December 2003 Kinsale New:

Councillor Kevin Murphy has been elected Chairman of Kinsale Harbour Board for the coming year, a position he previously held from 1994 to 1995. Taking over the Chair from Mr. John Twomey, Cllr. Murphy confirmed that his priorities during his time will be to develop Adams Quay as a fish landing quay with an ice plant, while incorporating a permanent home for the newly-arrives RNLI Lifeboat.

A second priority is the establishment of the proposed Marine Park located between the Lobster Quay and the New Bridge, originally the brainchild of Commissioner Eamonn O'Neill. The proposal is designed to help address a number of the objectives and conclusions identified in the RPS Cairns report for the integrated 'Development Plan for Kinsale Harbour' which was published in February 1999. The plan is to reclaim the exposed mud flat area for use as a multi functional location accommodating tourist, recreational and infra-structural facilities. These would include an attractive riverside pedestrian walkway, a cycle path, seating, picnic and fishing areas, a boathouse for the Kinsale Rowing Club, a fisherman's courtyard and car and coach parking facilities among others.

This proposed Marine Park would be developed between the Kinsale Harbour Board, Kinsale Town Council and Cork County Council. It is hoped that a final agreement between the various boards will be formulated shortly and then a planning application can be lodged.

Councillor Kevin Murphy is a member of Cork County Council and is Chairman of the Bandon/Macroom Area Committee, which looks after the provision of lighting, roads and other services in the Kinsale area.
A long-standing member of Fine Gael, he was unanimously nominated to stand for the next local elections to be held in June 2004, at a recent convention in the Munster Arms Hotel in Bandon. His Fine Gael colleague, Ms. Veronica Neville from Bandon, will also contest the elections, hoping to win back a second seat for Fine Gael.