Raising a toast to John B Keane on his 90th birthday
AS his son, Billy, put it, John B Keane may not have been present physically to celebrate what would have been his 90th birthday but, thanks to organisation by the Seanchaí Kerry Writers’ Museum in Listowel, his spirit was felt throughout three recent days celebrating his life.
The Listowel man, a playwright and novelist of great repute, passed away at the age of 73 in 2002 – but his legacy is sufficiently rich to ensure a place in more than a few hearts and minds.
“It was called ‘Remembering John B Keane at 90,’” Cara Trant of the Seanchaí said. “We’ve had similar events in recent years celebrating Kerry writers past and present, such as Bryan McMahon, George Fitzmaurice, and Brendan Kennelly. Next year, we hope to have something to celebrate Maurice Walsh for what would have been his 140th birthday.”
Festivities began with ‘pub theatre’ performances at John B Keane’s bar, with a show by Corofin Dramatic Society of ‘Big Maggie’ also counting amongst the highlights, packing out St John’s Theatre.
The popularity of the Listowel icon’s work has not faded with time, and columnist Fintan O’Toole was at the Kerry Writers’ Museum to discuss the relevance of Keane’s writing in today’s Ireland, noting his willingness to tackle issues seen as taboo.
Tara estimates that some 2,000 people attended the weekend’s various events, which concluded on July 21, Keane’s birthday.
But, tends to be the way with milestones, a sense of poignancy was keenly felt.
“It was very emotional for me” Billy Keane told The Kerryman. “He loved his birthday. He used to make three days out of it: the day before, the day after, and the day itself. So it was sad in the sense that he wasn’t here to celebrate.
“But even though he wasn’t here physically, his spirit was certainly around the place. It’s nice to see that people came from all over and that his memory lives on.”
As if it could be any other way.