Cork’s boundary war: Get on with it

Nature offers many peculiar mating rituals. The New Mexican whiptail lizard, an all-female species, has a particular but unnecessary penchant for simulated sex but, as far as can be easily established, the on-off courtship between Cork city and county councils is without parallel.

The relationship between two modestly sized authorities is so fraught that despite continual urban growth the city’s boundaries have not been extended since 1965. This Ulster-like not-an-inch stalemate may be resolved through legislation under preparation. If enacted within an anticipated six-month timeframe, it will see the city’s population almost double — from around 125,000 to just under 210,000.