Tuesday 15 November 2011

Cork Passport passes first barrier

A proposal to introduce a Cork Passport was put to Cork City Council last night by Fine Gael councillor Laura McGonigle. According to her tweeted announcement immediately after the meeting, the proposal is to be progressed with a new genealogy centre in Shandon as part of the plan.

The idea of the Passport, says Ms McGonigle, is to celebrate Corkonians' well-known and unique attachment and devotion to their county, and she tips her hat to the Certificate of Irish Heritage (see previous news post) as a great initiative; a Certificate of Cork Heritage would, she suggests, take this bonding a stage further.

"For those of us born in Cork or with Cork heritage we know that this is something that should be celebrated. Cork people are known for coming home from other counties to buy their C reg cars, wearing their GAA jerseys on casual Fridays and logging into the People’s Republic Website daily."

Throughout the day, reactions to her proposals were filling up Twitter and forums and blog comment boxes, and you could be forgiven for thinking that Ireland was suffering from a humour by-pass judging by some of the comments.

By mid-evening, before the post-meeting announcement was made, a poll on breakingnews.ie had generated just under 900 votes, with 46% saying it was 'an arrogant and ill-conceived idea and should be dismissed.' Some 36% felt the idea was 'creative and light-hearted', while 17% were ready to sign up!

I admit it. I was one of the latter!

I can't honestly see this going anywhere (a formal decision is expected in a few weeks), but it gave me a good laugh on an otherwise dismal Monday.