President Mary McAleese has been conferred with the Freedom of the City of Cork at a ceremony in the so-called second capital of Ireland this afternoon.
President Mary McAleese
Cork City Council approved the measure at a meeting on May 8th following a motion submitted by Lord Mayor of Cork Deirdre Clune.
The honour recognises Mrs McAleese's "outstanding personal and academic achievements" and is also awarded as a token of the high esteem in which she is held by the people of Cork.
Mrs McAleese is the fourth president of Ireland to be conferred with the Freedom of the City of Cork; the others were Mary Robinson, Eamonn de Valera and Douglas Hyde.
Speaking at the ceremony this afternoon, the President thanked the lord mayor and the city council for the "lovely honour", which she said had gladdened her heart and "rectified my deficient CV.
"When I looked over the list of those honoured in the past I am delighted to find myself among Presidents Douglas Hyde, Eamon de Valera and Mary Robinson as well as two of my own great sporting heroes, Roy Keane and Ireland's greatest living sportsperson, Sonia O'Sullivan, both of whom of course are Cork through and through," she said.
"Cork holds in its soul something that stirs Ireland, something that stirs Irishmen and Irishwomen no matter where they are born and reared.
"We know that we do not need to be awarded the freedom of the city to feel at home here, to feel part of Ireland's family here, for this is a city with a fáilte and a freedom of spirit that has kept many a poet busy at his or her craft."
Mrs McAleese added: "Cork's essence, its willing acceptance of diversity, of change, its characters, its unique soul, its ancient immortal spirit are at its very core - it is a place with personality, with pride, with welcome, with humour, with tradition - no wonder it attracts so many, many visitors."
Noting the success of Cork's stint as European Capital of Culture last year, Mrs McAleese said the event had displayed the city's "unique verve and panache".