The Late Sean Keane The death took place in St. Petersburg, Florida, of former Kerins O'Rahilly's, Tralee, Kerry, and New York football star, Sean Keane, late of 22 Strand Street. Sean Keane was the eldest son of John and Madge Keane. He played football with Stand Road during the 40's when the club fortunes were in a valley period Sean upheld the traditions of the blue jersey even when success was in short supply. He was a midfielder whose talents quickly won the admiration of the Kerry selectors. Sean played with the Kerry Junior team when players were on the fringe of the Kerry Senior panel and won Munster Junior medals in 1946 and 1947 at full forward in the company of such distinguished stalwarts as Mick Raymond. Mick Finucane. Eddie Dunne, Tom Spillane, John Cronin, Martin McCarthy and DJ McMahon. He was on the Kerry Senior team panel for the historic 1947 All-lreland Senior foothall final which was played in New York when Cavan beat Kerry. He was also secretary of the Kerins O'Rahillys Club in the 40s. After the 1947 final, Sean stayed working in New York having worked in the Labour Exchange and as a temporary rate collector in Tralee. He returned home briefly but returned to New York in 1950 where he played full forward with the New York team that won the national football league final by beating Cavan in Croke Park in that year. Sean was on one of the Kerry members in Croke Park that afternoon in 1997 when survivors of the Polo Grounds game were honoured guests to mark the 50th anniversary of the game. Sean's brother, the late Leo, was a member of the Kerins O'Rahillys 1953 winning Kerry County Championship team as was his brother-in-law. Johnny Foley who married Sean's sister Mabel and he won a County Championship and All-Ireland Senior medal within eight days in 1953 when Kerry defeated Armagh in the final. Leo sang 'The Boy from Tralee' - a tribute to Charlie Kerins, a member of the O'Rahillys 1939 winning Kerry Championship team - that fired the spirits of the team before they took to the field in the 1953 county final against Shannon Rangers. Paddy Paul Fitzgerald, the club chairman made the request and the blues won the match. Sean joined the US Army and settled in Albany where he met his wife, Sheila O'Leary, a second generation Irish girl. They reared a family of seven boys, Sean Og, Danny, Denis, David, Bernard, Jerry, Matt, and one girl, Kate. In the mid-70s lhe family moved lo St Petersburg in Florida. Two sons, Denis and Sean Og remained in Alhany and joined the police force. Sean never lost his love for his own people and was in constant contact and visited home regularly. I met up with Sean Keane, who was a lovely soft spoken gentleman, full of charm and personality, in 1997 with his brothers Leo and Patrick, who resides in Albany. They were joined in story telling, song and laughter of other years in the company of their old stock friends and footballers, the Higgins's and Dick Savage, Mossie Kelly, Brendan Galvin, Paddy Brophy, Denis O' Sullivan, Sean Walsh and Eoin Liston . When Sean returned to the US he had another reunion, this time on the occasion the rematch of 1947 in the national football league in New York in October. The invitees were the Cavan and Kerry surviving members of 1947 and Sean met up with former Kerry playing mates including Bruddy O'Donnell, Frank O'Keeffe, Dan Kavanagh and Eddie Walsh in what was a nostalgic sporting event. The Keanes are the heartbeat of Kerins O'Rahillys and Kerry football. As long as football is kicked in the Little Road (so aptly called that by Paddy Paul Fitzgerald) the Keane name will figure prominently. He was a man apart who will be sadly missed by his immediate family in the US, his brother Patrick US, sisters, Mabel Foley, Kerins Park. Irene Foley, Knockmoyle, his many relations friends and neighbours in Strand Road and his many loyal friends in Kerry. May his soul sleep in the peace of the risen lord. Courtesy of the Kerry's Eye 3 April 2008 Tweet

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