Kinsale remembers 9/11 with special 25th anniversary event at memorial garden today

A special commemorative event, marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, will take place in Kinsale this evening, at 5.30pm.

The event is aimed at remembering the lives of those who were lost during the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

It will take place at the 9/11 Garden of Remembrance, which was set up by Kinsale woman, Kathleen Cait Murphy, who worked as a nurse for more than 30 years in New York city.

Ms Murphy returned to Kinsale following the attacks, and set up the garden on a parcel of her land in Ringfinnan, planting a tree for each of the 343 firemen who died.

While Ms Murphy has since passed away, the commemorative event continues to take place each year, attended by members of the Kinsale Historical Society, Kinsale Fire Brigade, local residents, public representatives, and members of her family, including her cousin, Virgil Horgan of Hegarty-Horgan Solicitors.

Speaking to The Echo, secretary of the Kinsale Historical Society, Dermot Ryan said the memorial garden in Kinsale was the first memorial set up for the firemen who died during the tragedy worldwide.

“Kathleen was so upset by the whole thing that she came back to Kinsale and planted a tree for each fireman who died,” said Mr Ryan.

“Unfortunately, she died a few years ago, but we still meet every year in the garden on the day, we have a ceremony, people give talks, we say some prayers, and we lay a wreath.

“Each tree that was planted has the name of a fireman attached to it, so family members can find their loved ones and take pictures – it's a very emotive place.

“It’s important for Kinsale too, we are twinned with Newport in Rhode Island, so we have strong American connections here.

“People have come as individuals and in groups from various parts of the states and they’re amazed that a small town like ours has a memorial for 9/11.

“We were actually the first to have a memorial for the firemen, even before it was actually in New York.” The event will be opened by Mr Horgan, followed by a speeches from John Murphy, Independent councillor Alan Coleman, who will deputise for the Mayor of the County of Cork, and Danny Manning from New York.

The wreath will then be laid by members of the Kinsale Fire Brigade, with a blessing from Fr Robert and Rev Griffin.