County Cork Remembers Lives Lost to Covid-19; Cuimhníonn Contae Chorcaí na Beathaí a Cailleadh de bharr Covid-19

Cork County Covid-19 Remembrance and Reflection - YouTube

County Cork Remembers Lives Lost to Covid-19

The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Gillian Coughlan has led a ceremony at Guagán Barra to remember all those who have lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic. The commemoration was held in advance of the National Ceremony of Remembrance and Reflection that will take place in Dublin on Sunday, March 20th. 

Mayor Coughlan was joined at St Finbarr’s Oratory by former Mayors Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley and Cllr. Ian Doyle who held office during the pandemic, as well as representatives of Cork County Council’s Covid-19 Community Support Programme. 

Mayor Coughlan said, “Everyone struggled, many suffered, and some were tragically lost. This ceremony was a way for us to take time to pause, reflect on the past two years and remember all those who lost their lives since March of 2020. We couldn’t have our usual traditions and rituals which meant saying goodbye was even harder. Our world became even smaller as some families faced the heart-breaking decision of having to select just ten mourners. However, communities rallied and paid their respects in other ways by lining the streets and joining services online. We supported our neighbours and as time passed, we all found within ourselves a bravery that we never realised we had. Covid-19 hasn’t fully gone away but we hope that the end is in sight and I believe that our communities will emerge stronger from all that we have experienced over the last two years.”

The ceremony also paid tribute to the frontline workers and volunteers who supported their communities throughout the pandemic. 

Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Tim Lucey added, “It is important to recognise the extraordinary contributions our frontline workers, our volunteers and the people of Cork County have made since the pandemic began. The staff in our hospitals and healthcare facilities left their homes each morning because they were needed. Many more kept our shops stocked, and our services running, and we will forever be grateful to them all. It was inspiring to see how communities rallied and worked together to support each other. The Council’s Covid-19 Community Support Programme brought together many agencies who delivered care to older and vulnerable people and was bolstered by a huge host of volunteers. Almost every organisation in County Cork was represented, from frontline agencies such as An Garda Síochána and the HSE to Meals and Wheels, the GAA and charities like ALONE and Volunteer Ireland. It showed once again what can be achieved when we all work together.”

Representing Cork County Council’s Covid-19 Community Support Programme, the frontline services and volunteers at Guagán Barra were:

Cllr. Gillian Coughlan, Mayor of the County of Cork 

Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley, Former Mayor of the County of Cork 

Cllr. Ian Doyle, Former Mayor of the County of Cork 

Inspector Aidan Moynihan, An Garda Síochána

Eleanor Moore, HSE

Valerie Murphy, Avondhu Blackwater Partnership

Liz Maddox, Age Friendly, Cork County

Olivia Grace, ALONE

John Joe Lyons, Red Cross 

Patricia Liddy, Director of Service Corporate Services, Cork County Council

Marie O’Leary Municipal District Operations Directorate, Cork County Council

Pat Crowley Roads Directorate, Cork County Council

Rachel Bourke, Cork County Council’s Library Service 

A video of the ceremony has been created and will be published on the Council’s YouTube and social media channels on Sunday, March 20^th.

---

Cuimhníonn Contae Chorcaí na Beathaí a Cailleadh de bharr Covid-19

Bhí searmanas á stiúradh ag Méara Chontae Chorcaí, an Comhairleoir Gillian Coughlan ag Guagán Barra le cuimhneamh orthu siúd ar fad a chaill a mbeatha le linn na paindéime Covid-19. Bhí an comóradh ar siúl roimh an Searmanas Náisiúnta Cuimhneacháin agus Machnaimh a bheidh ar siúl i mBaile Átha Cliath Dé Domhnaigh, 20 Márta.

In éineacht leis an méara ag Aireagal Naomh Fionnbarra, bhí na hiar-Mhéaraí, an Comhairleoir Mary Linehan Foley agus an Comhairleoir Ian Doyle a bhí i seilbh oifige le linn na paindéime, chomh maith le hionadaithe ó Chlár Tacaíochta Pobail Covid-19 Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí.

Dúirt an Méara Coughlan, “Bhí gach duine ag streachailt, d’fhulaing go leor, agus cailleadh cuid acu go tragóideach. Bhí an searmanas seo ina bhealach againn chun sos a ghlacadh, machnamh a dhéanamh ar an dá bhliain a chuaigh thart agus cuimhneamh orthu siúd go léir a chaill a mbeatha ó Mhárta 2020. Níorbh fhéidir linn ár ngnáth-thraidisiúin agus deasghnátha a bheith againn, rud a chiallaigh go raibh sé níos deacra fós slán a fhágáil leo. D’éirigh ár saol níos lú fós nuair a bhí ar roinnt teaghlach an cinneadh brónach a dhéanamh uaslíon de dheichniúr a roghnú le bheith ag na sochraidí. Mar sin féin, tháinig pobail le chéile agus thug siad urraim ar bhealaí eile trí líneáil a dhéanamh ar na sráideanna agus trí dhul isteach i seirbhísí sochraide a bhí a gcraoladh ar líne. Thacaíomar lenár gcomharsana agus de réir mar a chuaigh an t-am thart, fuaireamar go léir crógacht ionainn féin nár thuigeamar riamh a bhí againn. Níl Covid-19 imithe go hiomlán ach tá súil againn go mbeidh sé thart go luath agus creidim go n-éireoidh ár bpobail níos láidre as gach ar tharla le dhá bhliain anuas.”

Thug an searmanas ómós freisin do na hoibrithe túslíne agus na hoibrithe deonacha a thacaigh lena bpobail le linn na paindéime.

Dúirt Príomhfheidhmeannach Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí, Tim Lucey, “Tá sé tábhachtach aitheantas a thabhairt don obair iontach atá déanta ag ár n-oibrithe túslíne, ár n-oibrithe deonacha agus muintir Chontae Chorcaí ó thosach na paindéime. D’fhág foirne inár n-ospidéil agus ár n-áiseanna cúram sláinte a dtithe gach maidin toisc go raibh gá leo. Choimeád go leor eile ár siopaí stocáilte, agus ár seirbhísí ar siúl agus beimid buíoch díobh go léir go deo as sin. Bhí sé spreagúil na pobail a fheiscint ag teacht le chéile agus ag obair le chéile. Thug Clár Tacaíochta Pobail Covid-19 na Comhairle go leor gníomhaireachtaí a chuir cúram ar fáil do dhaoine scothaosta agus leochaileacha le chéile agus tháinig go leor oibrithe deonacha le cabhrú leis chomh maith. Bhí ionadaíocht ag beagnach gach eagraíocht i gContae Chorcaí, ó ghníomhaireachtaí túslíne ar nós An Garda Síochána agus FSS go Béilí ar Rothaí, CLG agus carthanachtaí mar ALONE agus Volunteer Ireland.  Léirigh seo arís eile cad is féidir a bhaint amach nuair a oibrímid le chéile.”

Bhí na seirbhísí túslíne agus oibrithe deonacha seo ag déanamh ionadaíochta ar Chlár Tacaíochta Pobail Covid-19 Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí ag an searmanas i nGuagán Barra:

An Clr. Gillian Coughlan, Méara Chontae Chorcaí

An Clr. Mary Linehan Foley, Iar-Mhéara Chontae Chorcaí

An Clr. Ian Doyle, Iar-Mhéara Chontae Chorcaí

Cigire Aidan Moynihan, An Garda Síochána

Eleanor Moore, FSS

Valerie Murphy, Avondhu Blackwater Partnership

Liz Maddox, Age Friendly, Cork County

Olivia Grace, ALONE

John Joe Lyons, Cumann Croise Deirge na hÉireann

Patricia Liddy, Stiúrthóir Seirbhíse,  Seirbhísí Corparáideacha, Comhairle Contae Chorcaí

Marie O’Leary Stiúrthóireacht Oibríochtaí Cheantar Bardasach, Comhairle Contae Chorcaí

Pat Crowley Stiúrthóireacht na mBóithre, Comhairle Contae Chorcaí

Rachel Bourke, Seirbhís Leabharlainne Chomhairle Contae Chorcaí

Tá físeán den searmanas taifeadta agus foilseofar é ar YouTube na Comhairle agus ar na meáin shóisialta Dé Domhnaigh, 20 Márta.