Lord Mayor Welcomes European Commission President and Taoiseach to City Hall as Cork hosts College of Commissioners

03/07/2026

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Damian Boylan, welcomed European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, and Taoiseach Micheál Martin, to Cork City today for Ms von der Leyen’s first political greeting here since Ireland assumed the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

As part of the Irish EU Presidency, Cork is hosting a visit of the College of Commissioners on Thursday and Friday, with events in City Hall, UCC and the Tyndall National Institute. The symbolic political greeting for President von der Leyen took place in the office of the Lord Mayor, in City Hall.

“On behalf of the people of Cork and Cork City Council, I was honoured and delighted to extend a warm céad míle fáilte to President Ursula von der Leyen and the Taoiseach at this important moment for Ireland and the European Union,” the Lord Mayor said.

“As Ireland assumes the EU Presidency, we look forward to working closely with our European partners to address shared challenges and seizing new opportunities.”

The Lord Mayor noted Cork’s long-standing ties with Europe and its reputation as a city of innovation, culture, learning and international engagement.

“Cork, as a port city, has always looked outward, to Europe and beyond, embracing international cooperation and cultural exchange,” the Lord Mayor said.

“We still take great pride from our designation as European Capital of Culture in 2005.

“The legacy of that event is still being felt today through the hugely successful Live at the Marquee concert series, which was established in 2005 and which is ongoing this week.

“And members of Cork City Council staff manage a range of EU-funded projects in Cork City, with European grant funding for Cork City Council projects amounting to just over €7.6m since 2021.

“These projects have delivered real and tangible benefits to our citizens.”

Ms von der Leyen met with local elected political representatives afterwards.

As part of a national initiative to coincide with the Irish EU Presidency, Cork has been paired with France, with a dynamic programme of events planned over the coming months to showcase our close ties.  

You can read more about the pairing here: Cork-France EU Presidency Programme - Cork City Council.