Danny Kinahan’s Profile
I was born in 1958 in West Belfast in the Royal Victoria Hospital, the same year that my father won the Clifton seat in Stormont. My father Robin Kinahan spent three years in Stormont representing Clifton, a seat it is well known that he was due to not just his unionist principles but also the work ’Lyle and Kinahan’ did in Belfast employing all sides of the community. I will always try to emulate this.
My father was Lord Mayor of Belfast in 1963 working tirelessly to improve the lives of all in Belfast. In his time the keeping of pigs and chickens in the back gardens of houses was halted as he strove to improve the health in all houses. He spent the rest of his life working for dozens of charities and businesses especially the Ulster Bank, Gallaghers, Eagle Star and much more. His and my mother’s (Coralie) tireless work has been embedded in me too and I will be happy if I can achieve half as much.
The house I live in, Castle Upton in Templepatrick, was where the Ulster Division camped and trained in 1914 and where a great uncle, Henry Kinahan, trained as one of their officers. (I even have his cane with his silver regimental top).
My father bought the Castle Upton estate in 1963 when he sold Lyle and Kinahan (and when Templepatrick was only one street!), whilst carrying on businesses in banking, Gallaghers and many other fields …
After serving in England and Germany with the Blues and Royals, I was attached to the Black Watch in West Belfast in 1983, and then ran the operations room in the Falklands Headquarters in 1984 (after the war). I worked on a farm in Bluff Cove in my free time (… an eye opener to what farming was like there). When I came back to Northern Ireland I worked in Short Brothers in the PR management and was especially involved during the flags and bunting problem. (My boss from England thought he could just take them all down despite my warnings!)
Whilst working at Short Brothers I had enormous pleasure commanding the North Irish Horse Reconnaissance Squadron for two years, concluding with an extremely large exercise in which the Squadron outflanked the Divisional Headquarters.
Married life, four children, the farm and a love of sport (playing tennis – second division … just!), football (until my body complained, now it’s just the spectator variety), squash, shooting, cricket …. and endless walks with my two dogs … is how I spend my free time.
I joined the Unionist party in 1998, and was rewarded later by being elected into Antrim Borough Council in 2005.
I was delighted to take over the role of MLA for South Antrim when David Burnside stepped down. I was even more honoured recently when the electorate in South Antrim returned me to Stormont in my own right with a significantly increased vote. I want to be, and believe that I am a very accessible MLA. I am here to help and will do whatever I can, whenever I am needed to help anyone in the constituency.
