PHOTO: Newly installed Mayor of Clonakilty, Michael O’ Neill, Jnr., at last Thursday evenings public ceremony, with his fellow Mayors in front for the next five years. From left: Chris Hinchy, (2023-'24); Anthony McDermott, (2021-'22); current Deputy Mayor Pádraig O' Reilly, (2020-’21) and Paddy McCarthy, (2022-'23). At back, the four now retired Mayors who had served along with Anthony McDermott over the last five years, from left: Colette Twomey; Gretta O’ Donovan; John M. Loughnan and Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin. (Photo: Anna Groniecka Photography)
Michael O’ Neill, Jnr., was installed as the new "Mayor of Clonakilty" at a pleasant public ceremony at Asna Square last Thursday 6th June. In glorious sunshine, and with a large crowd assembled, the outgoing Mayor, Gretta O' Donovan, led her four colleagues - Deputy Mayor Colette Twomey, Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin, Anthony McDermott and John Loughnan from O' Donovan's Hotel and arrived to great applause at Asna Square.
A few minutes later, the Mayor asked people to welcome the members of the newly-elected Mayoral Council for the coming five years. They too arrived from O' Donovan's Hotel, and were led by the incoming Mayor Michael O' Neill and his colleagues in order of election - Deputy Mayor Pádraig O' Reilly, Paddy McCarthy and Chris Hinchy. There was great applause too for them and they shook hands with the outgoing Mayors and stood beside them under the chestnut tree.
John Loughnan installed as new Clon Mayor
PHOTO: New Clonakilty Mayor John Loughnan, (centre), with his Mayoral Council colleagues, Anthony McDermott, Colette Twomey, Gretta O’ Donovan, (Deputy Mayor) and Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin at Asna Square last Thursday after the Mayoral Changeover ceremony. (Photo: Édaín Ní Dhomhnaill).
The flag of the Borough of Clonakilty fluttered at Asna Square last Thursday as John Loughnan was installed as Clonakilty's new voluntary, non-political, community Mayor at a pleasant ceremony witnessed by a large crowd, which included Jim Daly, TD, Michael Collins, TD; local County Councillors Paul Hayes and John O’ Sullivan; Mons. Aidan O’ Driscoll, PP and Rev. Kingsley Sutton. Earlier, the five members of the Mayoral Council, led by outgoing Mayor Anthony McDermott, met at O’ Donovan’s Hotel and marched from there to Asna Square for the 8pm Changeover Ceremony.
Clonakilty Mayoral Council honours local heroes
PHOTO: Front row: At the recent Clonakilty Mayoral Council Reception organised to honour local heroes were Honourees:
Front: Richard Forristal; Kate Kirby; Shane Enright, (representing his mother Karen McDermott who was unavoidably absent); Mayor Anthony McDermott; Ciara Ryan and Mícheál O’ Regan.
Back: Dr. Jason van der Velde; Mayoral Council members John Loughnan; Colette Twomey and Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin; Christopher O’ Sullivan, representing Clonakilty Chamber of Commerce, (sponsor) and Sinéad Crowley.
(Photo: Anthony Brennan).
Clonakilty Mayor Anthony McDermott and his colleagues on the Clonakilty Mayoral Council honoured seven locals for their voluntary work, fundraising, sporting achievements and journalistic professionalism at a pleasant Mayoral Reception held at O’ Donovan’s Hotel Friday evening 14th October last.
Invitation to Mayoral Changeover at Astna Square
The Clonakilty Mayoral Council invites the people of Clonakilty and surrounding areas to the Mayoral Changeover this Thursday evening 4th June at 8.00pm at Astna Square (note change of venue)
Mayor Colette Twomey will be standing down after a very busy and successful year as Mayor of Clonakilty and will be handing over the Mayoral Chain and Robe to Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin.
We would particularly like to welcome representatives of local voluntary groups and organisations who do so much to make Clonakilty such a special place, young people, schools, etc.
Please note if any individual or group wishes to invite the Mayor to any event, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with as much notice as possible.
New Chain of Office presented to Clonakilty Mayor
When the government abolished Clonakilty's town council last year, (along with all other 80), the people of the town and wider community, led by a sub-committee of the local Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage group, organised a special election so that the people could directly elect five people to hold the position of Mayor of Clonakilty on a rotation basis over the following five years.
For several months after their election, the Clonakilty Mayoral Council, headed by the new Mayor Colette Twomey, lobbied County Council elected and non-elected representatives seeking to have the old Town Council Mayoral Chain and Robe "gifted" to it. The intention was that these items would be worn by the Mayor of the day at official events.
Despite great support from the County Councillors in West Cork, County Council officialdom resisted this move, and after several months the campaign was abandoned.
The Mayor was using a "chain" from the outset, thanks to Tomás Tuipéar who was Cathaoirleach of the Dúchas Clonakilty Heritage Mayoral Council Committee that worked to establish the Mayoral Council and organised and ran the historic election, etc.
On 8th December 2014, at the official switch-on of the Christmas Lights by Mayor Colette Twomey, Tomás on behalf of his committee presented the Mayor with a new Robe.
Earlier this week, the jig-saw was completed, when Tomás presented the Mayor with a new, upgraded Mayoral Chain that he has been working on for several months.
(Photo: CÓS)