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CORK VIEWS

A collection of opinion and analysis articles from - and about - the Cork region by the Irish Examiner's editorial team and an ever growing band of contributors.

<p> You have to ask whether Cork would be better off bypassing the taskforce recommendations phase and simply proceed directly to the part of the pantomime where we simply establish the Cork version of the Dublin City Regeneration Authority of this pantomime. Picture: Chani Anderson</p>

S columnists

Michael Moynihan: Taskforce timelines are predictable — why can't we skip the boring bits?

Maybe emulating the Dublin City Taskforce isn’t the greatest idea for Cork after all, writes Michael Moynihan

Michael Moynihan

Michael Moynihan: Cork's status as a Unesco learning city — twice — is unmatched anywhere

<p>A visualisation of a Luas Cork tram turning from St Patrick's Street into Grand Parade in the preferred route published last week.</p>

munster

Cork Luas: Mixed reaction after publication of preferred route for €2.5bn transport network

Irish Examiner view: Say hello to your ancestors as 1926 Irish census goes online

ourview

Irish Examiner view: Say hello to your ancestors as 1926 Irish census goes online

Midleton-Youghal greenway bus route sought by council

munster

Midleton-Youghal greenway bus route sought by council

Iranians in Ireland: ‘Iran has been there for 1,000 years. This will pass’

spotlight

Iranians in Ireland: ‘Iran has been there for 1,000 years. This will pass’

Letters to the Editor: Waste disposal should never have been privatised

Letters to the Editor: Waste disposal should never have been privatised

A reader says illegal dumping crisis would never have arisen but for the decision many years ago to abdicate a statutory function — the collection and disposal of domestic and commercial waste

Fri, 17 Apr, 2026

Michael Moynihan: Lost in a haze of event centre logic, I have some helpful ideas

Michael Moynihan: Lost in a haze of event centre logic, I have some helpful ideas

After this week's development, Michael Moynihan has some suggestions for the Cork City Council Project Development Board

Thu, 16 Apr, 2026

Cork events centre may become 'a big empty room'

Cork events centre may become 'a big empty room'

Everyman Theatre CEO raises concerns over the scale of the events centre planned for Cork

Mon, 13 Apr, 2026

FILE PHOTO An Bord Pleanala has refused planning permission for a 179-unit apartment development on the site of the Bessborough

If you want to object to building over Bessborough, you have one week

There is also no time to waste in pursuing the effective investigations into deaths and disappearances that should have happened many decades ago, and that families are still requesting

Fri, 10 Apr, 2026

Michael Moynihan: Luas routes need common sense and proper future-proofing

Michael Moynihan: Luas routes need common sense and proper future-proofing

Proposals to bulldoze houses in mature, long-established residential areas and sports clubs central to their community while leaving Cork Airport out of the plan are misguided and will cause a great deal of outrage

Thu, 09 Apr, 2026

Congestion Charging Begins In London

Don't let what's happened in London replicate itself in Cork

The streets are our own — except when they aren’t, writes Allan Prosser

Tue, 07 Apr, 2026

Michael Moynihan: Cork taskforce welcome but action on its recommendations will be the real struggle

S Michael Moynihan: Cork taskforce welcome but action on its recommendations will be the real struggle

If the Cork City Futures Group wants to show citizens it means business it could do a lot worse than pick a fight with State agencies responsible for our appalling infrastructure, transport, and water quality issues

Thu, 02 Apr, 2026

Irish Examiner view: Cork stories show we're all being held back by deficient infrastructure

Irish Examiner view: Cork stories show we're all being held back by deficient infrastructure

Sean O'Riordan's reports from Midleton, Youghal, Carrigtwohill, Kiskeam, and Carrignavar reflect a national malaise that is holding back prosperity and progress

Sat, 28 Mar, 2026

Mick Clifford: Cork TD Ken O’Flynn riding high on the wave of unapologetic anti-immigrant populism

Mick Clifford: Cork TD Ken O’Flynn riding high on the wave of unapologetic anti-immigrant populism

Ken O’Flynn’s rhetoric, controversies, and political evolution highlight tensions around immigration, misinformation, and the rise of populist narratives, writes Mick Clifford

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

Oxford Street pedestrianisation

Michael Moynihan: Even this column won't stoop to 'Corkmaxxing' — it's beneath us

A city trying to establish itself as a home for cutting-edge industry needs to move past the knee-jerk nickname or slogan

Thu, 26 Mar, 2026

'We never leave them alone': Meet the Cork search and recovery group helping families find closure

'We never leave them alone': Meet the Cork search and recovery group helping families find closure

Inside Cork’s missing persons search team on the River Lee, where volunteers work tirelessly to recover the missing and support families

Fri, 20 Mar, 2026

UK-Ireland summit

S Michael Moynihan: How Keir Starmer's Cork hop compares to other fabled visits by British PMs

While Keir and Micheál may have had their differences over the Cork football championship, it was nothing compared to other, ahem, state visits to the real capital in the past

Thu, 19 Mar, 2026

Reflections of a blow-in after 25 years living in Cork

Reflections of a blow-in after 25 years living in Cork

Ahead of St Patrick's Day, Vittorio Buffacchi reflects on his two and half decades living in Cork and the connection between identity and place

Sat, 14 Mar, 2026

Future Cork: There is immense potential in Cork if the city turns toward the river

Future Cork: There is immense potential in Cork if the city turns toward the river

Monika Jain argues Cork should reclaim its River Lee waterfront and streets to create healthier, more vibrant public spaces

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026

Irish Examiner view: Stryker cyberattack shows how easily we are caught in the crossfire

Irish Examiner view: Stryker cyberattack shows how easily we are caught in the crossfire

Wars that begin thousands of kilometres away can now reach directly into offices, factories, and hospitals through the digital networks on which modern economies depend

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026

Irish Examiner view: No, minister — Cork's traffic gridlock is even worse than New York's

Irish Examiner view: No, minister — Cork's traffic gridlock is even worse than New York's

A reader suggests that junior minister Jerry Buttimer may have made an apt comparison, but the situation is far worse than he stated

Mon, 09 Mar, 2026

Experts and voters agree that green space in cities has major health benefits

Experts and voters agree that green space in cities has major health benefits

More walking and cycling infrastructure, a congestion charge, and space for nature are key to unlocking Cork's potential — and our health

Mon, 09 Mar, 2026

The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast: Paving over Bessborough's missing babies

The Deirdre O'Shaughnessy Podcast: Paving over Bessborough's missing babies

Survivors and relatives express anger after planning permission granted for apartments on site linked to hundreds of infant deaths

Listen | Fri, 06 Mar, 2026

Jennifer Horgan: We've replaced Church oppression with the canon of the car

S Jennifer Horgan: We've replaced Church oppression with the canon of the car

From a distance we now see the grip the Catholic Church one had on our lives, few people can see we are part of a similarly oppressive system today — the car culture we protect that is taking and destroying lives

Fri, 06 Mar, 2026

Michael Moynihan: The prospect of building on Bessborough babies' bones should anger us all

S Michael Moynihan: The prospect of building on Bessborough babies' bones should anger us all

If we can’t get angry about the prospect of diggers unearthing the bones and skulls of dead babies in order to build apartments, what is there to be angry about?

Thu, 05 Mar, 2026

The Smiths, Rolling Stones, Damon Albarn... Eight great gigs at the Savoy in Cork through the years

The Smiths, Rolling Stones, Damon Albarn... Eight great gigs at the Savoy in Cork through the years

With the Savoy in Cork recently re-opened, Des O'Driscoll trawls through the annals to look back at some of the greatest gigs at the venue through the decades

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026

Bessborough planning decision shocking for mother and baby home survivors

Bessborough planning decision shocking for mother and baby home survivors

The Bessborough Mother and Baby Home Support Group and Labour Party councillor Peter Horgan say they intend to appeal Cork City Council’s decision to grant planning, writes Donal O'Keeffe

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026

Future Cork: 2026 must be year of infrastructure delivery for the city

Future Cork: 2026 must be year of infrastructure delivery for the city

Cork’s continued growth depends on faster delivery of transport, housing and strategic infrastructure projects in 2026

Sat, 28 Feb, 2026

Irish Examiner view: Taoiseach's Future Cork speech opens door to new vision for Páirc Uí Chaoimh

Irish Examiner view: Taoiseach's Future Cork speech opens door to new vision for Páirc Uí Chaoimh

The municipal stadium model has long been in use in other European countries with as many different sports as Ireland, if not more. There is no reason why it cannot work here too

Sat, 28 Feb, 2026

Future Cork: City Hall needs to embrace progression and action

Future Cork: City Hall needs to embrace progression and action

From street clutter to stalled ambition, Cork’s civic leaders are urged to act decisively and rediscover pride in shaping the city

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

€1.5m Cork City home is going to set a price record for Botanika

€1.5m Cork City home is going to set a price record for Botanika

No 3 is the first detached house to come up for sale in this upmarket estate of 31 homes

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

Future Cork: Investing in Ireland’s second city will pay off in spades

Future Cork: Investing in Ireland’s second city will pay off in spades

With population set to grow 50% by 2040, Cork argues it needs sustained Government backing to deliver housing, jobs and infrastructure

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

Jennifer Horgan: ‘It is what it is’ mentality won’t build a better future for Cork

Jennifer Horgan: ‘It is what it is’ mentality won’t build a better future for Cork

From roadside kindness to theatre ambition, small acts of belief show Cork’s future need not be shaped by resignation

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

Irish Examiner view: Future Cork policy must be matched by delivery

Irish Examiner view: Future Cork policy must be matched by delivery

Ahead of Friday's event hosted by the 'Irish Examiner', and the accompanying supplement in print and online, we pause to ask where we're going — and how we're going to get there

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

Future Cork: €353m Docklands investment driving Cork housing and infrastructure growth

Future Cork: €353m Docklands investment driving Cork housing and infrastructure growth

Massive Docklands investment, new housing and public realm upgrades are reshaping Cork, but transport and flood risks remain pressing challenges

Thu, 26 Feb, 2026

Inside the Savoy Cork revival: Historic music venue reopens in city centre

S Michael Moynihan: Reopening of the Savoy will breathe new life into St Patrick's Street

The Good Room team have shown what drive and energy can do, rather than succumbing to 'sure what can we do' lassitude

Thu, 26 Feb, 2026

Paper chain friends, teamwork, diversity, family or community

Michael McGrath: EU is ready to fight back against threats to our democracy

The new European Centre for Democratic Resilience is tackling attempts by authoritarian regimes to disrupt our freedom

Wed, 25 Feb, 2026

The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: Four years of war in Ukraine and finding safety in Cork

The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: Four years of war in Ukraine and finding safety in Cork

It’s four years today since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a day that changed the course of world history

Listen | Tue, 24 Feb, 2026

Future Cork: Is the city ready to enter the 21st century?

Future Cork: Is the city ready to enter the 21st century?

Five years into our 10-year vision for the city, there has been real progress but the biggest eyesores remain, while city centre green space has been decimated, write Jude Sherry and Frank O'Connor

Sun, 22 Feb, 2026

Future Cork: The city centre enters a new golden age after decades of change

Future Cork: The city centre enters a new golden age after decades of change

Cork has seen war and peace, boom and bust, and on more than one occasion the flat of the city has risen Phoenix-like from the ashes of total annihilation, writes Cónal Creedon

Fri, 20 Feb, 2026

Michael Moynihan: A city is never finished — the neverending roadworks prove it

S Michael Moynihan: A city is never finished — the neverending roadworks prove it

It truly is a commentary on our times when the national capacity to produce traffic cones defies the student body’s capacity to throw them into the river

Thu, 19 Feb, 2026

'It’s simply not possible': Cork principal hits out at SNA cuts

'It’s simply not possible': Cork principal hits out at SNA cuts

Education Correspondent Jess Casey hears from parents and teachers about their fears amid NCSE review of special needs assistants

Tue, 17 Feb, 2026

Paris, France

'The X-minute city': Reshaping urban life for a more sustainable future

Carlos Moreno’s ideas are reshaping the world’s cities in the face of three challenges

Mon, 16 Feb, 2026

UCC students commuting before dawn as housing crisis fuels daily parking battle

UCC students commuting before dawn as housing crisis fuels daily parking battle

Sky-high rents and a lack of public student housing are forcing UCC students into long commutes and daily parking stress

Mon, 09 Feb, 2026

Indie Pix/ RTE CUH

S Gareth O'Callaghan: What weeks in Cork University Hospital taught me about fear, faith and survival

A near-fatal asthma attack and a devastating crash revealed the fragility of life, the power of care and unexpected grace

Sat, 07 Feb, 2026

The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: The Cork doctor who spent a year living in the Arctic

The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: The Cork doctor who spent a year living in the Arctic

Dining on seal and walrus meat in temperatures as low as -40C, travelling by dog sled and sewing clothes from animal skins in the traditional Inuit way is not standard fare for a doctor on a sabbatical

Listen | Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Michael Moynihan: Cork’s Lord Mayor embracing AI raises serious questions about leadership

S Michael Moynihan: Cork’s Lord Mayor embracing AI raises serious questions about leadership

The Lord Mayor’s embrace of ChatGPT highlights ethical, environmental and democratic risks when artificial intelligence replaces human judgement

Thu, 29 Jan, 2026

Fergus Finlay: Meeting inspiring Cork people keeps bizarre world events at bay

Fergus Finlay: Meeting inspiring Cork people keeps bizarre world events at bay

After I was added to the Cork Person of the Year Hall of Fame, I got to meet some real genuine Cork heroes, but I was brought crashing back down to earth by events in America

Tue, 27 Jan, 2026

Culture That Made Me: Mary McCarthy, director of Crawford Art Gallery, picks her touchstones

Culture That Made Me: Mary McCarthy, director of Crawford Art Gallery, picks her touchstones

Mary McCarthy includes Doireann Ní Ghríofa, Liss Ard gigs, and Corcadorca among her selections

Sun, 25 Jan, 2026

Clodagh Finn: The forgotten Cork woman imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps

Clodagh Finn: The forgotten Cork woman imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps

New archival discoveries reveal the story of a Cork woman held in Ravensbrück, and why remembering her matters today

Sat, 24 Jan, 2026

Michael Moynihan: Council responses show they can't see the wood for the trees

S Michael Moynihan: Council responses show they can't see the wood for the trees

Residents of Knockfree Ave in Cork are angered by council plans to cut down mature trees in their area

Thu, 22 Jan, 2026

'We have been cut off': UCC student fears for family amid Iran crackdown

'We have been cut off': UCC student fears for family amid Iran crackdown

UCC medical student Shadi Mahjoum describes fear, helplessness and heartbreak as Iran’s internet shutdown silences families

Tue, 20 Jan, 2026

Michael Moynihan: Is there a coded message in the weather forecast's choice of random suburbs?

S Michael Moynihan: Is there a coded message in the weather forecast's choice of random suburbs?

Or is there some even more subtle message being conveyed by the sequence of Cork suburbs being used? Why Mahon and then Douglas? Why Knocknaheeny and then Frankfield? Is this some kind of sublime trolling from Dublin, an attempt to sow discord in the southern capital?

Thu, 15 Jan, 2026

Dump Truck at Copper Mine

When councils won’t act, communities turn to nature to get justice

Environmental law has become the last line of defence against unauthorised quarrying, writes Eugene Farrell

Wed, 14 Jan, 2026

The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: A Cork publican’s story of addiction and recovery

The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: A Cork publican’s story of addiction and recovery

He’s the face behind some of Cork’s most popular bars, but for many years, Michael Droney lived a half-life of alcohol and drug addiction

Listen | Tue, 13 Jan, 2026

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