Third Mayoral Election
As people all over the country go to the polls in County and City Council and European Parliament elections on Friday 7th June, one town in Ireland will see people voting also on the following day!
The third unique Clonakilty Mayoral Election in West Cork, will take place on Saturday 8th June and a public information meeting for potential candidates and the general public outlining how the election and count works takes place at O' Donovan's Hotel next Thursday 9th May at 8.30pm.
Since the abolition of the local Town Council and statutory Mayor in 2014, the people of the town and surrounding area, organise and vote every five years to directly elect five members of the local community who then serve one year each as "Mayor of Clonakilty". It is a totally non-statutory, ceremonial, voluntary, non-political, honorary position with no expenses for the "First Citizen".
The Clonakilty Mayoral Election format was initiated 10 years ago by local community organisation Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage when central government abolished all the 80 historic town councils in the state so that the position of "Mayor of Clonakilty" would not also fall after 400 continuous years. Clonakilty is the only town in all of Ireland since with a Mayor and is also the only community ever in the country where the people directly elect peers to the position. The Clonakilty Mayoral Election on 8th June will be the third since 2014.
The “Mayor of Clonakilty” position is totally voluntary and politically independent with candidates not representing any political parties (even if they are members of them). It has worked well over the last decade with the Mayor of the day having a ceremonial, non-statutory role in the community.
There are already rumours of possible candidates coming forward to put their names on the ballot paper and everyone interested in the process is encouraged to attend next Thursdays, (9th May),public information meetingand official launch of the election at 8.30pm at O' Donovan's Hotel.
Official nomination papers will also be available whereby people can nominate themselves or nominate another person as a candidate. All candidates stand as community, non-political candidates.
These nomination papers will also be available at any time from reception of O’ Donovan’s Hotel up to and including 5.30pm Saturday 18th May which is the date and time when all completed nomination papers must be lodged at the hotel reception and nominations officially close.
Polling will be open on Saturday 8th June from 10am - 7pm at Scoil na mBuachaillí for all voters over 18 in the Clonakilty Urban and Clonakilty Rural areas as well as “special voters” eligible to vote eg people with businesses in the town but living outside the voting area.
Proof of age and address may be requested of anyone voting on the day.
The count will be held the following day Sunday 9th June starts at 10am at O' Donovan's Hotel followed by declaration of results. This process will be open to the public and like the election itself, will be overseen by Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage and will result in five community Mayors of Clonakilty, each serving one year each up to June 2029, being directly elected by the people.
The “Mayor of Clonakilty” position is totally voluntary and politically independent with candidates not representing any political parties (even if they are members of them). When "on duty" at events, the Mayor wears an official chain of office and on some occasions also a mayoral robe.
It has worked well over the last decade with the Mayor of the day having a ceremonial, non-statutory and highly-respected role in the Clonakilty community.
During the five years, the five elected Mayors meet regularly as "Clonakilty Mayoral Council" to discuss community issues.
The Clonakilty Mayoral Council Facebook page is updated with activities and events attended by the sitting Mayor.
Duchas AGM 2024
The AGM of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage was held recently at O’ Donovan’s Hotel with a large crowd in attendance!
Cathaoirleach Tim Feen welcomed all and gave an overview of another busy year for the organisation, which organised activities practically every month. He thanked everyone for their support and paid tribute to the various sub-committees who all work diligently and effectively throughout the year.
The establishment a few months ago of the West Cork History Societies Association – an umbrella group for all the local history and heritage groups in West Cork was welcomed and William Casey spoke about this initiative during the meeting. Pádraig O’ Reilly, Pavilion Manager and the Clonakilty GAA Club were thanked for facilitating the monthly lectures so efficiently.
Fachtna McCarthy, AGM Minutes Recording Secretary, read the detailed account of last years AGM.
Reps from the various sub-committees - Lectures and Field Trips (Marian O’ Leary); Journal (Con O’ Neill); Preservation (Clíodhna O’ Leary); Big Cross 125th Commemoration (Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin); Website and Mayoral Council delivered their reports.
Rúnaí Marian O’ Leary reported there were eight well attended lectures, two films, a number of fieldtrips, heritage week events and a three-day trip away to Newgrange and Knowth with stops on the way to and back at other points of historical interest in September which was enjoyed by 24 members.
Fachtna McCarthy outlined the Treasurers Report and PRO Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin thanked the local print, broadcast and website media organs and journalists for publicising events during the year, and spoke about the growing popularity of the Facebook page.
Looking forward, the AGM noted that 2024 marks the centenary of the re-location of the Clonakilty Post Office to the former Presbyterian Church and is also the 200th anniversary of the founding of the RNLI and Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage will mark these occasions. May will see the screening of “Rebel Wife” the film on the life of Mary Jane Irwin at Clonakilty Cinema.
On June 8th, the unique Clonakilty Mayoral Election (held every five years) will again take place and Tomás Tuipéar and Jerome JC O’ Sullivan outlined the plans for same and that sub-committee was re-activated to oversee, plan and organise the upcoming election and count and installation of the newly-elected Mayor for 2024-2025.
The committee elected for the coming year included: Tim Feen, (Cathaoirleach); Michael O’ Mahony, (Leas Cathaoirleach); Marian O’ Leary, (Rúnaí); Barbara McGuirk, (Leas Rúnaí); Fachtna McCarthy, (Cisteoir); Michael O’ Sullivan, (Leas Chisteoir); Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin, (PRO); Con O’ Neill, (Asst. PRO); AGM Recording Secretary: Fachtna McCarthy. Committee members: Don Hill, Seán Brennan.
See "Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage" on Facebook for regular updates of activities and historical, archeological and heritage articles of local interest.
Clonakilty 1798 Journal being updated and re-published
A sub-committee of Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage is currently working on the republication of the 1998 “Battle of the Big Cross” journal published 25 years ago as part of the bicentenary commemoration of the battle which occurred on 19th June 1798.
As well as re-publishing the journal there will also be a number of new chapters which will include accounts, and photos of the June 2023 commemorative events (225th anniversary), and also articles relevant to the Battle of the Big Cross and participants not previously published.
It is planned to have this ready by the end of October and printed for early November.
They appeal to anyone who has any information that could be included to make contact as soon as possible to ensure the associated articles can be written up and prepared for the journal.
Information such as participants in the battle (both sides), folklore passed down about it, songs or poems, photographs of past commemorations, etc. will all be considered by the editorial committee.
Contact DuchasClonHeritagePRO@gmail.com, phone 086-2202029 or send a message via the dedicated Facebook page www.Facebook.com/BigCross225
Clonakilty Journals on sale
Clonakilty Historical & Archaeological Journals are available from Coolim Books HERE
(Please note the Biblio website takes a little bit of time to load)
Recording of Dúchas Tribute to Dick Barrett and Sean Hales
The link to the recording of our Sean Hales and Dick Barrett commemorative event held on November 18:2022 is HERE
Historic coastal village of Timoleague: Duchas Film documentary
For Heritage Week 2022, Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage has once again decided to do a film documentary. As part of our celebrations, we will be visiting the historic coastal village of Timoleague which is situated at the mouth of the Airgideen river estuary on the cusp of Courtmacsherry Bay. It is a picturesque place steeped in historical fact, along with myth and legend, and to take us back over the centuries our guides are Diarmuid Kingston and Michael O’Mahony.
We hope that the viewer will enjoy our visit to this historical coastal village and its hinterland with its spectacular scenery and rich folklore. It is indeed a place of historical importance with its ancient abbeys and wonderful artistically endowed churches. It is only by a visit that their beauty and uniqueness can be fully appreciated.
Click here to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6s9pgGBst8