Approximately 1.25 million visitors to Cork Airport will have an opportunity to get up close and personal with the many faces of Cork, thanks to a unique photographic exhibition that was opened on Tuesday 18th June by rugby legend, Ronan O’Gara. 
The ‘Faces of Cork’ exhibition was shot by photographers David Cantwell, John Daly, Eddie O’Hare, John Roche and Michael Sheehan in recent months. Their work has produced 60 striking portraits of people living in Cork city and county, from all walks of life and of all ages. All involved gave their time to support the work of the two beneficiaries of the exhibition, Haven and Marymount Hospice.
Ronan O’Gara himself features in the exhibition as do some well known personalities such as Bill O’Herlihy, Cara O’Sullivan, George Hook and recent Cork City Freemen, Michael Twomey and Frank Duggan, but the real stars of the exhibition are Corkonians from the broader community. The arts, business, sport, emergency services and community life are all well represented among the subjects, most of whom attended the opening ceremony at Cork Airport.
Thanks to the support of Cork Airport and Cork City Council, the exhibition, which was the brainchild of well-known aerial photographer Dennis Horgan, has evolved to evoke a sense of Cork through the faces of its people. The exhibition, which marks the year of The Gathering, will run at Cork Airport until September. Some of the images will be mounted in large scale on prominent buildings in the city centre.
“Faces of Cork is a truly inspiring photography exhibition that reflects the character and characters of Cork in all their guises,” said Kevin Cullinane, Cork Airport Marketing Manager. “As such it reflects our passenger profile through Cork Airport, highlighting the unique contribution citizens of Cork continue to make on the local and international stage and will inspire visitors to Cork during this important year of The Gathering.”
Valerie O’Sullivan, Cork City Council’s Director of Corporate Affairs, said the Council was delighted to have played a significant role in facilitating an exhibition that would be attractive to all who viewed it. “It will give a unique sense of Cork to visitors to the city and, of course, it also achieves a most important objective of supporting the work of two of Ireland’s best regarded charities.”
