Lord Mayor of Cork

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The Lord Mayor of Cork is the symbolic head of the local government in the city of Cork in the Republic of Ireland. The first record of the office (as Mayor of Cork) is in a charter granted to the city by Edward II in 1318. The title was changed to Lord Mayor in a charter issued by Queen Victoria on 9 July 1900; unlike his Dublin counterpart, the Lord Mayor of Dublin was not entitled to the title Right Honourable. The title Lord Mayor defines the power of a city when compared to other towns and cities around the country. Only Dublin and Cork have the privilege of using the title Lord Mayor, as opposed to just simply Mayor.

In a ceremony known as Throwing the Dart, the Lord Mayor throws a dart into Cork harbour at its boundaries, to symbolise the city's control over the port. This tradition was first recorded in 1759, although it is probably older.

As of 2006, the current (and 69th) Lord Mayor is Councillor Michael Ahern, who was elected by Cork City Council on 26 June 2006.

[edit] Notable Lords Mayor of Cork

Tomás Mac Curtain — Sinn Féin Lord Mayor, shot dead by members of the Royal Irish Constabulary during the Anglo-Irish War
Terence MacSwiney — MacCurtain's successor, died in hunger strike in Brixton Prison
Sean French, Cork TD, Longest serving Cork Lord Mayor since foundation of the state; 1924-29 and again 1932 until his death 12/9/1937.
James Hickey 1938-39 and 1939-40.
Anthony Barry 1961, 1962
Peter Barry 1970- Many ministerial positions at national level, the highest of which was Minister for Foreign Affairs
Pat Kerrigan 1973
Hugh Coveney - Minister for Defence & Minister for the Marine at national level
Gerald Goldberg — became first Jewish Lord Mayor of Cork in 1977
Gerry O'Sullivan1986, Labour Party TD and Minister for the Marine.