NORTHERN IRELAND'S First Minister Dr Ian Paisley paid tribute to the people of Cork for the warm welcome afforded him and his wife and called for more travel and trade between North and South to benefit the people of both parts of the island.
"Overwhelming - that's how I feel at the welcome we've received here during our visit and the more people from the North who travel south and the more from the South who go north the better we can take care of all our interests," said Dr Paisley.
Dr Paisley was speaking after a courtesy call to Cork City Hall on Saturday afternoon where he and his wife, Lady Eileen Paisley, were welcomed by Lord Mayor Cllr Donal Counihan and his wife, Lady Mayoress Breda Counihan.
Dr Paisley signed the visitors book in the Lord Mayor's office beneath portraits of Sinn Féin Lord Mayors, Tomás Mac Curtain, who was murdered by members of the RIC in March 1920, and his successor, Terence MacSwiney who died on hunger strike in October 1920.
Dr Paisley looked relaxed as he chatted with Micheál Martin, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, as well as Cllrs Sean Martin, Terry Shannon and Tom O'Driscoll of Fianna Fáil, Dara Murphy of Fine Gael, John Kelleher of Labour and Chris O'Leary of the Greens.
Earlier, Dr Paisley had asked his entourage to stop at the top of Patrick Street so he could take a photograph of the statute of Fr Matthew, the 19th-century "Apostle of Temperance" while he later visited St Fin Barre's Church of Ireland Cathedral in the city.
The visit to Cork city passed off without incident with just one lone figure, protester Pat Allen, donning a replica mask of Dr Paisley complete with horns and a devil's pitchfork and carrying a tricolour, maintaining a vigil outside City Hall for the hour-long visit.
Earlier in Cobh on Friday night, three men were arrested for public order offences during a protest organised by Republican Sinn Féin and attended by about 60 people objecting to Dr Paisley's attendance at the 50th annual dinner of Cobh and Harbour Chamber of Commerce.
Dr Paisley, who also visited Cobh Town Council, St Colman's Catholic Cathedral and The Queenstown Story at Cobh Heritage Centre, revealed he plans to write his memoirs when he steps down as First Minister in May but may have them published posthumously.
"I'm going to write a book and put on record the things that need to be put on record. Maybe I won't have it published until after I'm away from this world because I might cause such a furore, I'd be better in heaven," he said, before breaking into a hearty chuckle.
