The Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork, Green Party Councillor for Cork City South East, Honore Kamegni has said that progress on the Mahon Renewal Scheme is “crucial”, as the project has a projected completion date of mid 2025. The scheme, which is Cork’s first community wide streetscape renewal programme, aims to provide improved streets and cityscapes which are safer and provide multi-modal connections to schools, retail outlets, sporting and leisure facilities within the Mahon area. The €12m investment in the area is being funded by the National Transport Authority and aims to deliver new footpaths, carriageways, bus and cycle infrastructure, and additional measures including integrated traffic-calming measures. Speaking to The Echo, Mr Kamegni said that recent advancements on the project have resulted in “tangible improvements” to the area. “The progression of the Mahon Renewal Scheme is very welcomed and encouraging development for the community,” said Mr Kamegni. “After many years of consultation and collaboration, it is great to see real and tangible improvements taking shape. “Investment in public places, housing, amenities, and infrastructure is not just about making physical regeneration, but it is also about restoring pride, creating bigger opportunities, and building a stronger, more connected Mahon,” he added. “I encourage continued engagement with local residents [as] it is crucial to ensure that the scheme fully reflects the needs and hopes of the community. “Mahon will continue to grow and thrive as this work moves forward.” Labour Party councillor for Cork City South East, Peter Horgan, said that he is pleased to see works progressing on the scheme and is looking forward to seeing it’s completion. “The scheme continues to progress in sections and as construction sections are completed, I continue to engage with residents who experience issues with the scheme with senior engineers. “I have asked that the snagging which is being done as each section is completed be looked at in the overall scheme also once it is fully completed. That will assist with the scheme bedding down.“ Cork City Council has said that the project is expected to take 18 months to complete, with works having commenced in January of 2024. Warning over flares With a number of planned sporting events set to take place at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in the coming weeks, members of the public are being urged not to bring flares or smoke bombs to the venue. Both Gardaí and representatives from SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh’s Event Control Team are reminding people that the use of such items within the park grounds is illegal, and presents a serious safety risk to supporters attending events at the facility. In a post shared by SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on social media, representatives from both entities have advised that anyone caught trying to enter the grounds with flares or smoke bombs will be refused entry by stewards and security staff and may face criminal prosecution from An Garda Síochána if found igniting such items. Get involved in Street Feast Mahon Tidy Towns has issued a call to locals, community groups and businesses to get involved in this year’s Mahon Street Feast. The festival, hosted outside the Mahon Community Centre, will take place on June 1 from 12.30pm to 2.45pm. In a post shared on social media, a spokesperson for Mahon Tidy Towns urged people of all ages, genders and ethnicities to take part in the celebration, to bring both food and culture together for the free event. “We are looking for everyone to get involved by bringing a dish to share [and] to try new dishes from different cultures,” the spokesperson said. “We are [also] looking [for] members of different cultures to get involved with music, food, traditional dress and dancing.” The spokesperson further said that children attending the event must be accompanied by an adult, and anyone who is bringing a dish on the day must also bring a chair. Potential sponsors have been asked to make contact via email: mahontidytowns@gmail.com. Virag to represent Ireland at international swimming event A third year student from Ursuline College Blackrock (UCB), Virag Szatmari, has been selected by Swim Ireland to compete at the 57th International Children’s Games. The games, taking place in Tallinn from August 3 to 8, will see more than 1,500 participants from 70 different cities travel to Estonia to compete across a range of sporting disciplines, including swimming, athletics, judo, and basketball. Ms Szatmari, who is a member of the Sunday’s Well Swimming Club, is one of four swimmers selected from Cork city to attend the games this autumn. At the games, Ms Szatmari will have the opportunity to participate as part of a multidisciplinary Cork team, supported by Cork City Council and Munster Swimming. Principal at UCB, Patrick McBeth said: “We’re really proud of Virag, she’s a fantastic student here at the school. She’s managed to balance her academic studies with a massive amount of training – she trains seven times a week over six days, and most of that is before school each morning. We have high hopes that she will do well in August – we’ll be cheering her on all the way.” Junior Cycle revision course Junior Certificate students across Mahon and Blackrock are being invited to attend an upcoming revision course for higher level mathematics. The course, hosted by Leeside Maths, will take place on May 3 from 9am to 4pm at the Boole Lecture Theatre at UCC. Students will be provided with extensive detail of key exam topics from a qualified teacher and exam corrector, as well as given insight into the marking process. Tickets are priced at €50, with limited spaces available. For information or to book a ticket, email leesidemaths@gmail.com or search ‘Junior Cycle HL Mathematics Revision Course 2025’ on Eventbrite. Rainbow Club tea party The Rainbow Club Cork is hosting a fundraising event next month to aid the service in locating a new facility. The summer tea party event will take place on May 18 from 1pm to 5.30pm at the Metropole Hotel in Cork city centre. Guests will enjoy afternoon tea, a complimentary glass of bubbles, a surprise activity, music and entertainment from Derek Burke and a prize raffle. Tickets for the event are priced at €55, with all proceeds donated to the club’s new home fund. For more information about Rainbow Club Cork visit: https://www.rainbowclub.ie/ or to purchase a ticket, visit: https://tinyurl.com/3fdsvc3v. Choral Trail at Marina Market The Cork International Choral Festival, taking place across Cork city from May 1 to May 5, will include a special event at the Marina Market. The free event, entitled the Choral Trail, will take place across four hours from 12.40pm until 4.40pm on Saturday, May 3. The showcase will feature a range of performances from 13 local and international choral groups, spanning Ireland the UK, and mainland Europe.