Bernard Allen: A real gentleman, a proud Cork man and a true patriot

As a local councillor, as a TD and minister, Bernard was a tireless worker for his Cork North Central constituents, the wider Cork community and the people of Ireland

Love for sport and an appreciation of its importance in community life was an abiding interest of Bernard's. File picture: Darragh Kane

Bernard Allen was a proud Cork man and a patriotic Irish man in the true meaning of the word. He gave a lifetime of service to the people of Cork and to his country. I feel privileged to follow in his footsteps as a Minster of State and TD for Cork North Central.

He was born in 1944 an only child to a hardworking family in Blarney Street in the heart of Cork's Northside. Bernard was educated at one of Cork’s great schools, North Monastery Secondary School. His name joins other famous past pupils of the school who include Jack Lynch, Tomas McCurtain and Terence McSwiney.