Robin Kinahan

Member of the Senate of Northern Ireland

September 24, 1916 (age 80)

Upon leaving school he went straight into the family firm with a Vintners" Company scholarship, which took him to Oporto and Bordeaux, this facilitated his knowledge of wine and the French language. During World World War II he joined the Royal Artillery, the 8th (Belfast) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, serving briefly in France before the Dunkirk withdrawal, then in the air defence of Coventry and London before ending up in Burma under General Slim. Following the war he entered politics as councillor for Belfast Oldpark, where in 1948 he defeated Labour activist Billy Blease. In 1956 he was appointed High Sheriff of Belfast. He was an Member of Parliament for only a few months as he could not resist the opportunity to be Lord Mayor of Belfast. In 1961 he earned the knighthood which accompanied the Lord Mayorship at that time. He was Lord Mayor from 1959 to 1961, the youngest person to have done so at that time. In 1969, he was appointed High Sheriff of Antrim. He was almost expelled from the for having attended a Roman Catholic funeral service. He served as chairman of the Ulster Bank (1970-1982) - he made a point of visiting every branch of the bank, vice Lord Lieutenant of Belfast (1976-1985), Lord Lieutenant of Belfast (1985-1991). He died at the age of 80 and was cremated.

Robin Kinahan

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Member of the Senate of Northern Ireland

Background

Born in Belfast to Henry Kinahan and Blanche Grierson Kinahan, daughter of the Bishop of Connor and Bishop of Down and Dromore, Robin Kinahan was educated at Stowe.

Education

In his personal life he deplored bigotry and was almost expelled from the for having attended a Roman Catholic funeral service.

Career

Upon leaving school he went straight into the family firm with a Vintners" Company scholarship, which took him to Oporto and Bordeaux, this facilitated his knowledge of wine and the French language. During World World War II he joined the Royal Artillery, the 8th (Belfast) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, serving briefly in France before the Dunkirk withdrawal, then in the air defence of Coventry and London before ending up in Burma under General Slim. Following the war he entered politics as councillor for Belfast Oldpark, where in 1948 he defeated Labour activist Billy Blease.

In 1956 he was appointed High Sheriff of Belfast.

He was an Member of Parliament for only a few months as he could not resist the opportunity to be Lord Mayor of Belfast. In 1961 he earned the knighthood which accompanied the Lord Mayorship at that time.

He was Lord Mayor from 1959 to 1961, the youngest person to have done so at that time. In 1969, he was appointed High Sheriff of Antrim.

He was almost expelled from the for having attended a Roman Catholic funeral service.

He served as chairman of the Ulster Bank (1970-1982) - he made a point of visiting every branch of the bank, vice Lord Lieutenant of Belfast (1976-1985), Lord Lieutenant of Belfast (1985-1991). He died at the age of 80 and was cremated.

Membership

In his obituary, he was described as one of the last of the "county elite" to remain a high-ranking member of the during the turbulent years of The Troubles, when it became potentially dangerous to belong. He served in the Belfast Corporation for 10 years before becoming a Stormont Member of Parliament for Belfast Clifton, defeating the incumbent independent Unionist Norman Porter.

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Robin Kinahan

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