PAST ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND FUTURE HOPES - MAYOR NOEL LOOKS BACK ON A HECTIC YEAR
It’s been an eventful past six months for the new Mayor of Fermoy, Noel McCarthy and his family, starting with his triple election to both Cork County Council and Fermoy Town Council and as mayor of Fermoy.
It’s been a whirlwind and a dream, from which they are still trying to wake up. It is as if it happened only yesterday; but the announcement of the election results in June dramatically changed both Noel and Sharon’s lives.
Sharon went from being a very quiet and private person to being in the limelight accompanying Noel to most social functions. The phone never stops ringing and it is life on the go for family members.
Noel and Sharon are taking everything in their stride and enjoy every moment of it.
GETTING ELECTED
Sharon: “The day after the election Noel woke up singing in bed. It was really funny.” Noel: “I still enjoy it six months later, but Sharon’s life has changed so much.”
Sharon: “I go with Noel to social events. I have to go out a lot more. After Noel put his name forward I went out canvassing, but I am really delighted for Noel.”
Noel: “The best thing that happened in the past six months was getting elected. I went for election because I felt that Fermoy deserved much better than the internal fighting from the previous council. I wanted to breathe new life into the council. And, then I love meeting people, working with the public.
"I put my name forward in January but I never dreamt I would get that many votes. I got 823 first preference votes in the local town council and 2,063 first preference votes in Cork County Council. It was a triple victory together with being voted mayor of Fermoy. It was all down to the great work that Sharon and our friends put in. All my friends are excellent. They are the greatest bunch and they went out every night canvassing for me.”
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Noel: “Passing the town development plan was a great achievement. I also feel that the council is more cohesive now, it is working together better than before. There are still a lot of issues to solve, but, overall, I hope it is getting better. My other biggest satisfaction is when I go into the office and I know that a job is finished for someone who approached me for help. The council staff get a lot of unfair criticism. People have to take into account that with the budget cuts, we are short staffed and it takes more time to get around to do all jobs.”
DISAPOINTMENTS
Noel: “What I am most disappointed with is the massive loss of jobs Fermoy experienced this year with the closure of so many businesses.”
FUTURE PLANS
Noel: “I hope that I will enjoy the next half year as much as I have enjoyed the first six months. I also hope that the council will get more organised and work together better. I hope that the Shipton development will go to planning and that the OPW works on the north side will be completed and the works will start on the south side so that floods become a thing of the past in Fermoy.”
“Being mayor has been a great honour for both of us. I am very proud of this accomplishment and I would like to thank the people and the council for giving me that opportunity.”
Published:
Monday 4th January 9:59am
