Survivors of the worst outbreak of polio in the history of the State were granted a civic reception at Cork City Hall yesterday by Lord Mayor Michael Ahern prior to the unveiling of a commemorative plaque at a hospital in the city.
Before the advent of the childhood vaccination programme against the condition, polio was a highly infectious disease mainly affecting children under five. Although the illness is now rare in Ireland, poliomyelitis affected many people during the 1940s and 1950s.
During a four-month period in 1956 over 550 children in the Cork area were hospitalised after an epidemic.
The majority recovered and went on to lead full lives but many are now experiencing the late effects of Polio, including Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS).
Yesterday, survivors of polio from around the country attended a Cork City Council reception in their honour.
A plaque was then unveiled at St Mary's Orthopaedic Hospital in Cork city by Cllr Brian Bermingham (FG), whose father John founded the Cork Polio and Aftercare Association.
St Mary's Hospital, in the northside suburb of Gurranabraher, was the nerve centre for the treatment of polio in Cork.
As a result the unveiling was attended by many polio patients who were treated there, as well as retired hospital surgeon Frederick Moore, who played an important role in their care.
Meanwhile, Noel Magnier, of the Cork branch of the Post Polio Support Group (PPSG), says while there are still many challenges ahead, post-polio condition sufferers are constantly looking to a brighter future.
"The post-polio people regard themselves as survivors and therefore they have a sort of mettle that drives them on the best they can and they don't sit around feeling sorry for themselves."