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1/ Thread:
Man on right in 1938 photo below, was my grandfather, Dan Keohane, aka “The Duke”.
Born in 1900, May 1st was his birthday. The beautiful lady on left was my Grandmother, Kathleen Lynch, and man in the front my great-grandfather, also Dan Keohane. My Dad is on left.
Man on right in 1938 photo below, was my grandfather, Dan Keohane, aka “The Duke”.
Born in 1900, May 1st was his birthday. The beautiful lady on left was my Grandmother, Kathleen Lynch, and man in the front my great-grandfather, also Dan Keohane. My Dad is on left.
2/ My great-grandfather was a child of the famine, as in his parents survived it.
He grew up with the politics of the Parnellite Land League and Home Rule movements.
He migrated from Caheragh in West Cork to Durrus in West Cork for the love of his life and had a small farm.
He grew up with the politics of the Parnellite Land League and Home Rule movements.
He migrated from Caheragh in West Cork to Durrus in West Cork for the love of his life and had a small farm.
3/ My farmer grandfather did 3 amazing things:
1) He helped IRA win war of independence in West Cork
2) He believed in ecumenism, laid ground stone for CoI Church in Durrus, his neighbours the Swantons did same for Catholic Church
3) He made sure my Dad got secondary education
1) He helped IRA win war of independence in West Cork
2) He believed in ecumenism, laid ground stone for CoI Church in Durrus, his neighbours the Swantons did same for Catholic Church
3) He made sure my Dad got secondary education
4/
My Grandmother fell in love with my Grandad during the war, but had to emigrate to New York.
She worked as a maid in the Waldorf Astoria. Then Wall Street crashed and she returned.
My Grandad was still waiting for her, he loved no one else, and they married soon after...
My Grandmother fell in love with my Grandad during the war, but had to emigrate to New York.
She worked as a maid in the Waldorf Astoria. Then Wall Street crashed and she returned.
My Grandad was still waiting for her, he loved no one else, and they married soon after...
5/ They both came from different sides of the civil war that followed the war of independence.
My Grandad was very pro-fellow West Corkonian, Michael Collins.
My Grandmother was very anti-treaty. But her brother, Tom Lynch, went on to serve with distinction in @defenceforces
My Grandad was very pro-fellow West Corkonian, Michael Collins.
My Grandmother was very anti-treaty. But her brother, Tom Lynch, went on to serve with distinction in @defenceforces
6/ My Dad was born during the economic war with Britain, in 1936
Those decades were extremely tough for most Irish farmers, but unusually my Grandfather didn’t listen to others, and insisted my Dad and his brother (another Dan) went to secondary school - rather than work on farm
Those decades were extremely tough for most Irish farmers, but unusually my Grandfather didn’t listen to others, and insisted my Dad and his brother (another Dan) went to secondary school - rather than work on farm
7/ Because of that insistence on education, my Dad went on to become a primary school principle (for some 46 years), and competed an MA.
My Uncle emigrated v young, worked in a post office in London, went to Ruskin College, and later became a lecturer in international relations.
My Uncle emigrated v young, worked in a post office in London, went to Ruskin College, and later became a lecturer in international relations.
8/ I never met my grandfather, he passed away before I was born.
Yet we share the same name, and my Dad talked about him so much, especially how much fun he was, that I feel like I know him somehow.
And I’m so glad he insisted Dad get an education. He changed my life too
END
Yet we share the same name, and my Dad talked about him so much, especially how much fun he was, that I feel like I know him somehow.
And I’m so glad he insisted Dad get an education. He changed my life too
END
