16 Jan 2019
Cork Chamber Celebrates 200 Years
2019 marks the 200th anniversary of the creation of Cork Chamber and this key milestone will be marked by a programme of events throughout the year. To celebrate the anniversary the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, will the keynote address at the annual Chamber Dinner on 1 February. In his first address to a business audience since his second term inauguration, the President will address 1,000 of the city’s business leaders and join them in celebration of one of the oldest institutions on the island of Ireland.
Cork Chamber’s 200 year celebrations include a series of events and initiatives celebrating the organisation’s history at the heart of Cork business while also looking to future opportunities for the local region. Events will include a Schools Art initiative, in association with the Glucksman Gallery in UCC. ‘Future Forms’ will see Cork schools, third-level students and community groups working with artists to create artworks that imagine what the city and urban environment will look like in 200 years’ time.
Speaking on the importance of 2019 to the organisation, President of Cork Chamber, Bill O’Connell said: “This year is not just about reflecting on the successes of the past; more importantly, it is about looking at how the Chamber can support businesses to tackle some of the challenges of the present and about being ambitious for the future of the region, which is going through a very exciting period of growth at the moment. “
Cork Chamber was founded in November 1819 and now represents the interests of 1,200 businesses employing over 100,000 people in the region.