Launch of the first dementia-inclusive shopping centre in Ireland, Mahon Point, 14 November 2023
During the farewell speeches given to Cllr Kieran McCarthy at the Annual General Meeting of 21 June 2024, many councillors praised the artistic vibe of the outgoing Lord Mayor. He was, indeed, praised, in the general public, as the “singing Lord Mayor”. While being a singing aficionado for 20 years, having played in multiple plays and concerts, and benefitting from weekly coaching, he continued his passion while making the most of it during his mayoralty.
The best demonstration of the power of singing for Kieran is through the favourite moment of his mayoralty: when invited to launch the first dementia-inclusive shopping centre in Ireland, he sung from a single voice with people suffering from dementia. During that short moment, all the patience got reunited, in time and space, beyond illness, to be together.
Singing was, indeed, a crucial vector of communion during the Mayoralty, and in particular for the following reasons:
- It attracts attention: Kieran used singing to get the attention, especially when the layout of the room or the space, or the age of the audience made it difficult to get straight into his messages. A short powerful and cheerful song would always do the trick.
- It creates a unique moment of communion and presence: most of the songs sung by Kieran are known to all. They invite to sing together. They invite to be together, to gather. They show that we are all in there together for better cities and lives
- It is peace: in response to harassment early in his mayoralty, being convinced that conversation would lead only to anger and violence and no real exchange, Kieran reacted by singing. He was aiming to change the narrative and refocus the discussion.
- It triggers reaction: singing from a Lord Mayor can be unexpected. It asks the person opposite/audience to readjust, question themselves, be more reflective, and, eventually, bring more to the debate.
- It is serious. Recreative but serious: It is about art, about creativity about entertainment, about enjoyment, about life, but, as explained above, it is never futile.
Not all Lord Mayors or elected representatives can sing. But many, most, have an artistic vibe: be in in playing an instrument, painting, acting, or being creative, and just… human. These are definitely to be used further to make better cities with all constituents.
Cork Pride Festival, 6 August 2023