Jim McKeever
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" McKeever is an Irish
former Gaelic football
er. He played for Derry
in the late 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s and played club football for St. Trea's GFC Ballymaguigan
and Seán O'Leary's GAC Newbridge
. He was captain
of the Derry side that finished runners-up to Dublin
in the 1958 All-Ireland Championship.
legend Mick O'Connell as the best catcher he ever player against. Other skills in his repertoire include his surging runs forwards from midfield, shooting accuracy and free taking ability. McKeever was named in the Football Team of the Century comprising players who never won an All-Ireland. He played an "inspirational role" in helping put Derry on the GAA map.
After retiring from playing, he served as manager
of a number of teams. In 2009 he was named in the Sunday Tribune
's list of the 125 Most Influential People In GAA History. Former Tyrone
manager Art McRory
said of McKeever "That man has done more to promote the GAA than any other person I know."
townland
of Ballymaguigan
on the western shores of Lough Neagh
. He went to the local St. Trea's primary school where he helped develop his football skills, before boarding at St. Malachy's College, Belfast. The first inter-county football game he attended was Derry versus Leitrim
in a 1938 National League
playoff game with his father, and the quarter-final defeat to Roscommon
a week later. He looked up to players who played for local team Newbridge at the time (the Ballymaguigan team hadn't been formed yet), such as Barney Murphy and John McGrogan. McKeever said "To me they were heroes at that stage". He also admired Mick Higgins of Cavan
.
After finishing school at St. Malachy's, he continued his studies at St Mary's Training College
in Belfast. He completed his studies at Loughborough College in England
. After returning to Ireland, he taught P.E.
and other subjects in Downpatrick
, County Down
. In 1957 he returned to St. Mary's in Belfast, this time as a lecturer
- and would spent the rest of his working life at the college until his retirement in 1992. He is now retired and lives in Magherafelt
with his wife Theresa, whom he married in 1958. They have three daughters, Ann, Maeve and Deirdre, and two sons, Éamonn and Jim.
Ironically, McKeever's first inter-county football came as a member of the Antrim
Minor team in 1947. He recalls "Organised minor football was only really getting started in Derry at the time and the first experience I had of playing intercounty football was with the Antrim minors". The following year he lined out for Derry minors, losing to eventual All-Ireland Minor Champions
at the Ulster
semi-final stage. Some of that Derry Minor side would graduate to the Senior team and would be an integral part of the big upwards strides Derry would make in the 1950s.
As a 17 year old, he made his Derry Senior debut in a challenge match in 1948, and was a first-team regular by the following year. He played at half forward in the early part of his Derry career, later changing to midfield. In 1950 he flew back from England to play a significant role in Derry's Dr Lagan Cup
success. That year Derry were also victorious in the Ulster Junior Championship
. They beat Limerick
in the All-Ireland Junior Championship
semi-final, a game in which he marked Kerry legend Eoin Liston
's father, a fact McKeever didn't find out until 50 years later. Derry met Mayo
in the Final, but lost a close game by two points on a scoreline of 4-03 to 2-07.
1955 proved to be a turning point for Derry as they reached their first Ulster Senior Championship
final in 34 years. They were beaten by Cavan
by three points, and reached the decider again two years later, only to be beaten by two points to Tyrone
. Before the 1958 Championship, Derry played in the inaugural Wembley Tournament (an exhibition competition to allow Irish emigrants in England a chance to see Gaelic football) in Wembley Stadium in London
, England. They beat reigning Ulster Champions Tyrone in a play-off to decide who would go to the tournament, but were defeated by Galway
in the tournament itself. In 1958, McKeever captained
Derry to the county's first ever Ulster Senior Championship success, beating Down
in the final by four points (1-11 to 2-04). He said in a 1993 book that the team had been together for three or four years and "when you get to a final for the third time it is time to win it". On 24 August, Derry caused one of the biggest shocks in the history of Gaelic football when the first-time Ulster Champions beat Kerry
in the All-Ireland semi-final 2-06 to 2-05. They met Dublin
in the All-Ireland final
and despite McKeever being "by far and away the outstanding player on view", Derry were defeated. It has been claimed a serious of poor refereeing decisions in that game cost Derry greatly, but McKeever himself refuses to make any excuses saying in a 2002 interview, "It was an exceptionally good Dublin team". For his performances in the 1958 Championship, he was awarded with the inaugural Texaco Footballer of the Year
award. Along with Meath's Colm O'Rourke
in 1991, he is the only player who has won the award, despite not being part of that year's All-Ireland winning team. His brother Dennis also played for Derry and was alongside Jim in the 1958 team.
The 1950s was a decade of very high standards of football and was a very difficult era to win an All-Ireland, with the likes of Mayo, Galway
, Kerry, Louth
, Cavan, Meath
and Dublin having very strong teams at the time. Unfortunately for Derry, they never quite managed to keep that team together, and failed to win another Ulster title during McKeever's (who was 27 at the time of the final) career. They did however reach the National League
final in both 1958/59 and 1960/61, but they lost out to Kerry on both occasions, partly due to key forward Sean O'Connell
being suspended for both deciders.
minor team and despite Ballymaguigan having recently been set up he decided to stay with the Newbridge club for the time being. He won the first two of his three Derry Senior Football Championship medals with the club in 1948 and 1950. While at college in England he lined out for the Leicester Young Ireland's club and during his time in Downpatrick (1953–1956), he played for the Downpatrick club.
From 1957 onwards he played for his native Ballymaguigan
. Winning the South Derry Championship in 1957 (where McKeever excelled in the final), Ballymaguigan qualified for the Derry Championship final (the Derry Championship was not open-draw until 1958, up to then separate South Derry, North Derry and Derry City Championships were played with the three winners then battling it out for the [All-]Derry Senior Football Championship). They were beaten by Ballerin
in the Derry decider, also finishing Derry Championship runners-up to Bellaghy in 1958 and 1961. The 1961 final did not place, Ballymaguigan had asked the County Board to delay the match, as some players were unavailable, the County Board refused and awarded the title to Bellaghy. In 1958, the club however did win the Seán Larkin Cup, which had replaced the South Derry Championship - and retained it the following year. Despite losing the disappointment of losing three Championship final in a few years, the club won their only Derry Senior Championship to date in 1962 against Castledawson
, with McKeever being an important part of the team. His brothers Dennis, Eddie and Frank also won county medals with the club that year, while another brother, Seán, also played for The 'Quiggan at a time. Ballymaguigan also won the Derry Senior League in 1962, giving the club a famous double. They went that year's league undefeated. Ballymaguigan's fortunes took a downturn as the 1960s progressed and were a Junior club by the end of the decade. Despite being 39/40?, in 1970 McKeever (who converted seven frees in the last 20 minutes) put in a man of the match display as Ballymaguigan won the South Derry Junior Championship, defeating Greenlough
in the final. They went onto win the [All-]Derry Junior Championship
, beating Drum
in the semi-final and Seán Dolans
in the final.
of the 1950s - playing for Ulster on 11 consecutive years. He won two Railway Cups with the province - starring at midfield on the 1956 team that beat Munster
in the final, and at centre half forward on the 1960 victorious side, also against Munster.
in 1971, being picked to represent your country was the equivalent. When 19, he was a sub on the team and went onto be selected for five of the next six years (with the competition not held the other year).
finals in 1948 and 1949, but they lost out on both occasions to St. Patrick's, Cavan
and St. Colman's
, Newry
respectively. While there, he made the Ulster intercolleges team for two seasons, saying "I was on the team for two years and making that side really lifted my aspirations a lot. The intercolleges competition was a very big one at the time and I felt privileged to be there."
While at St. Mary's Training College, he played with them in the Antrim leagues.
triumph in 1989, and is credited with greatly improving the standard of football at the college during his time there. That Sigerson success was viewed as a major surprise, the club having only entered the competition from 1988. The college also won five Ryan Cups during his time there (1970, 1971, 1978, 1981 and 1983). His coaching at St. Mary's influenced other coaches and players such as Art McRory
, Mickey Harte
, Peter Canavan
and Peter McGinnity. He is the only man ever to whole the roles of captain, Chairman, President and manager of St. Mary's and was elected Life President in 1999. As manager he led Ulster to Railway Cups in 1970 and 1987. He also trained the Derry Under 21 hurlers
to victory in the 1993 Ulster Under-21 Hurling Championship
.
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
former Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
er. He played for Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
in the late 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s and played club football for St. Trea's GFC Ballymaguigan
Ballymaguigan GAC
St. Trea's Ballymaguigan GFC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballymaguigan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They play in the Derry league and championships. They currently cater for both Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football....
and Seán O'Leary's GAC Newbridge
Newbridge GAC
Seán O'Leary's GAC Newbridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Newbridge, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Camogie. They have won the Derry Senior Football Championship on ten occasions...
. He was captain
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
of the Derry side that finished runners-up to Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
in the 1958 All-Ireland Championship.
Career
McKeever was a very versatile player, evidenced by the fact he plays in all positions with the exception of goalkeeper and wing half back during his Derry career. He started out his inter-county career as a half-forward, but is chiefly remembered as a midfielder for both club and county and has been frequently described as "one of the greatest midfielders of all time". He was renowned for his high-fielding ability - described by KerryKerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
legend Mick O'Connell as the best catcher he ever player against. Other skills in his repertoire include his surging runs forwards from midfield, shooting accuracy and free taking ability. McKeever was named in the Football Team of the Century comprising players who never won an All-Ireland. He played an "inspirational role" in helping put Derry on the GAA map.
After retiring from playing, he served as manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
of a number of teams. In 2009 he was named in the Sunday Tribune
Sunday Tribune
The Sunday Tribune was an Irish Sunday broadsheet newspaper published by Tribune Newspapers plc. It was edited in its final years by Nóirín Hegarty, who changed both the tone and the physical format of the newspaper from broadsheet to tabloid. Former editors include Conor Brady, Vincent Browne,...
's list of the 125 Most Influential People In GAA History. Former Tyrone
Tyrone GAA
The Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....
manager Art McRory
Art McRory
Art McRory is a former Tyrone Gaelic football Manager. The Dungannon man was manager on and off for nearly twenty five years, leading Tyrone to their first two periods of relative success - the All-Ireland Finals of 1986 and 1995...
said of McKeever "That man has done more to promote the GAA than any other person I know."
Background and personal life
McKeever was born in 1931 into a GAA interested home, in the small County LondonderryCounty Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
townland
Townland
A townland or bally is a small geographical division of land used in Ireland. The townland system is of Gaelic origin—most townlands are believed to pre-date the Norman invasion and most have names derived from the Irish language...
of Ballymaguigan
Ballymaguigan
Ballymaguigan is a hamlet and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is near the northwest shore of Lough Neagh and close to Magherafelt. The hamlet forms one part of a parish named Ardtrea North. Ballymaguigan is part of the local Magherafelt District Council.-Lough Neagh:Lough...
on the western shores of Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh, sometimes Loch Neagh, is a large freshwater lake in Northern Ireland. Its name comes .-Geography:With an area of , it is the largest lake in the British Isles and ranks among the forty largest lakes of Europe. Located twenty miles to the west of Belfast, it is approximately twenty...
. He went to the local St. Trea's primary school where he helped develop his football skills, before boarding at St. Malachy's College, Belfast. The first inter-county football game he attended was Derry versus Leitrim
Leitrim GAA
The Leitrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Leitrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Leitrim. The county board is also responsible for the Leitrim inter-county teams.-Gaelic football:In the 1924 Connacht...
in a 1938 National League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
playoff game with his father, and the quarter-final defeat to Roscommon
Roscommon GAA
For more details of Roscommon GAA see Roscommon Senior Club Football Championship or Roscommon Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Roscommon County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Roscommon GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games...
a week later. He looked up to players who played for local team Newbridge at the time (the Ballymaguigan team hadn't been formed yet), such as Barney Murphy and John McGrogan. McKeever said "To me they were heroes at that stage". He also admired Mick Higgins of Cavan
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Cavan...
.
After finishing school at St. Malachy's, he continued his studies at St Mary's Training College
St. Mary's University College (Belfast)
St Mary's University College was established in 1985, but can directly trace its existence to 1900 and the foundation of St Mary's Training College, which focused mainly on the training of women as teachers...
in Belfast. He completed his studies at Loughborough College in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. After returning to Ireland, he taught P.E.
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
and other subjects in Downpatrick
Downpatrick
Downpatrick is a medium-sized town about 33 km south of Belfast in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is the county town of Down with a rich history and strong connection to Saint Patrick. It had a population of 10,316 at the 2001 Census...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
. In 1957 he returned to St. Mary's in Belfast, this time as a lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
- and would spent the rest of his working life at the college until his retirement in 1992. He is now retired and lives in Magherafelt
Magherafelt
Magherafelt is a small town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 8,372 people recorded in the 2001 Census. It is the biggest town in the south of County Londonderry and is the social, economic and political hub of the area...
with his wife Theresa, whom he married in 1958. They have three daughters, Ann, Maeve and Deirdre, and two sons, Éamonn and Jim.
Inter-county
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
Minor team in 1947. He recalls "Organised minor football was only really getting started in Derry at the time and the first experience I had of playing intercounty football was with the Antrim minors". The following year he lined out for Derry minors, losing to eventual All-Ireland Minor Champions
All-Ireland Minor Football Championship
The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
at the Ulster
Ulster Minor Football Championship
The Ulster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Ulster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ulster Council. The trophy for the winning side is The Liam Murray Cup. The competition began in 1930, with...
semi-final stage. Some of that Derry Minor side would graduate to the Senior team and would be an integral part of the big upwards strides Derry would make in the 1950s.
As a 17 year old, he made his Derry Senior debut in a challenge match in 1948, and was a first-team regular by the following year. He played at half forward in the early part of his Derry career, later changing to midfield. In 1950 he flew back from England to play a significant role in Derry's Dr Lagan Cup
Dr Lagan Cup
The Dr Lagan Cup was inter-county Gaelic football competition in the province of Ulster. The competition was discontinued in 1967 when Donegal won the competition. The Lagan Cup was the trophy for a Senior Football League limited to five Ulster counties at a time unlike the Dr McKenna Cup which was...
success. That year Derry were also victorious in the Ulster Junior Championship
Ulster Junior Football Championship
The Ulster Junior Football Championship is a junior Gaelic football knockout competition organised by the Ulster GAA. The competition began in 1914, with Cavan winning during the inaugural title. The most successful county to date is Cavan, who have won on fourteen occasions. The championship has...
. They beat Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
in the All-Ireland Junior Championship
All-Ireland Junior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Junior Football Championship is a Gaelic Athletic Association competition for junior gaelic football inter-county teams in Ireland. The definition of what constitutes a junior player differs from county to county. In some, the junior team is the second team after the senior team...
semi-final, a game in which he marked Kerry legend Eoin Liston
Eoin Liston
Eoin 'Bomber' Liston is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Beale, his divisional side Shannon Rangers and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1978 until 1993...
's father, a fact McKeever didn't find out until 50 years later. Derry met Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
in the Final, but lost a close game by two points on a scoreline of 4-03 to 2-07.
1955 proved to be a turning point for Derry as they reached their first Ulster Senior Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
For information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
final in 34 years. They were beaten by Cavan
Cavan GAA
The Cavan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Cavan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Cavan...
by three points, and reached the decider again two years later, only to be beaten by two points to Tyrone
Tyrone GAA
The Tyrone County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Tyrone GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Tyrone. The county board is also responsible for the Tyrone inter-county teams....
. Before the 1958 Championship, Derry played in the inaugural Wembley Tournament (an exhibition competition to allow Irish emigrants in England a chance to see Gaelic football) in Wembley Stadium in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England. They beat reigning Ulster Champions Tyrone in a play-off to decide who would go to the tournament, but were defeated by Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
in the tournament itself. In 1958, McKeever captained
Captain (sports)
In team sports, a captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field...
Derry to the county's first ever Ulster Senior Championship success, beating Down
Down GAA
The Down County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Down GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Down...
in the final by four points (1-11 to 2-04). He said in a 1993 book that the team had been together for three or four years and "when you get to a final for the third time it is time to win it". On 24 August, Derry caused one of the biggest shocks in the history of Gaelic football when the first-time Ulster Champions beat Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
in the All-Ireland semi-final 2-06 to 2-05. They met Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
in the All-Ireland final
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
and despite McKeever being "by far and away the outstanding player on view", Derry were defeated. It has been claimed a serious of poor refereeing decisions in that game cost Derry greatly, but McKeever himself refuses to make any excuses saying in a 2002 interview, "It was an exceptionally good Dublin team". For his performances in the 1958 Championship, he was awarded with the inaugural Texaco Footballer of the Year
Texaco Footballer of the Year
The Texaco Footballer of the Year is a Gaelic football award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a footballer of outstanding excellence...
award. Along with Meath's Colm O'Rourke
Colm O'Rourke
Colm O'Rourke is a retired inter-county Irish Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland, a columnist with the Sunday Independent and a panellist on The Sunday Game on RTÉ Television....
in 1991, he is the only player who has won the award, despite not being part of that year's All-Ireland winning team. His brother Dennis also played for Derry and was alongside Jim in the 1958 team.
The 1950s was a decade of very high standards of football and was a very difficult era to win an All-Ireland, with the likes of Mayo, Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
, Kerry, Louth
Louth GAA
The Louth County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Louth GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Louth. The county board is also responsible for the Louth inter-county teams....
, Cavan, Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
and Dublin having very strong teams at the time. Unfortunately for Derry, they never quite managed to keep that team together, and failed to win another Ulster title during McKeever's (who was 27 at the time of the final) career. They did however reach the National League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
final in both 1958/59 and 1960/61, but they lost out to Kerry on both occasions, partly due to key forward Sean O'Connell
Sean O'Connell
Sean O'Connell was an Irish Gaelic footballer and manager. He played for Derry in the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and was on the Derry side that finished runners-up to Dublin in the 1958 All-Ireland Championship - winning an Ulster Championship with the county that year, and three more in 1970,...
being suspended for both deciders.
Club
In the late 1940s he was asked to play an important game for the NewbridgeNewbridge GAC
Seán O'Leary's GAC Newbridge is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Newbridge, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Camogie. They have won the Derry Senior Football Championship on ten occasions...
minor team and despite Ballymaguigan having recently been set up he decided to stay with the Newbridge club for the time being. He won the first two of his three Derry Senior Football Championship medals with the club in 1948 and 1950. While at college in England he lined out for the Leicester Young Ireland's club and during his time in Downpatrick (1953–1956), he played for the Downpatrick club.
From 1957 onwards he played for his native Ballymaguigan
Ballymaguigan GAC
St. Trea's Ballymaguigan GFC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballymaguigan, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They play in the Derry league and championships. They currently cater for both Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football....
. Winning the South Derry Championship in 1957 (where McKeever excelled in the final), Ballymaguigan qualified for the Derry Championship final (the Derry Championship was not open-draw until 1958, up to then separate South Derry, North Derry and Derry City Championships were played with the three winners then battling it out for the [All-]Derry Senior Football Championship). They were beaten by Ballerin
Ballerin GAC
Ballerin Sarfields GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Ballerin, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They are a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football, Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie...
in the Derry decider, also finishing Derry Championship runners-up to Bellaghy in 1958 and 1961. The 1961 final did not place, Ballymaguigan had asked the County Board to delay the match, as some players were unavailable, the County Board refused and awarded the title to Bellaghy. In 1958, the club however did win the Seán Larkin Cup, which had replaced the South Derry Championship - and retained it the following year. Despite losing the disappointment of losing three Championship final in a few years, the club won their only Derry Senior Championship to date in 1962 against Castledawson
Castledawson GAC
St. Malachy's GAC Castledawson is a Gaelic Athletic Club from Castledawson, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for both Gaelic football and Camogie....
, with McKeever being an important part of the team. His brothers Dennis, Eddie and Frank also won county medals with the club that year, while another brother, Seán, also played for The 'Quiggan at a time. Ballymaguigan also won the Derry Senior League in 1962, giving the club a famous double. They went that year's league undefeated. Ballymaguigan's fortunes took a downturn as the 1960s progressed and were a Junior club by the end of the decade. Despite being 39/40?, in 1970 McKeever (who converted seven frees in the last 20 minutes) put in a man of the match display as Ballymaguigan won the South Derry Junior Championship, defeating Greenlough
Greenlough GAC
St. Oliver Plunkett's GAC Greenlough is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Clady/Greenlough, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Camogie, and also compete in Scór. The club is named after Irish martyr...
in the final. They went onto win the [All-]Derry Junior Championship
Derry Junior Football Championship
The Derry Junior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition between the Junior Derry clubs...
, beating Drum
Drum GAC
St. Colm's GAC Drum is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Drum, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Camogie and up to recently also played Hurling....
in the semi-final and Seán Dolans
Seán Dolans GAC
Seán Dolans GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Derry, Northern Ireland. The club is a member of the Derry GAA and currently cater for Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football....
in the final.
Province
McKeever was a regular of the great Ulster teamUlster GAA
The Ulster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, and handball in the province of Ulster. The headquarters of the Ulster GAA is based in Armagh City....
of the 1950s - playing for Ulster on 11 consecutive years. He won two Railway Cups with the province - starring at midfield on the 1956 team that beat Munster
Munster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
in the final, and at centre half forward on the 1960 victorious side, also against Munster.
International
McKeever represented Ireland against the Combined Universities team regularly during his career. Before the commencement of the GAA All Stars awardsGAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
in 1971, being picked to represent your country was the equivalent. When 19, he was a sub on the team and went onto be selected for five of the next six years (with the competition not held the other year).
School / college
Underage football wasn't very well organised when McKeever was young and it was at St. Malachy's College in Belfast that his career started to flourish. He captained the school to two consecutive MacRory CupMacRory Cup
The MacRory Cup is an inter-college Gaelic football tournament in Ulster. It is staged every year with the stipulation that players must be under eighteen-and-a-half at the start of the tournament...
finals in 1948 and 1949, but they lost out on both occasions to St. Patrick's, Cavan
Cavan
Cavan is the county town of County Cavan in the Republic of Ireland. The town lies in the north central part of Ireland, near the border with Northern Ireland...
and St. Colman's
St Colman's College, Newry
St Colman's College is a Roman Catholic school in Newry, Northern Ireland. Now named in honour of St. Colman, it was founded in 1823 as the Dromore Diocesan Seminary by a Father J.S. Keenan. The College stands on Violet Hill, the same 60 acre site it has occupied since 1829, adjacent to the...
, Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
respectively. While there, he made the Ulster intercolleges team for two seasons, saying "I was on the team for two years and making that side really lifted my aspirations a lot. The intercolleges competition was a very big one at the time and I felt privileged to be there."
While at St. Mary's Training College, he played with them in the Antrim leagues.
Management
After retiring from football, he had a long coaching career. McKeever was manager of the Derry senior team on three separate occasions. In 1964 along with Joe Lennon and Jim McDonnell, McKeever ran the first-ever residential GAA coaching course in Gormanston. He managed St. Mary's for 35 years (i.e. his whole teaching career there from 1957 onwards) and along with Peter Finn, he guided the college to their only Sigerson CupSigerson Cup
The Sigerson Cup is the top division of Higher Education Gaelic football in Ireland, It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
triumph in 1989, and is credited with greatly improving the standard of football at the college during his time there. That Sigerson success was viewed as a major surprise, the club having only entered the competition from 1988. The college also won five Ryan Cups during his time there (1970, 1971, 1978, 1981 and 1983). His coaching at St. Mary's influenced other coaches and players such as Art McRory
Art McRory
Art McRory is a former Tyrone Gaelic football Manager. The Dungannon man was manager on and off for nearly twenty five years, leading Tyrone to their first two periods of relative success - the All-Ireland Finals of 1986 and 1995...
, Mickey Harte
Mickey Harte
Michael "Mickey" Harte is the current manager of Tyrone Gaelic football team. He has led the team to three All-Ireland titles, three Ulster titles, one National League, and four Dr...
, Peter Canavan
Peter Canavan
Peter Canavan is manager of Fermanagh and an Irish former Gaelic football player for Tyrone, and is one of the most decorated players in the game's history, winning two All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, six GAA All Stars Awards , four provincial titles, and two National Leagues and...
and Peter McGinnity. He is the only man ever to whole the roles of captain, Chairman, President and manager of St. Mary's and was elected Life President in 1999. As manager he led Ulster to Railway Cups in 1970 and 1987. He also trained the Derry Under 21 hurlers
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
to victory in the 1993 Ulster Under-21 Hurling Championship
Ulster Under-21 Hurling Championship
For the Senior equivalent see: Ulster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Ulster U-21 Hurling Championship or for sponsorship reasons the Erin Ulster Under-21 Hurling Championship is an Under 21 hurling tournament between counties affiliated to Ulster. The winners of the Ulster championship go on to...
.
Other
He was elected Chairman of the Derry County Board in December 1997 and was in the position when Derry won the 1998 Ulster Championship. He has also been a Central Council delegate. McKeever won the Services to GAA award at the 1993 Ulster GAA Writer's Association AwardsCounty
- All-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
:- Runner up: 1958
- National Football LeagueNational Football League (Ireland)The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
:- Runner up: 1958-1959, 1960–1961
- Ulster Senior Football ChampionshipUlster Senior Football ChampionshipFor information on this years competition, see Ulster Senior Football Championship 2011-2010 Draw:-2009 Draw:-2008 Draw:-Top winners:* All-Ireland winning years in bold.-Roll of honour:Notes:* 1907 No final result in records...
:- Winner (1): 1958
- Runner up: 1955, 1957
- Dr Lagan CupDr Lagan CupThe Dr Lagan Cup was inter-county Gaelic football competition in the province of Ulster. The competition was discontinued in 1967 when Donegal won the competition. The Lagan Cup was the trophy for a Senior Football League limited to five Ulster counties at a time unlike the Dr McKenna Cup which was...
:- Winner (4): 1950, 1953, 1959, 1961
- All-Ireland Junior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Junior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Junior Football Championship is a Gaelic Athletic Association competition for junior gaelic football inter-county teams in Ireland. The definition of what constitutes a junior player differs from county to county. In some, the junior team is the second team after the senior team...
:- Runner up: 1950
- Ulster Junior Football ChampionshipUlster Junior Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Junior Football Championship is a junior Gaelic football knockout competition organised by the Ulster GAA. The competition began in 1914, with Cavan winning during the inaugural title. The most successful county to date is Cavan, who have won on fourteen occasions. The championship has...
:- Winner (1): 1950
Club
- Derry Senior Football Championship - Winner (3): 1948, 1950, 1962
- Derry Junior Football ChampionshipDerry Junior Football ChampionshipThe Derry Junior Football Championship is an annual Gaelic Athletic Association club competition between the Junior Derry clubs...
- Winner (1): 1970 - Underage awards
Individual
- Texaco Footballer of the YearTexaco Footballer of the YearThe Texaco Footballer of the Year is a Gaelic football award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a footballer of outstanding excellence...
: 1958 - Captain Derry All-Ireland runners up side: 1958
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.