TWICE THE SIZE - DIT Update - Dublin Institute of Technology

FUTURE SCENARIOS FOR CORK
SCENARIO 1: Pandora’s Box (National scenario: THE SOW OF LIBERTY)
Interview with Former Mayor of Cork (2017-2022), Mr Sean O’Sullivan, for CORCAIGH
CEARTLÍNE, the first Cork video-zine.
By Martha KURSKA
Martha Kurska (MK): Mr O’Sullivan, you were Mayor of Cork City between 2017 and 2022. It
would be a common view that many of the decisions you and your predecessor, Mr John Murray 8 ,
took while in office have led Cork to be what it is today. In your view, what does Cork stand for
in 2030?
Sean O’Sullivan (SOS): Well, that’s an interesting question. I would describe the city by three
words: ‘bi-‘, ‘opportunism’ and ‘water’.
MK: That’s an intriguing answer?! What is ‘bi-‘?
SOS: Let me explain. Bi- represents dualism, both in a positive and negative sense. Let’s look at
our economy. The two main sectors are: first, biotechnology, including medical industry, the
food and drink industries; and second, broadly speaking the whole heritage industry. These two
sectors are fundamentally different; one is perceived as modern, cutting edge, while the other
builds upon values and traditions of the past and responds to the needs of identity and
belonging. Yet, both seem to complement each other very well, as they represent 64% of Cork’s
revenue!!
MK: Yes, they may be different, but both operate on the same principles of market economics,
and their main aim is to make money, so are they really ‘bi-‘?
SOS: Well, it is necessary to operate according to the principles of current market economics to
be successful in this highly globalised, competitive and connected world. However, the real
challenge is to be able to create new sectors of the economy within that framework, to spot and
use the opportunities that open up. I think Cork has been quite successful at that, hence the
opportunism. For example, the results of the research exercise conducted by ESRI in 2014
indicated that Ireland has rapidly been loosing its traditional values, culture and traditions as a
result of globalisation. This had strong implications for the tourism industry – the more
globalised the world became the more people were searching for national distinctiveness and
different cultural experiences. In 2015, seizing the opportunity to build upon Cork’s culture and
traditions, the Cork Metropolitan Authority teamed up with a group of investors to develop a
‘cohesive heritage’ industry for the city. One of the first steps was the building of the ‘Famine
Centre’ – a very successful multi-media modern museum. An extensive international marketing
8
John Murray became the first Mayor of Cork, after the positions of directly elected Mayors were introduced in late
2011.
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