A Christmas Message From The Mayor of The County of Cork

As Mayor of the County of Cork, I would like to wish each and every one of you a happy, safe and peaceful Christmas.

2021 was another exceptionally challenging year however, the immense resilience and strength demonstrated by the people of Cork was inspiring. It was heartening to see communities, individuals and businesses adapt and respond with kindness, care and compassion.

I have seen so many examples of people looking after each other and making huge personal sacrifices to keep everyone safe.

Once again, our frontline workers and emergency services rose to the challenge posed by Covid-19. In particular, I would like to commend every single person who is working in our health service. Our GPs, nurses and community vaccinators who worked tirelessly to administer more vaccines than we ever thought possible, all the staff in our hospitals and those who work behind the scenes. We will forever be grateful.

To all the business owners across County Cork who kept your doors open this year under such challenging circumstances. Also to our retail workers who showed up day in day out to ensure we could shop when we needed to in a safe environment.

These are just some of the sectors that I have mentioned but no matter what business, sector or area you are in you should be proud of yourself this year for showing strength and courage to keep going when times, it may have seemed, were tough.

I would also like to thank the incredible volunteers and community groups active in every town and village in County Cork. These groups offer help when it is needed most, giving up their time to make a difference to all of our lives.

Christmas is a normal day for our emergency personnel, frontline services and volunteer organisations. I would like to acknowledge our Fire Service, An Garda Siochana, the National Ambulance Service, our health service, the Defence Forces, Coast Guard, RNLI, Irish Community Air Ambulance, our homeless charities and the many other organisations who will be on duty over Christmas and throughout the year.

For most of us, Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, a time to celebrate, rest and relax with our family and friends. For others, it can be a very difficult and lonely time. We remember those who have lost loved ones this year and all those who are grieving.

I would ask people to further embrace the community spirit that emerged during the early days of the pandemic. Check on your vulnerable neighbours, especially those who are living alone. A knock at the door, a phone call or a kind word goes a long way.

This Christmas may not be the one we had hoped for but there is much that we can do to enjoy the holiday safely. Explore the magic that is on your doorstep. We’re lucky to live in a most beautiful county with stunning and accessible walks suitable for all abilities. Take a walk down your local street, the Christmas lights are twinkling brightly across the county, erected in many cases by dedicated volunteers and assisted by Cork County Council.

Remember too that the most valuable things in life cannot be bought with money. A smile, a laugh, a chat with a loved one.

Christmas is the perfect time to reflect on the year that has gone by and look ahead to the future with renewed hope. Even in these uncertain times, we can look towards 2022 with optimism. A new year full of possibilities and brighter days is ahead.

Finally, I would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy Christmas and all the very best for 2022.