

Lord Mayor,

I sincerely welcome the O’Callaghan Development.

I wish to make two points to the name Faulkner’s Lane

Firstly, in the bigger picture there seem to be inconsistencies in the protection, enhancement and carrying forward of Cork’s heritage

Two weeks ago, we see an investment of over E.3 million into the revamping of Christ Church, an eighteenth century building – now the memory of an eighteenth century street name is at risk.

The council have through their own heritage plan spent several thousand euro on protecting and enhancing the memory of street plaques and street furniture.

My second point I wish to make regards the memory of Riggs Faulkner, a mid eighteenth century banker is at risk of being erased as well the context of the street.

Very little of the built heritage of the eighteenth century has survived in Cork.

However, the people of the 1760s brought us huge vision and action

·         The initial arching over of the city’s canals – for example the creation of Cornmarket Street

·         The creation of the Navigation Wall, later to become the Marina Walk

·         The creation of the committee of Butter Merchants which led Cork to be the leading exporting city in Ireland and a prominent exporter of butter in the British Empire

·         The provision of a pumped water supply, the site being the present day Lifetime Lab

·         The creation of the Cork Mansion House – now the Mercy Hospital

·         The initiation of a south docklands plan – still doing the rounds.

·         The very chain of the present Lord Mayor came into being in 1787

These icons, elements of the city made our modern city. Riggs Faulkner was part of the cog-wheel of those visionary times. We in 2009 should be slow to erase memories from the eighteenth century. In fact there is probably alot to be learned from this era in terms of vision. I call for the retention of the name Faulkner’s Lane.

Thanks Lord Mayor