Impressive tribute article to Con Keating

THE South Kerry GAA Board produced an impressive programme for the recent South Kerry final in which Con Keating, who was honoured at the game, was highlighted in an article by Padraig Garvey.

An extract reads thus: ‘Con Keating was born on March 13th 1894 in Renard.He went to Knockeens National School and then Cahirsiveen CBS. A talented footballer, he played for the O’Connells team of Cahirsiveen. After leaving the CBS he went to Glasnevin Model Farm Agricultural College for a year. Returning to Renard in 1914, he achieved a first class certificate in Radio Operation from the Atlantic College of Wireless Telegraphy in Cahirsiveen. He subsequently joined the Irish volunteers and was sworn into the IRB.

As the the First World War raged in Europe in 1916, the IRB sought aid from Germany. The German High Command agreed to aid the Rising efforts and on April 9 the Aud left German waters for Fenit, west of Tralee. Disguised as a Norwegian ship with a cargo of timber, she brought 20,000 rifles, machine guns and explosives.

Con, due to his radio skills was inducted into the Rising. Joseph Plunkett, one of the Rising leaders, planned to contact the Aud by radio. On Good Friday, Con and four other men led by Dinny Daly of Cahirsiveen, left Dublin by train for Killarney, where they were collected by two cars to be brought to the Atlantic College in Cahirsiveen for the purpose of collecting the radio equipment. Dinny Daly and Colm Ó Lochlainn travelled in the first car driven by Sammy Windrim. Con, Donal Sheehan and Charlie Monaghan travelled in the second car driven by Tommy McInerney. The cars were to travel far enough apart to see each other’s lights, but lost sight of each other outside Killarney. Con’s car travelled to Killorglin through Beaufort. Misinterpreting directions received in Killorglin, they drove on in the direction of Ballykissane Pier.

On a dark night, with heavy showers and poor headlamps by today’s standards they mistook the pier for a bridge. Breaking hard, the car rested on the edge for a moment, before it toppled in. Tom and Con managed to get out of the car now in the river. It was not an easy swim in the cold water, laden down with guns, ammunition and tools for the job.

Con and Tommy McInerney swam together for a while, but subsequently Tommy heard Con utter the words “Jesus, Mary and Joseph’’ as he slipped underwater.

Tommy McInerney was helped out by a local named Timothy O’Sullivan, who brought him to his house, located near the pier. The bodies of Con Keating and Donal Sheehan were found the next day. Charlie Monaghan’s remains were found six months later.