Late Kevin Keegan’s County Roscommon family link established
The late Kevin Keegan's great grandfather hailed from County Roscommon. Picture: Andrew Yates/AFP via Getty Images)
The late Kevin Keegan’s great-grandfather hailed from County Roscommon, it has emerged.
Tributes have poured in for the former legendary Liverpool player and Newcastle manager since his passing earlier this week.
However, the can reveal — thanks to help from Éire Guide, a social media platform dedicated to the Republic of Ireland football team — that Keegan’s great-grandfather came from County Roscommon.
Joseph Shanley was born in County Roscommon in approximately 1848 before emigrating to the UK.
His daughter Ellen Shanley was born in Durham, England, and married Frank Keegan — a local mine inspector who was hailed as one of the heroes who helped save 26 lives when 168 men perished in the West Stanley pit disaster of 1909.
Joseph Keegan — Kevin Keegan’s father — was one of six siblings born to Frank Keegan and Ellen Shanley.
Kevin Keegan (75), who was a double Ballon d’Or winner, scored 21 goals in 63 England appearances and played at the 1982 World Cup finals.
He had been battling cancer when he passed away on Monday.
