John Brendan Keane (21 July 1928 â€" 30 May 2002) was an Irish
playwright, novelist and essayist from Listowel, County Kerry.A son of
a national school teacher, William B. Keane, and his wife Hannah (née
Purtill), Keane was educated at Listowel National School and then at
St Michael's College, Listowel. He worked as a chemist's assistant for
A.H. Jones who dabbled in buying antiques. Keane had various jobs in
the UK between 1951 and 1955 working as a street cleaner, and a bar
man, living in a variety of places including Northampton and
London.[1] It was while he was in Northampton that Keane was first
published in an unnamed women's magazine for which he received
£15.[2]After returning from the United Kingdom, he was a pub owner in
Listowel from 1955.He married Mary O'Connor at Knocknagoshel Church on
5 January 1955[3] and had four children: Billy, Conor, John and
Joanna. He was an Honorary Life Member of the Royal Dublin Society
from 1991, served as president of Irish PEN and was a founder member
of the Society of Irish Playwrights as well as a member of Aosdána.
Keane was named the patron of the Listowel Players after the Listowel
Drama Group fractured.[4] He remained a prominent member of the Fine
Gael party throughout his life, never being shy of political debate.
playwright, novelist and essayist from Listowel, County Kerry.A son of
a national school teacher, William B. Keane, and his wife Hannah (née
Purtill), Keane was educated at Listowel National School and then at
St Michael's College, Listowel. He worked as a chemist's assistant for
A.H. Jones who dabbled in buying antiques. Keane had various jobs in
the UK between 1951 and 1955 working as a street cleaner, and a bar
man, living in a variety of places including Northampton and
London.[1] It was while he was in Northampton that Keane was first
published in an unnamed women's magazine for which he received
£15.[2]After returning from the United Kingdom, he was a pub owner in
Listowel from 1955.He married Mary O'Connor at Knocknagoshel Church on
5 January 1955[3] and had four children: Billy, Conor, John and
Joanna. He was an Honorary Life Member of the Royal Dublin Society
from 1991, served as president of Irish PEN and was a founder member
of the Society of Irish Playwrights as well as a member of Aosdána.
Keane was named the patron of the Listowel Players after the Listowel
Drama Group fractured.[4] He remained a prominent member of the Fine
Gael party throughout his life, never being shy of political debate.
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