Late Ernie Keenan’s legacy as farmer, politician, community activist and family man remembered

The various aspects of the late Ernie Keenan’s life, farmer, politician, community activist and a great family man were remembered at this Funeral Mass in Boyle earlier today, Wednesday.

In her eulogy Ernie’s daughter Mary remembered her father as a farmer who never stopped thinking about the land and his animals, a politician who understood people, and, above all, a devoted father and grandfather.

“Perhaps that’s how we should remember him today — various caps representing important aspects of one remarkable life,” she said.

Mr Keenan, of Carrickmore, Boyle, died peacefully on Sunday, surrounded by his loving family in the care of Roscommon Hospice. At his funeral Mass in St. Joseph’s Church, Boyle, Mary used the different caps he had worn throughout his life to evoke the many sides of the man his family and community had lost.

She said her father, who served as a Fine Gael councillor for 11 years from 2003 to 2014, had the resilience and intelligence demanded by public life, but that his true gift was his ability to connect with people.

“They say that to survive in politics you need to be clever, you need resilience and perhaps most importantly you need to be an active listener. Ernie certainly ticked all three boxes. But politics is ultimately about people and Ernie was very much a people person, with community activism at his core,” Mary said.

One of her father’s familiar sayings — “you have to have a word for every man” — held a particular meaning for Mary as she reflected on the warmth and respect he showed to everyone he met.

“It is a simple line, but in many ways it says a great deal about Ernie. He understood people, he knew the importance of acknowledging someone, stopping for a chat and having a Céad Míle Fáilte for all he encountered,” she said.

Ernie’s daughter Fiona also paid tribute to her father with a beautifully penned poem, while Mary expressed the family’s gratitude to all who had supported them through the difficult days since his death.

Celebrating Mass of the Resurrection, Fr Jonas Rebamontan CC recalled Ernie’s visits to the church with his wife, Carmel, and the strength they showed following the tragic loss of their son Ernán.

“Ernie’s service reached well beyond public life. He was the vice-president of Boyle GAA, and he was highly regarded in that role,” Fr Rebamontan said.

He said the Keenan Cup, named after Ernán, had become a highly regarded competition and a starting point for many young players from Boyle and North Roscommon. “And so, out of a father’s love and a father’s loss, came a gift to the young people of this community,” he said.

Fr Rebamontan said the condolences left for Mr Keenan reflected the goodness of a life marked by “decency, honour, and quiet generosity of spirit”. “Quiet — that is the word. He was a popular man in Boyle and right across North Roscommon, but he never needed the limelight. His goodness didn’t announce itself. It simply showed up again and again and again in the way he treated people.” 

Predeceased by his son Ernán, Mr Keenan is deeply mourned by his beloved wife, Carmel; sons, John and Karl; daughters, Mary, Elizabeth and Fiona; grandchildren Aisling, Cillian, Katie, Lucy, Ben, Dylan, Rebecca, Lorcan, Tadhg and Róisín; daughters-in-law Ann and Eadaoin; sons-in-law Garrett and Bennie; nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and many friends. Following the Mass of the Resurrection, Ernie was laid to rest in Caldra Cemetery.