Following this rich tradition at a meeting of Cork County Borough Council held in the Council Chamber, City Hall, Cork on Monday 11th November, 1996, An tArd Mhéara Alderman James A. Corr proposed and it was unanimously agreed ....

"That the Freedom of the City of Cork be conferred on John Bermingham.

In appreciation of his remarkable contribution to the personal growth of persons with mild and profound mental handicaps in the City and County of Cork. As a founding member of the Cork Poliomyelitis After Care Association in 1957 he has been continuously involved in directing and expanding the role of that Association.

Today, known as COPE Foundation it provides a comprehensive service to 1,500 persons from the City and County of Cork with mental handicap and a lifetime commitment to the parents of such persons within its care. The comprehensive nature of the services of COPE Foundation is to be seen in its special schools such as Scoil Bernadette, Scoil Eanna and St. Paul's; the special care unit for severe and profoundly mentally handicapped persons at St. Elizabeth's; the sheltered workshops located in towns in the County of Cork and the integrated housing schemes which at this time total 45 dwellings.
He has in the course of the past forty years devoted himself to building up an organisation which is predominantly voluntary in its structure and is committed to responding to the needs of special people in our society.

For these reasons and at a time when The COPE Foundation is celebrating forty years of commitment to people, The Lord Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the County Borough of Cork consider John Bermingham worthy to be enrolled in the roll of its Honorary Freeman and so direct."

 

"Go mbronnfar Saoirse Chathair Chorcaí ar Shéan Mac Fheorais Mar aitheantas ar an gaisce atá déanta aige ag cabhrú le daoine i bhforbairt a bpearsain ainneoin aineamh bheag aigne nó mór éalang a bheith orthu.

Ghlach sé páirt i mbunú Coiste Poliomyelitis agus ar Chúram Chorcaí sa bhliain 1957 agus ar bhonn leanúnach ó shin tá treoir tugtha agus leathnú deanta aige ar réimse coimhdeachta agus cúraim an choiste.

Inniu, aitheanta mar Fhundúracht COPE déanann siad freastal fial fairsing ar 1500 duine ó gCathair agus ó Contae Chorcaí, ar a bhfuil máchail intinne. Cuireann siad comaoin saoil orthu féin cuidiú le tuismitheoirí na ndaoine a mbíonn tógtha acu faoin a gcúram. Tá léargas ar sheirbhisi cuimsitheacha COPE le fáil sna scoileanna inar Scoil Bernaidín, Scoil Naomh Póil; an t-aonad ar leith i "Naomh Eibhlis"; na ceardlanna faoi dhídean lonnaithe i gContae Chorcaí agus sna háitribh acu, ar 45 a lion go nuige seo, atá fite fuaite i measc scéimeanna éagsúla tithiochta.

Eagras deonach ar an mórchuid is ea COPE a ghlacann mar a chúram freastal ar riachtanaisí daoine ar leith in ár bpobal, agus tá dhá scór bliain tugtha ag Séan Mac Fheoraisdá fhorbairt. Ar an uain seo agus comóradh dhá scór bliain aige i gcómhar le COPE i mbun coimhdeachta agus cúraim measann Árd-Mhéara, Seanóiri agus Coinhairleoiri Chontae Bhuirg Chorcaí gur fiú é go gcuirfí a ainm i Rolla a Saoránach Oinigh agus ordaíonn siad amhlaidh."