Latest news with #ValerieO'Sullivan
Irish Independent
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Sold out Cork City Marathon set to bring festival atmosphere to city streets
The annual marathon which is organised by Cork City Council has become one of Ireland's most anticipated athletic events. It is more than just a race, it's a celebration of community, resilience, and shared ambition. From the excitement of the first runners charging from the starting point to the very last weary but triumphant participants crossing their way to the finish line, to the roar of the supporters, the event brings colour, energy, and positivity to the streets of Cork. Local communities, volunteers, spectators, and businesses all play their part in creating an unforgettable atmosphere for participants and supporters alike. It's also an occasion of celebration, as winners in each category are lauded and awarded their trophies, while all who cross the finish line receive the highly coveted Cork City Marathon finishers medal—an enduring symbol of achievement, effort, and spirit. The 2025 event is fully sold out, with entries for the Full Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K all snapped up well in advance. €250,000 charity fundraising target While the races themselves are the headline act, their impact runs much deeper. The marathon is a impactful opportunity for runners to support the causes they care about, with this year's campaign—'Your Race, Their Hope'—aiming to raise €250,000 for local and national charities. Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Dan Boyle, praised the city-wide spirit that the event brings: 'It creates a festival feeling across the city, brings people together, and has benefits that ripple out through communities, businesses and charities. We're proud to host such an inclusive, positive event.' Valerie O'Sullivan, Chief Executive of Cork City Council, added: 'The Cork City Marathon continues to showcase Cork at its best—welcoming, energetic and united. The people of Cork City are such an important part of this event.' Fundraising is part of what makes this event so meaningful,' declared Race Director Eamon Hayes said: 'We're encouraging every runner to make their miles matter, in a way that will have a positive impact well beyond race day. Whether it's a cause that has touched your life or one that inspires you, now is the time to get behind it.' As the final days of preparation begin, athletes are encouraged to stay focused and informed. With training plans entering their final phase, runners should prioritise good nutrition, hydration, and recovery. Now is also the time to familiarise themselves with essential race day logistics. Race day details: Start times and tracking information The full marathon kicks off at 8.15am on Patrick Street, followed by the 10k at the same location at 8.45am. The half marathon starts at Monahan Road at 10.15am. If you are following a friend, you can track their progress in real-time on the free Cork City Marathon race-tracking app downloadable from your app store of choice. Runners should also familiarise themselves with information on bag drop, race number collection, road closures, and course details—all of which are available at After-party and spectator information for marathon weekend Spectators can also look forward to a lively and inclusive day abuzz with the unique atmosphere that has become synonymous with race weekend in Cork The official race after-party hosted by The Runners Diary Podcast takes over the three floors of Clancy's on Princes Street, kicking off from 1pm. Whether you're running, volunteering, cheering from the sidelines, or simply soaking up the atmosphere, Cork City Marathon 2025 promises to be an unforgettable day. Cork City Marathon is proudly supported by Cork City Council and Analog Devices Ireland with media partners Cork's 96fm and The Irish Examiner. For more information, visit or follow @corkcitymarathon on social media.
Irish Independent
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Excitement building ahead of Cork City Marathon which brings colour and energy to streets
The annual marathon which is organised by Cork City Council has become one of Ireland's most anticipated athletic events. It is more than just a race, it's a celebration of community, resilience, and shared ambition. From the excitement of the first runners charging from the starting point to the very last weary but triumphant participants crossing their way to the finish line, to the roar of the supporters, the event brings colour, energy, and positivity to the streets of Cork. Local communities, volunteers, spectators, and businesses all play their part in creating an unforgettable atmosphere for participants and supporters alike. It's also an occasion of celebration, as winners in each category are lauded and awarded their trophies, while all who cross the finish line receive the highly coveted Cork City Marathon finishers medal—an enduring symbol of achievement, effort, and spirit. The 2025 event is fully sold out, with entries for the Full Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K all snapped up well in advance. While the races themselves are the headline act, their impact runs much deeper. The marathon is a impactful opportunity for runners to support the causes they care about, with this year's campaign—'Your Race, Their Hope'—aiming to raise €250,000 for local and national charities. Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Dan Boyle, praised the city-wide spirit that the event brings: 'It creates a festival feeling across the city, brings people together, and has benefits that ripple out through communities, businesses and charities. We're proud to host such an inclusive, positive event.' Valerie O'Sullivan, Chief Executive of Cork City Council, added: 'The Cork City Marathon continues to showcase Cork at its best—welcoming, energetic and united. The people of Cork City are such an important part of this event.' Fundraising is part of what makes this event so meaningful,' declared Race Director Eamon Hayes said: 'We're encouraging every runner to make their miles matter, in a way that will have a positive impact well beyond race day. Whether it's a cause that has touched your life or one that inspires you, now is the time to get behind it.' As the final days of preparation begin, athletes are encouraged to stay focused and informed. With training plans entering their final phase, runners should prioritise good nutrition, hydration, and recovery. Now is also the time to familiarise themselves with essential race day logistics. The full marathon kicks off at 8.15am on Patrick Street, followed by the 10k at the same location at 8.45am. The half marathon starts at Monahan Road at 10.15am. If you are following a friend, you can track their progress in real-time on the free Cork City Marathon race-tracking app downloadable from your app store of choice. Runners should also familiarise themselves with information on bag drop, race number collection, road closures, and course details—all of which are available at Spectators can also look forward to a lively and inclusive day abuzz with the unique atmosphere that has become synonymous with race weekend in Cork. The official race after-party hosted by The Runners Diary Podcast takes over the three floors of Clancy's on Princes Street, kicking off from 1pm. Whether you're running, volunteering, cheering from the sidelines, or simply soaking up the atmosphere, Cork City Marathon 2025 promises to be an unforgettable day. Cork City Marathon is proudly supported by Cork City Council and Analog Devices Ireland with media partners Cork's 96fm and The Irish Examiner.
Irish Examiner
19-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Ireland's curious places — from an ancient sundial to a beach with 1,000 seals on it
My travels all over the country in the early 90s while researching another book inevitably brought me through rural areas off the beaten track and for the first time, gave me an intimate view of my home country, its villages, its ever-changing landscapes and the rich variety of people who live here. Along the way I came across many curious and often quirky places and I noted and often photographed them. These are extracts from Michael Fewer's latest book. The grey seal capital of Ireland Trá Bán, Great Blasket Island, County Kerry Basking on the Blaskets…The Blasket Islands are the grey seal capital of Ireland, seals come from as far away as Scotland and the British Isles to breed around the Blaskets. Picture:Valerie O'Sullivan There are not many places in Ireland where you can come across a wildlife scene that could be straight out of one of David Attenborough's TV extravaganzas. The Blasket Islands, and particularly Trá Bán, the broad beach on the landward shore of Great Blasket, are the grey seal capital of Ireland. In late summer and early autumn seals from around the Irish coast, and from as far away as Scotland and elsewhere in the British Isles, come together here in great numbers to breed. They stay here through the winter, spring and early summer before departing again with their pups, leaving 'the locals' with a bit more space. There can be as many as a thousand of the animals, lounging tightly packed on the sand, some of them on their backs comically scratching their bellies, while dominant males fight for the favour of females. When the Blasket Islands were inhabited, as they were up until 1954, the seals were hunted for meat, blubber oil and their skins. The Great Blasket author Tomás Ó Criomhtháin wrote that the people of the islands would prefer to eat a seal than a pig. The oil was used for rush lights, and as a beneficial rub for rheumatism sufferers. It wasn't until after the human population had departed that the seal population returned, coming back to Trá Bán to mate, producing pups on a large scale. Today they have protected species status under Special Areas of Conservation legislation. There are ferry trips to Great Blasket from Dingle and from Dunquin Pier. Ireland's only cable car Dursey Island, County Cork Ireland's only cable car. Picture: Brian Lougheed/Cork County Council Dursey Island, off the south-west coast of Cork, is a 6.5km-long and 1.5km wide wonderland of rolling grassy boreens between stone walls wreathed in herbs and wildflowers, exuding a heady perfume in summertime. Only a few people live on Dursey today so it's a quiet place with only a symphony of calls from stonechats, choughs and wheatears breaking the silence. It was not always quiet: O'Sullivan Beare, the local chieftain in medieval times, had a castle here, which was captured by the English after the Battle of Kinsale in 1602. The 300 men, women and children who had taken refuge in the castle were put to death: their bodies are said to lie under a pyramidic monument in the old churchyard. Nearby is the grave of Dursey islander Timothy Harrington, who died in 1904 at the age of 104, a testament to the healthy air of the island. The island is separated from the mainland by Dursey Sound, which has a very strong tidal race, a reef in the centre of the channel making access to the island by boat hazardous at times. Ireland's only cable car was established here in 1969 to ferry people and farm stock back and forth 250m above the sea, and it remains the most used means of transport across the turbulent waters. It is also the only European cable car that travels over the open sea and it has become one of the attractions of the island. When I travelled on the original cable car many years ago there was a sign dictating the maximum loads: six persons, or one person and one cow, or one person and four sheep. A Lady of Lourdes holy water bottle hung by a string inside the door and a prayer to St Christopher was Sellotaped to the wall. The Kilmalkedar sundial Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry Kilmalkedar sundial, Dingle Peninsula. Picture: Michael Fewer The Dingle peninsula, pushing out into the Atlantic, is rich in prehistoric and early Christian remains. Christianity came to the area in the early fifth century, and was embraced enthusiastically by the people (there is no tradition of martyrs in Ireland in the early Christian period). By the early sixth century they began to organise themselves, establishing monastic centres such as this one at Kilmalkedar, and those at Reask and Gallerus. Each monastic community operated independently and was ruled over by an abbot, a system that served well for the next five hundred years until 'reformed' by the European church. The graveyard here at Kilmalkedar has been in use since the first church was founded in the sixth or seventh century, and here you will find a sundial that doesn't tell the hours of the day. It is a 1.2m-high standing stone with a goblet-shaped top, on which the radiating lines of a dial are carved. There is a central hole in which the gnomon, the projecting rod that casts the sun's shadow on the dial, would have been set. This is very much a monastic object and harks back to those early Christian times when religion was people's main preoccupation. It tells not the hours of the day as such, but the times of the principal prayer periods of a monk's day — Prime, Terce, Sext, None and Vespers. The other side of the stone is decorated with a marigold cross: just imagine how beautiful this stone was when the carving was new, perhaps 1,200 years ago. Crotty's Den: The hideout of Waterford's Robin Hood Crotty's Lough, Comeragh Mountains, County Waterford Crotty's Den: The hideout of Waterford's Robin Hood. Picture: Michael Fewer William Crotty (1712–1742) was the son of a smallholder in rural Waterford who turned to crime when his father was wrongly evicted. In his short life he achieved widespread fame, and stories about him and his exploits still live on in the Comeragh Mountains area. He joined the numbers of highwayman and rapparees who were common in Ireland at that time, ambushing the coaches of the rich and relieving them of their money. He is said to have shared his loot with the poor, and became quite a celebrity in County Waterford, turning up at fairs and markets, taking part in dances and playing football and hurling with the locals. He was renowned for his dramatic escapes from the law, was an expert shot with pistols but claimed he only killed in self-defence. He had many hideouts, but the most famous was Crotty's Den, an almost inaccessible cave at the back of Crotty's Lough, in the Comeragh Mountains. He was eventually betrayed by the wife of his trusted companion, David Norris, and captured after a shootout. Taken to Waterford Gaol in March 1742, he was hanged there, and his head affixed to the gaol gate. The authorities also attempted to capture Crotty's wife, but she is said to have climbed to a crag over the lake called Crotty's Rock, and thrown herself to her death. Crotty's Lake can be accessed on foot from the R676: it is 2.3km and a climb of 300m from the road. Ireland's Curious Places: 100 fascinating, lesser-known treasures to discover. By Michael Fewer Ireland's Curious Places: 100 fascinating lesser-known treasures to discover (Gill Books) by Michael Fewer is available now
Irish Examiner
15-05-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Tasty catch for first time buyers at €260k townhouse beneath the goldie fish
SPECIFIC city quarters have begun to emerge in recent years, largely as part of a branding exercise within the wider context of marketing Cork. Take the Victorian Quarter with MacCurtain Street at its heart, or the Marina Quarter (self-evident) or the Cultural Quarter, earmarked for South Main Street, under the stewardship of new Cork City Council chief, Valerie O'Sullivan. All are planned quarters, managed from the top down. Arguably, the city has other quarters, organic in nature, also with their own specific characteristics. Take the area between Shandon Street and Leitrim Street, with Pope's Quay to the South and Cathedral Walk to the north – the street names alone kinda lend themselves to branding it the city's historical Ecclesiastical Quarter. No 3 Upper Barrack View is in the halo of the North Cathedral Bolstering the argument is the presence of one of the city's most evocative ecclesiastical landmarks — St Anne's Church, better known as 'Shandon Bells' — not to mention the North Cathedral, St Mary's Church on Pope's Quay, and the myriad of buildings in between with historical links to monks, friars and nuns. In the midst of this clerical territory, tucked up a little laneway called Upper Barrack View (with line of sight across the valley to Collins Barracks) is a greatly-cared-for cosy Victorian townhouse, that any first-time buyer would bust a gut for. Smartly presented on the outside, matched by great interiors flair, with cityside convenience to boot, it's a guaranteed box ticker for any young person/couple starting out. Compact kitchen No 3 Sarah, the owner, bought it 20 years ago and reared a couple of kids, but there are no tell-tale signs, no scuff marks, no woodwork dented by height-measurement lines. It's in inordinately good shape for a compact family home, with a new kitchen, new flooring, a new front door, new windows and a new combi boiler, producing instant hot. 'I've spent 20 years making it into a home, so it's bittersweet to be selling up. I bought it from a very good friend and she felt the same when she sold it to me,' Sarah says. 'It's been a safe haven and it's been a joy to live in a lovely community. I'd be delighted if it sold to an owner occupier.' No 3, off Cathedral Road, isn't a large home (61 sq m) but Sarah has wrung the maximum out of the space available. Kitchen dining is open-plan and there's a decent double-aspect living room across the hall, fetchingly decorated. Overhead, a bathroom and two bedrooms are also attractively turned out. The main bedroom, over the living room, is surprisingly roomy. The view from its rear window is of the famous goldie fish on top of Shandon Bells. Out back, which faces south, Sarah created a very pretty space, with some small raised flower beds, mirrors, and a covered in seating area, decorated with outdoor lights. Look up and you will see the North Cathedral towering overhead. Selling No 3 is Paul Fenton of Sherry FitzGerald and he says first time buyers will love the house itself and how close it is to the city. The Butter Exchange, now a museum, and the Firkin Crane dance centre are also in the neighbourhood. Mr Fenton says a five minute walk will get you to Pope's Quay and that the terraced house is 'on the right side of the city for anyone working in the Heineken Brewery or at Apple in Hollyhill'. No 3, which has a D1 energy rating, comes to market with a guide price of €260,000. Parking is on street. VERDICT: The answer to some first time buyer's prayers. Commendably presented townhouse.
Irish Independent
25-04-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Lord Mayor of Cork officially opens 109 new social homes, wishing occupants ‘years of happiness'
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Dan Boyle, accompanied by Valerie O'Sullivan, Chief Executive of Cork City Council, officiated at formal opening ceremonies to mark the delivery of the new homes across three development schemes in Cork City. The itinerary began at Duggan Heights where the Lord Mayor formally opened 54 social homes on the Old Mallow Road in Blackpool. The Duggan Heights development contains a mix of four one-bedroom, 25 two-bedroom, 23 three-bedroom and two four-bedroom homes. The Duggan Heights site was formerly occupied by Bolands Mill while the scheme is named after the Duggan Sisters: Sarah, Peg, Annie and Brigid – all of whom were active during the War of Independence, and the scheme is owned and managed by Cork City Council. The Lord Mayor then officiated at Farranlea Road; turning the sod on the construction of 12 new homes. The scheme will comprise a mix of five one-bedroom units and seven two-bedroom units, developed by Cetti Limited. Dan Boyle concluded the morning's ceremonies at Hartland's Square, Denroches Cross, where he formally opened 43 new apartments, also developed by Cetti. The Council says that the apartments incorporate a highly efficient air-to-water heating system and achieve an A Building Energy Rating. The scheme was delivered in partnership with Tuath Housing, which manages the development on Cork City Council's behalf. The Lord Mayor said: "I would like to express my pride in officially opening and breaking ground on three distinctive developments which will add 109 new social homes for the people of Cork. "I would like to acknowledge the significant ongoing efforts of everyone involved in housing delivery. I hope these new properties will provide security and comfort to their new tenants and encourages them to actively participate in their new communities". "We take particular pride in our team's ability to develop schemes on brownfield sites, providing homes for people close to public transport links and existing community and commercial facilities," added Chief Executive of Cork City Council, Valerie O'Sullivan. 'I wish those who will live here many years of happiness in their new homes."
