11 June 2022
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
New Honorary Consul appointed in Cork – signalling the importance of the city on the international stage
Local businessman Neil Kenefick has been named honorary consul. The consulate is located at Dosco Business Park, South Douglas Road, Cork. 63 year Mr Kenefick from Currabinny has a long involvement with the Dosco brand which was established in 1884 by Denis O’Sullivan and was previously known as D O’Sullivan & Company. Still in business today, “Dosco is Ireland’s only remaining brush manufacturer”, according to its website.
As reported by TheCork.ie previously, Cork now has almost 20 honorary consuls.
Estonia’s ambassador to Ireland, Aino Lepik von Wirén, said of the new appointment:
“Neil Kenefick’s long-term experience in running his company, his contacts network in Cork and Ireland in general, as well as his personal business ties with Estonia, are good preconditions for developing economic relations between Estonia and Ireland and increasing tourism and investments between Estonia and Ireland.”
Around 3,000 Estonian citizens live in Ireland, according to Estonia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The new office will make it easier to provide consular services to Estonian citizens in the region – which will cover the counties Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford.
Ambassador Lepik von Wirén. and Undersecretary for Legal and Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Erki Kodar attended the opening ceremony, along with Deputy Mayor of Cork Cllr Des Cahill (Fine Gael), businessman and former Center MP Imre Sooäär, business people, other honorary consuls, and the local Cork Estonian community.
Estonia’s ambassador to Ireland, Aino Lepik von Wirén, said
“By adding an honorary consul in Cork, we are expanding the reach of our network of honorary consuls, which helps us to improve the provision of consular services to our citizens abroad and work towards practical cooperation between the entrepreneurs of Estonia and Ireland.”
“Every new honorary consul expands Estonia’s diplomatic reach worldwide and increases our influence and network. Considering the size of the Estonian community in Ireland, the honorary consul will help us provide more efficient assistance to our citizens,”
The plaque which will appear at the new Cork Honorary Consulate
Signing the visitor’s book in the Lord Mayor’s office, Cork City Hall
The tieless Lord Mayor
