VIDEO: Niall Tóibín: ‘Cork is not just home, it’s heaven’

“The freedom of one’s native city is a very special honour. But when that city is Cork City then it’s difficult to retain one’s humility.”

Those were the words of legendary actor and comedian Niall Tóibín seconds after he was bestowed with the Freedom of Cork, putting him in an elite group which includes former Irish and American presidents.

“I’m quite simply taken aback and overjoyed to be a freeman of Ireland’s greatest city,” the 85-year-old said, to a standing ovation in City Hall yesterday evening.