Peter’s ‘Magnum Opus’
Brian Graham reviewed ‘Gateway to Glory’
‘GATEWAY TO GLORY’ is Peter Keogh’s Magnum Opus, the result of a combination of meticulous research, a prodigious memory of people, places and events and a lifelong love affair with the GAA,’ wrote former Rathcoyle NS Principal Brian Graham this week in 1997 when he reviewed the late Peter Keogh’s book.
‘The book is more than a mere history of Gaelic games in the Kiltegan/Rathdangan areas, it is a cocktail of sporting and social events over a century, sprinkled with anecdotes and spiced with the author’s own mischievous brand of humour.
The lack of educational opportunities for young men of talent in the 1940s meant that the author’s flair for journalism and communication never had an opportunity of reaching full flower.
If he had, he would surely be editing a paper today instead of writing for it. On the other hand, maybe formal training would have blunted the earthy style and grassroots affability that combine to make his articles a must for all spports people in the West Wicklow and Carlow border areas.
The plethora of club histories published for the Centenary Year of 1984 filled a huge void in GAA affairs, namely the need to put on paper for future generations an accurate account of their predecessors’ trials and tribulations, successes and failures in the misty days of yore.
Peter Keogh’s problem in ’84 was that as Chairman of Wicklow County Board his duties were so onerous and so numerous that he could not even contemplate taking up the pen.
With hindsight, this proved to be a blessing in disguise, because with all due respects to [players of earlier decades, Kiltegan’s golden era began with the winning of their first (and only) Senior football championship in 1984 to be soon followed by a Senior hurling treble.
GAA President Jack Boothman rightly pinpointed the back-to-back titles of Senior football in 1986 and Senior hurling in 1987 as an unparalleled achievement.
‘Gateway to Glory’ is a 400page volume in hardback. The title is cleverly illustrated on the jacket by the juxtapositioning of the entrance gate to Kiltegan GAA grounds and the glory of Keadeen Mountain which towers over the club’s catchment area.
The book includes not only football and hurling but generous coverage of camogie, handball, ladies football and other notable sporting achievements of the area.
The Rathdangan Club, which nobly carried the flame until it finally petered out in 1960 and subsequently amalgamated with
Kiltegan is chronicled, as is Ballybrack (1919-45).
The book is liberally illustrated with photographs of individuals, teams and events including a magnificent centrespread of eight full colour pages.
Finally, it contains fifty pages of carefully researched records.
The modest price of the book which retails at £12.50 is due to the generous sponsorship of numerous individuals and business people in the surrounding area.
This book sets a new benchmark for club histories. Its author has already left his mark on Wicklow GAA, as administrator, mentor and scribe.
He has soldiered with Jack Boothman in the murky trenches of West Wicklow GAA.
He has graced the marble halls of Aughrim.
He has watched young proteges develop and mature into county players.
Names like Furlong, Wynne, Keogh, Byrne and Foley swell his heart with pride. But ‘Gateway to Glory’ is the jewel in his crown.