It was with great sadness that Carrigtwohill GAA Club learned of the passing of club stalwart, Dave O’Keeffe, affectionately known as ‘Davy’ in these parts.  Carrigtwohill GAA Club extends its deepest condolences to Davy’s family and friends.

Davy grew up in Carrigtwohill and being a goalkeeper was his destiny.  His father and two uncles played on goal for Carrigtwohill; one of those uncles, John O’Keeffe was on the team that won Carrig’s first-ever senior county hurling championship in 1918.

Davy first played hurling with St. Mary’s National School (now Scoil Mhuire Naofa) and was part of the team that won the U14 East Cork Schools Shield versus Midleton.  This was a huge success for underage hurling in Carrigtwohill at the time.  Davy went on to win East Cork Junior A hurling championships with Carrig in 1956, 1962, 1965 and 1966, wearing the No. 1 jersey on each occasion.  He was a mere 16 years of age when he lined out on goal for that first success in 1956.  Davy captained the team in 1966 and they went on to win the county championship final against Valley Rovers, with Davy receiving the cup from newly elected Taoiseach, Jack Lynch.

Dave O’Keeffe was also a very accomplished footballing goalkeeper, playing with Glanmire.  He won divisional and county titles with the club.

It is our great fortune that we had the privilege, as a club, to welcome Davy to the clubhouse on the 23^rd September last year, along with his family, former teammates and friends.  Davy and his family very kindly donated two impressive tournament trophies that were won by Carrigtwohill - with his uncles as captains – to the club.

On that night, Davy O’Keeffe remembered how he was first handed the Carrig jersey by his school teacher, John Bowdren, circa 1951.

“Bowdren said, ‘Your father played on goals, your two uncles played on goals; show me some bit of it rubbed off on you.’  And when John Bowdren told ya you were a goalkeeper, you certainly weren’t going to be a full forward!”

Davy was a renowned public speaker and raconteur, who was involved in Toastmasters for many years.  His jovial and mischievous nature, along with his love and pride for his native Carrigtwohill shone through that night in the clubhouse:

“I played with some of the best players that Carrig ever had.  Seán Twomey was the greatest clubman I ever met.  Twomey said (jokingly), ‘You were never a great goalkeeper but you had your moments!’  I said, ‘Twomey boy, those moments were sweet.’

“1966 was my crowning year as captain.  I am so thrilled when I walk into this place.”

O’Keeffe was extremely impressed with the new clubhouse:

“The last time I saw dressing rooms like that was when I was in Wembley.”

Davy O’Keeffe was a very energetic, positive, witty and good-humoured person.  He channeled these qualities into the local dramatic society in Carrigtwohill, which was the first such society in the country to put on John B. Keane’s play, Sive.

Having relocated to Bishopstown about fifty years ago, Davy never lost his grá for his native Carrig.  That night last year in the clubhouse, he said, showing clear emotion:

“I’m honoured to be in Carrig and to be always thought of as a Carrig man.”

It was Davy’s wish to be buried in Carrigtwohill.  Davy O’Keeffe will be laid to rest today in St. Mary’s cemetery, in the year of the 70th anniversary of his first trophy success with St. Mary’s School, with the Carrig flag drapped over his coffin, wearing his 1966 golden jubilee commemorative tie that he received during the 2016 celebration of that championship success.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.