President Michael D. Higgins has received the Freedom of the City. The honour was bestowed on him by the Lord Mayor Catherine Clancy in a private ceremony at City Hall this afternoon.
Mr. Higgins - who was born in Limerick city and raised in Clare - is the sixth President of Ireland to receive the honour.
These listeners have been telling RedFM what they think about President Higgins being made a free man of their city.
The award is given to persons distinguished for public service and they become Honorary Burgesses of the City. It dates from the 14th century.
Prior to the reform of the Cork Corporation in 1841, the city awarded the distinction to prominent individuals such as Dean Swift and Captain Richard Roberts - who navigated the "Sirius" the first steamship to cross the Atlantic from Europe Cobh to New York in 1838.
President Higgins has been speaking of his fondness for the Rebel county.
Not everyone is in agreement with today's choice (Image via @jonathanhealy on Twitter)
But due to a fire in the Courthouse in 1891, very few early documents are still available, except some few items that have recently come to light.
Others awarded the accolade include Sean T. O'Kelly, John F. Kennedy, Roy Keane, Mary Robinson, Sonia O'Sullivan, US Senator George Mitchell and Eamon de Valera.
President Higgins told the audience that he is not the only head of State with a fondness for Cork - he has it "on good authority" that Queen Elizabeth II is also a fan.
Mr. Higgins is seen below arriving for the ceremony at Cork City Hall.
