Tributes were paid yesterday at a special meeting of the Tipperary Cahir Cashel MD to former Councillor Christy Kinahan whose funeral takes place today. Mr Kinahan who died on Monday served on Tipperary Town UDC and Tipperary County Council between 1991 and 2009.
Councillors and former councillors including Brian Rafferty, Anna Tuohy Halligan, Anne Allen, Patsy Tynan, Mick McGuire, Joe O’Donovan, Billy Bourke and Ruairi Devitt attended the special meeting in the council office yesterday alongside former TDs Seamus Healy and Tom Hayes. Mr Hayes said Tipperary town was Christy’s passion.
Seamus Healy praised Mr Kinahan for his work as Chair of the Decentralisation committee that secured public sector jobs for the town and for his contribution for over 26 years to Tipperary Vocational Education Committee. Cllr Roger Kennedy praised Mr Kinahan for his approach to council meetings saying there was no time wasted in unnecessary speeches. The holding of a special meeting on the occasion of the death of a former council is a tradition that the council should be proud of and Cllr Kennedy added that Christy’s daughter Jacqui is proud that her father received such a tribute. Cllr Micheal Anglim also paid tribute as did former Tipperary Town Clerk Paul Murray who said the €20M investment via the Decentralisation process was a tremendous achievement. Cllrs Mary Hanna Hourigan and Cllr John Crosse both contributed with Cllr Crosse describing Cllrs Michael McGuire and Michael Fitzgerald as the anchor and advisors for Mr Kinahan who he said had many talents and a broad mind. Newly elected John O’Heney said he would like to model his work on the same approach as that taken by Christy Kinahan. Director of Services with Tipperary County Council Sharon Kennedy recalled working with Christy in the former Dan Breen House council office and current Cathaoirleach Declan Burgess contributed that Christy Kinahan served with distinction and will be always remembered by the people of Tipperary
Christy Kinahan ‘s daughter Jacqui Finnan ran as a Fianna Fail candidate in the recent local elections. Christy Kinahan will be laid to rest at St Michael’s Cemetery, Tipperary town this afternoon after 2pm Mass in St Michael’s Church.
