Hometown heroes: Sonia and Roy get freedom of city

TWO of Ireland’s greatest sports stars will jet into Cork tomorrow to receive the freedom of their home city.

Manchester United skipper Roy Keane and athletics legend Sonia O’Sullivan will be joined by family and friends for the ceremony at City Hall.

City officials again defended their decision last night to hold the ceremony behind closed doors.

A spokesman said it would not have been possible to cope with the huge demand from the public for an outdoor event.

However he said the ceremony will be screened live on the local Chorus TV channel and repeated tomorrow night.

The sports stars are expected to be mobbed by fans when they arrive at City Hall at about 4pm. The ceremony is due to start at 4.30pm.

Both stars will be presented with silver caskets created by Cork’s last surviving silversmith - a Manchester United fan.

“I am a huge fan of Roy Keane, so this is obviously a great honour for me,” said Chris Carroll of Carroll’s Jewellers.

“Three members of my family have made caskets for Freemen of the City - my late father Seán and my late brother Michael as well as myself,” he said.

Mr Carroll created the casket which was presented to former SDLP leader and Nobel Peace Prize-winner John Hume when he was made a Freeman of Cork last year.

The silversmith also created the casket presented to George Mitchell when he was honoured in 1998.

Sonia O’Sullivan is jetting out of Cork immediately after the ceremony.