A Luncheon of Politics
Lord Mayor, I’d like to start with a quote:
In the City of Cork was to be found in the worst of times, courage and determination to make the best of the worst times. This is a time to prepare for the worst, hoping for the best, whilst realising that Cork people will be able to work out their own destiny in their own land. Eamonn DeValera at the luncheon following the laying of the foundation stone on 9 July 1932.
Lord Mayor, congrats on a great year, certainly in farming terms, you certainly made hay while the sun shone.
I wish to congratulate you on your initiatives, especially those that fused the importance of community, civic pride and the role of this building in all of that. I think the City Hall museum was warranted and certainly reminds us of the historical and continuing representation of Cork citizens within our city over many centuries.
Your work shone a light perhaps on the constant making and re-making of the city hall story and its role in Ireland, its connection to the history of national politics. Certainly, looking at the pictures of the various Lord Mayors, they all added something- either selecting aspects of the city to explore during their year or years, perhaps, reconstructing aspects or values of the city, maintaining aspects or values of the city or even modifying aspects of the city,
And all are rooted in enormous political ivy, which runs underneath this building as well, stabilising and echoing the voices of those work on behalf of the city.
Certainly by invoking the ghosts of this building’s past, you have in your own way re-positioned this building in the lives of the citizens of this city.
Building a Southern Capital:
Your celebration of the 75th anniversary of this building, can connect our time to Free State Ireland, Indeed DeValera in his speech at the luncheon following the laying of the foundation stone spoke about and I quote:
The ceremony was evidence of the fact that the country was concerned with building up the southern capital, and if what the committee had referred to had not come about during the past ten years, the courage and determination and genius of Corkmen in the future would lead them towards any other place in this country to which they like to go.
In several of your own speeches during the year, you spoke about marketing Cork, harnessing its citizen heroes, its communities, and all the positivity and hope that goes with it for a better life.
At that luncheon in Referring to his next venture, a visit to the 80 acre Irish Industrial and Agricultural Fair on the Carrigrohane Straight Road, Dev also spoke about the marketing of this city, which has been one of many themes in this chamber over the last 24 months.
Quoting at the Luncheon Dev noted:
The fair can hardly fail to inspire all who visit it with confidence in the economic possibilities of our country, with resolution to do their part to promote the use of Irish products and with eagerness to help in the development of our resources to the extent necessary to provide decent comfort for every section of our people.
The ‘Ivious’ Luncheon:
Of course Lord Mayor, you have had your controversaries and your detractors.
Interesting at the 1932 luncheon, sitting somewhat sad was William Cosgrave of Cumann na nGaedheal, who had just lost a general election. When approached by the press he stated that he did not wish to refer, if he could help it, at all to the present government or to their plans. But did state that when the government were talking about plans, that it would be better if they could point to work done.
In retaliation in the press, President DeValera hoped that when he came again to Cork City, he would be able to point to work done, and not work in contemplation. They did hope to find useful work for those who were unemployed, work in producing the wealth of the nation, and thereby supplying the needs of the nation from their own resources instead of paying for the production of other resources, as they had been in years past. He believed that the resources of the country, with proper co-operation between the individuals of the country, would produce what the country required.
But in the world of politics, sometimes nothing is as it seems and sometimes honest truth and spun truth fuse and flow as easily.
In October 1931, when Cosgrave turned the sod of the fair, he noted of the country’s situation at the time and the need to market itself:
It won’t surprise the very acute business-minded people of Cork to know that if the outgoings in this country in the way of money continue the same way, that we won’t be able to stay with the pound. What I mean by saying that it is now a national necessity to buy our own goods we are contributing towards the wealth of our own country.
I would like to contribute to Cllr Fitzgerald on his work; Cllr Fitzgerald also wove aspects of the importance of civic pride and building communities in our city, and that even the smallest events in our midst make a difference in our lives.
To conclude Lord Mayor, I wish to also congratulate on your school work and getting the students of this city to think about the role of the Lord Mayor in our city and framing more questions on the role of the Lord Mayor in City Hall in citizens’ lives. I was intrigued to read the following at the opening of the mayoral museum, written by someone aged 13/ 14 in a city school:
If I was Lord Mayor of Cork, I would be in charge of building houses. I would help the sick and do a charity event for Enable Ireland and the disabled people and people in wheelchairs and can’t walk or talk. I will be sure the country is clean and if it’s not, clean it up. If people had any problems I would ask them to be helping. I would like to help different charities especially for Enable Ireland cause…if anyone needed an extension for disabled people I would help and build it. I would visit schools all over the country. I would help everyone if they ever needed help with anything. I would like to invite everybody in the country to the city for a chat and a cup of tea and biscuits. PS I would like to save water too. The End.
Well done Lord Mayor and thanks.