Jerrica Struthers of the Workers Party has been co-opted on to Cork City Council for the North-East Ward, replacing veteran socialist Cllr Ted Tynan who has retired on health grounds.

Cllr Struthers was nominated by Tynan and proposed and seconded by Cllr John Maher (Labour) and Brian McCarthy (Solidarity) at the June meeting of the city council.

In her inaugural speech Cllr Struthers thanked the Workers Party “for choosing me to carry their banner. I’m truly honoured. We all know Ted is a Titan. He dedicated his life to the working class. He has total integrity and is a man of principle.”

“Throughout his life, Ted fought to keep local services public, standing firmly against privatisation. Ted, you’ve been my mentor and my friend and I’m here to carry on the grit, the honesty, hard work and complete dedication to the working class that you’ve shown every day.”

The new councillor said she is not a career politician. “I’m a council tenant, a mother, and a proud Norrie from Mayfield. And I’m here to do the hard graft for the North-East Ward and for every person who feels overlooked, forgotten or pushed aside.”


“I know exactly what it feels like to feel left behind by the system and to have to fight just to be heard. So I don’t need reports of the struggle because I live it every single day. So I might not have the big words or the air and graces, but I have plenty of lived experience and I’m here to get to work,” she said.

Cllr Struthers will also take over Tynan’s place on the strategic policy committees he sat on as well as on the North-East Local Area Committee. The North-East Ward includes areas on the city’s northside such as Mayfield, Montenotte, Blackpool and the Glen.