It’s going to be a quiet few weeks.

As the country gets to grips with the next stage in the battle against coronavirus, many large-scale events and get-togethers are being called off across Cork in the interest of public safety.

Along with hospital outpatient appointments, the St Patrick’s Day parade and the Irish Cancer Society’s annual Daffodil Day fundraiser, various community group meetings, outreach programmes, sports and races and cultural events are postponed until further notice.

The Cork Lifelong Learning Festival 2020 is the latest to call off their planned activities, with similar cancellations in force in every part of the city and county.

Here are three of the latest large Cork events to be put off for now:

1. Lifelong Learning Festival cancelled

In a statement issued this morning, organisers said: “In the context of the evolving circumstances around Covid-19 virus, both the launch of the Cork Lifelong Learning Festival (Thursday, March 12th) and The Cork Lifelong Learning Festival 2020 (March 29th – April 5th) have been cancelled.

“Following the latest expert advice, this year’s festival has been postponed and will be rescheduled to a later date. Please be assured that we will be in further communication regarding the status of this year’s festival.

Cork Learning City Lifelong Learning Festival Coordinator, Siubhán McCarthy said: “It is with a heavy heart that we need to postpone this year’s Cork Lifelong Learning Festival, however, the welfare of attendees, hosts and participants is our primary concern. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our funders, sponsors, hosts and friends for their preparation, planning and support over the past few months. We look forward to working with you in the future”.

2. Marketing Ball called off

The highlight of the social calendar among Cork’s marketing community, the MII Maritime Ball, which was due to take place later this month, has been cancelled.

Unfortunately due to the onset of the Coronavirus in Ireland, the MII Cork Maritime Ball, which was due to take place on the 21st of March 2020 is cancelled.
All tickets will be fully refunded and we look forward to bringing the MII Cork Ball back to Cork in 2021. pic.twitter.com/xPlbDvSilM

— Marketing Institute of Ireland Cork Branch (@miicork) March 10, 2020

“Unfortunately, due to the onset of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) in Ireland, the Marketing Institute of Ireland Cork (MII Cork) Maritime Ball 2020, which was due to take place on 21st March 2020, is cancelled,” said Jerry Crowley, Ball Chair of the Marketing Institute of Ireland Cork (MII Cork) Maritime Ball 2020.

“The health, wellbeing and safety of our attendees is paramount, and we are not in a position to take any unnecessary risk at this time. All tickets will be fully refunded and we look forward to bringing the MII Cork Ball back to Cork in 2021.”

3. CUH Charity Lunch postponed 

A Mother’s Day Lunch at Radisson Blu Hotel, Cork on March 22nd, which was due to kickstart fundraising for a unique Neonatal Sanctum and Parents’ Room at Cork University Maternity Hospital, has been deferred to Sunday, September 6th at the same venue. Organised by volunteer Mary Hopkins, a Special Ambassador with CUH Charity:

“Despite a gratifying response from the general public and outstanding support from local sponsors, I feel that responsible citizenship must take centre stage at this time, as we ride out this temporary threat to societal health. Deferring the lunch (re-named Mothers’ Day Out) is the sensible thing to do at this stage, and I know people will rally round the project again in September.”

In the interim, people can donate towards the project through CUH Charity’s website.