Dunmore’s pride in Tommy Keenan’s GAA achievements and civic spirit
By Jim Carney
So when his glorious task was done,
It was not of his fame we thought;
It was not of his battles won,
But of the pride with which he fought;
But of his zest, his ringing laugh,
His trenchant scorn of praise or blame:
And so we graved his epitaph,
“He played the game.”
Robert William Service
British-Canadian poet
(1874-1958).
DUNMORE, town and parish, and many hundreds of people from all parts of the county and much farther afield, were united in sadness on Tuesday of last week (April 29) on hearing of the death of Tommy Keenan.
Family man, schoolteacher and footballer (for club and county), Tommy was a man who lived his adult life amongst his own people and with unwavering commitment to helping a large number of local community groups, and good causes. He was regarded in Dunmore as a person who was exemplary in making manifest the volunteer spirit that motivates all communities, and indeed Dunmore is a shining example of that ethos.
Two stars of the great Dunmore John MacHales senior football team of the club's golden era — the team known as the Kings of the Sixties — were brothers John and Tommy Keenan who shared in the county championship victories of 1961, '63, '66, '68 and '69; a sixth SFC title in 1973; four County Senior League titles (1962, '63, '65, '68) and many victories in tournaments around the county and the country.
The Keenan brothers also wore the maroon and white of their county with pride and distinction. John was a brilliant forward and midfielder, one of Galway's greatest ever players and acclaimed at national level as a hero of the All-Ireland three in a row (1964-'65-'66). Tommy was a panel member in 1964 and '65, and after he captained the MacHales to win the Frank Fox trophy (commemorating a Dunmore MacHales and Galway legend of the 1930s who died a young man), Tommy was honoured with the captaincy of the Galway senior team for the 1970 season. They defeated Sligo in the Connacht championship semi-final, 1-8 to 0-7, played at Fr O'Hara Park, Charlestown on June 28, and won the final against Roscommon at Pearse Stadium, Salthill, 2-15 to 1-8, on July 12.
The All-Ireland semi-final against Leinster champions Meath was played at Croke Park on August 9. It was a very special day for Tommy Keenan; he was a proud man leading the Galway team in the pre-match parade, a team that included his brother.....
Read the full tribute in this week's edition of The Tuam Herald, on sale in shops or buy our digital edition here