Cork Youth Orchestra, established in April 1958 by the Cork Soroptimist Club, was first conducted by Mr. Michael O’Callaghan M.A., B.Mus. The orchestra's first public concert took place at the Aula Maxima, University College, Cork, in January 1959, in the presence of the Lady Mayor and Mr. Jack Lynch, the then Minister for Education, who subsequently became Taoiseach. Both the Lady Mayor and Jack Lynch were patrons of the orchestra.