Cork honours Roy and Sonia at freedom ceremony
Irish sports stars Roy Keane and Sonia O’Sullivan were awarded the Freedom of the City in their native Cork today.
Hundreds of fans gathered outside Cork City Hall for the historic ceremony which saw the Manchester United captain and the Olympic runner honoured for their extraordinary contributions to sporting and charitable works.
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Sean Martin, signed over the Freedom of the City – a tradition that dates back to 1085 when a city charter was first granted to Cork.
The soccer star, who began his football career with Cobh Ramblers, congratulated O’Sullivan on receiving the honour as he took to the podium.
Cork-born Keane said: “I am tremendously proud more than anything else to be honoured in my home town and I am deeply moved by the occasion.”
Keane said he particularly enjoyed the song commissioned by Cork City Council for the occasion, The Ballad of Roy Keane, by Con Fada O’Drisceoil.
Cork poet Theo Dorgan also penned a poem in honour of the Cobh-born runner called Running with the Immortal, which he read out at the ceremony.
The Lord Mayor managed to get the full backing of all council members to confer the honour on Keane after several previous civic leaders had attempted to seek the commitment.
Mr Martin had said the Freedom of the City was the only way Cork had of honouring these two high-profile sports stars.
The special ceremony saw Keane, and O’Sullivan, who has won a host of world and European title races, follow in the footsteps of many other public figures, including former US President John F Kennedy.
The ceremony featured musical contributions from The Band of the First Southern Brigade, Meitheal and Con Fada O’Drisceoil.
