When the idea to create Cork Civic Life was raised with us by Michael in 2018, we immediately saw the uniqueness of it and how it would create a dedicated, supportive and promotional news site for the 3,000 voluntary, social, civic, charitable and not for profit organisations in every part of Cork city and county to tell their stories and boost their profiles. The fact that there was nothing similar operating for this sector in Cork gave it an even more unique and urgent requirement to get it up and running. We also loved the idea of creating The Pride of Cork Awards because we really identify with, and believe in acknowledging and applauding effort and success in every walk of life. That is why we were delighted and honoured to support Cork Civic Life and every one of the great organisations in Cork city and county by becoming its Lifetime Patrons.

With the success of its engagement process and the many counties around the country that enquired as to how their areas and organisations could benefit from its model, when Michael asked for our support in a scaling up of the idea to include a dedicated Civic Life platform for every one of the counties on the Island of Ireland, we immediately said yes again. The creation of Island of Ireland Civic Life will see every one of the thirty-two counties on our island having a platform similar to Cork Civic Life and branded for their county with their county colours.

We are really thrilled to support Island of Ireland Civic Life so that the 60,000 voluntary, social, civic, charitable and not for profit organisations that do such amazing work in their communities, for their counties and for our country can have this platform at their disposal to tell their stories, promote their work and efforts and sing the praises of the countless number of volunteers who give of their time every day of every week to make life better for so many.

The new annual event, The Pride of Our Island Awards will ensure that people and organisations from every county on the island of Ireland will be recognised with a civic award for their great efforts in giving back to their communities and to our world so that it becomes a better place to live in for everyone.

As a social enterprise business, Island of Ireland Civic Life will support a shared island model so that every person and every organisation can benefit from co-operation and engagement with each other.

Our belief and our experience is all about working together, sharing resources and ideas and ensuring that we support each other in whatever way we can in this life.

Linda & Dan Kiely
Lifetime Patrons

The creation of Cork Civic Life in 2018 to support and promote the great work of the 3,000 voluntary, social, civic, charitable and not for profit organisations in Cork city and county has given us a real sense of the need for support in every village, town and suburb of Cork. Thanks to the generosity of my good friends for over 30 years, Linda and Dan Kiely who immediately said yes to the concept when I approached them originally and who are the Lifetime Patrons of Cork Civic Life. I know from all the years of working with Linda and Dan that their entire business and personal life model is all about supporting people, giving them a helping hand and creating a self supporting model that works for everyone. I am hugely grateful for their support, partnership, mentoring and friendship.

As a social enterprise I believe that Cork Civic Life can really assist so many small, medium and large organisations in the voluntary, social, civic, charitable and not for profit sector in every part of our beautiful city and county, while also connecting the people and organisations with other people and organisations in the corporate sector who can also support their great work. We owe it to the volunteers who give so much of their time to make life better for so many and to give them support, promotion and encouragement and that is what Cork Civic Life is all about and will do for them and all at no cost to them.

I am delighted that Cork Civic Life has the ability to support the amazing organisations and people behind them and help them to maximise their full potential for the benefit of every citizen in Cork. The Pride of Cork Awards that we have created is all about honouring the great people and organisations that do so much for so many in Cork and it is fitting that we should honour these people and organisations because they are without doubt The Pride of Cork.

Michael Mulcahy
Chairman

Cork Civic Life will host an annual signature event called The Pride of Cork Awards. This will honour and recognise people and organisations from all parts of Cork for their great work and their great support of the people and community that they do so much for. Recipients and a guest will be invited on a free of charge basis to the gala awards event. 

Cork Civic Life is a full social enterprise whose constitution stipulates that it must work on behalf of the voluntary, social, civic, charitable and not for profit organisations throughout Cork and reinvest any surplus income that it may have into additional services for the benefit of this sector. To help us achieve all of our aims on behalf of the civic sector, we have set the annual fee for Civic Patron’s at an affordable level for the extensive package on offer.