Gareth Keogh

Originally published: Town Tattler Vol 4 Issue 4

Playing memories

All of my playing days were up in Fr Brown Avenue. They were great memories. Cycling to and from training. Back then we probably didn’t start GAA until we were 9/10, can’t remember really but it certainly wasn’t 5 years of age. We might have a school’s match or training at lunchtime and then club training or a match that evening. There was no such thing as player burnout back in the day.

Imagine telling Mick Scully or John Duggan RIP you couldn’t train at lunchtime as you had training that evening. I was lucky enough to be involved in great teams at U12/14/16. We won championships at all grades on the way up. I have very fond memories of our lead coaches, in football Joe Daly, John Mulligan and Ollie Hughes while in hurling we had Ollie Byrne, Joe Phelan, Sean Mullins RIP and John Costello.

My greatest memories of playing would have to be the two occasions I got to play in Croke Park. In 1996 we won a Leinster schools hurling title and I managed to score 2-1 into the Hill. I got injured later in the game and got carried off the field to the chants from 80,000 supporters, well maybe 800 but never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

In 98 we won the All-Ireland B Hurling title. That was a special group of players with two special coaches in Mick Scully and Willie Dillon. To cap it off with the final in Croke Park was superb. I didn’t start that day and I remember going to Mick after it and saying thanks for giving me a game. He told me it was between me and Aidan Fennelly but he reckoned Aidan would get many more chances to play in Croker while for me, well he was spot on about that.

Supporter memories

Jeez, where do I start on this one. Grandad Tommy was one of the greats. Although Dad heavily influenced me on the GAA scene I don’t think I missed a match from as early as I can remember because of Grandad and his side kick Jim O Loughlin lord rest them both. I travelled the length and breadth of the county to matches with them. Two lads on sticks and a young lad no more than 6/7/8 at the time. I did inherit their loudness from the line although I think I have mellowed with age. Jim nearly got us killed on occasions.

I attended but don’t remember 1982/3. But one thing for sure if there was a Portlaoise or Laois match I was at it. Richie Coss maintains that I’m in every significant photo since 1980. 2005 was a special year following the footballers. That is one that we left behind. There have been plenty of highs and lows following the club since the early 80s but at least I can say I was there.

Family connections

If you want to know ask a Keogh is regularly relayed to me. No idea what it means. Sonny is my Dad as you all probably know. As previously mentioned Grandad Tommy was a major influence on us with the GAA having served as Chairman, secretary.

Then you have Patti and Ann. Patti is another staunch supporter who attends as many games as possible and more. She just needs a lift. Ann, who might not be as famous as Patti but equally attends as many games if not more. Ann is married to Tommy Heffernan another staunch supporter of Mountrath fame. A football trip to Waterford, Leitrim or Sligo wouldn’t faze this man.

Their eldest son Keith’s claim to fame is that he is Ireland’s largest GAA programme collector, GAA Programme Collectors on Facebook, while Alan is a current coach with the 2015s.

There is a bit of O’Dempseys blood in the form of the Kehoe section of the family. Bernie married William and together they have reared one of Portlaoise’s best lady footballers of this generation in Aisling.

And what can we say about Eimear. A bit like Dad, leave your feelings at the door as she will tell you exactly how she sees it. But again a more passionate Townie you won’t find.

I carried on Grandad’s tradition and brought the girls to many matches up and down the county over the years. Time to repay the mileage girls. Some of the historians in the club will also remember Sean, John, who waves the green and white from the Capital nowadays while Angie played on the first ladies team to win a ladies title for the club.

Mam was a Buggie from Moyanna and her local club was Annanough. Her nephew Eoin is a current member of the Laois Senior Football team. Eoin was another member of our carpool from his childhood days and it was great to see him win the D4 league in Croke Park a few weeks ago. I still have that picture of him in the white and green of Portlaoise back in 2005 in Croker.

My brother Niall was an underage player with the club. He is now coaching out in Park Ratheniska and his kids are wearing the green and gold. I know Sonny still has aspirations that they might don the green and white one day.

Being involved with juvenile groups

Colm Clear roped me in a few years ago. He ran the nursery for the 2012 born and he was side stepping as he was taking a roll with his older child’s team. I remember meeting up with him and he showing me how to set up a broadcast list on WhatsApp and adding parents numbers to my phone. Little did I realise what he was doing.

From 2018 to date I have been involved with the 2012s. You develop a bond with players that is hard to explain if you haven’t been involved. You look at them as your own kids, watching out for them. I’m now following them as some play up a grade and we regularly talk about trying to win minor titles at both football and hurling in a few years time.

We have a great crew of coaches with the 2012s. I don’t see myself as a coach, I’m more of an administrator but I love being involved, a bit like Dad really. Listening to and learning from the coaches, having the crack with some of the boys. I’ll have fond memories of trips away to UCD, Croke Park, we even went as far as Austin Stacks in Tralee with them. All the time making memories but more importantly building a team of friends.

Getting involved on committee/admin/finance side

Teddy rang me first a few years ago and I turned him down. I was treasurer in Mountrath GC at the time and didn’t want to be half doing two jobs. The following year David Powders rang and convinced me to get on board as juvenile treasurer which I accepted. Once you’re in there is no getting out. Teddy immediately got me involved in the finance committee and that’s where I have been since.

This year I have taken a role as juvenile chairperson of Town Óg. I have also been heavily involved in trying to promote the One Club philosophy. I have two girls as well as a son so I would like to think they will get the same opportunity as any male member. All sections of the club need to be in unison with each other.

How do we expect to succeed outside the club if we can’t agree within it. We still have different organisations who operate very differently. But it doesn’t mean that Portlaoise can’t operate as one and be an example for other clubs to follow while also adhering to our affiliations within the GAA, LGFA and Camogie associations.

Town Óg - reasons, aspirations etc

The juvenile club is massive. And getting bigger. Asking any one individual to oversee under 5 to under 17 is too much and it’s hard to “sell” the thought to any incumbent committee member. So we decided to split it in two. I am now chairing the non competitive years and David is taking the competitive 12-17 year olds. Both are now manageable roles and it is easier to get new blood in with a clearly defined and condensed role.

Our aspirations are to get some structures in place. Over a number of years each group tended to do their own thing and we are trying to get structures in place as this is how we run our club. Hassle free hurling for the nursery and under 6 without the need for helmets, player pathways to develop our players, the language we use towards the players in educating them.

They are all simple enough things but we just need to keep emphasising them. One of my aspirations is that we started bringing 35/40 kids through, to start with, at each age group, boys and girls. Giving them a fun environment to develop in, each getting equivalent game time. Then when they get to 12 making sure they all continue to get games at their own development level.

Kids just want to play games. We tend to forget that. And the next chapter is trying to retain them from minor and having a player pathway to adult football and hurling. There is a role for any player who wants to wear the white and green!

Your view on club...where its at...where its going...where you would envision it.

The club is in a very strong position and I am really excited about where its going. On the field we have great coaches in place across the club at football, hurling, LGFA and Camogie. The numbers are getting bigger especially with the drive going on in primary schools with our GDO Jamie and also not to forget about the Friday morning crew who are volunteering their time before school on Friday mornings in the Holy Family, teachers and volunteers.

When you see 10/11 year old kids practising hurling, catching at minus 2 degrees in frost with Zoom and they coming back the following week you know you have them.

Hurling has made great strides over the last few years. Through no fault of any individual it was let slip. We took our eye off the ball. Like it or lump it we are a dual club and with the correct structures in place we can be successful in both. Tommy and Noel have given it a lift at the top but are also regularly seen at grassroots levels. This is very important.

We need our best coaches assisting at the younger grades to develop good habits. On the football side of things although the well is a little dry at the moment we are still at the top table. We have left a couple of county finals behind us over the past few years.

In juvenile ranks we are back competing in the later stages of championships at all levels and I’m confident of what 2024 can bring. We should be more than competitive at U13, U15 and minor this year and the aspiration has to be back winning U20 championships to be able to keep feeding the senior set ups.

Off the field after a number of turbulent years I feel there are many good people in place to drive this club back to where it belongs. I am really excited about what Town 25 can bring to the table. We have made do with the portacabins for far too long and hopefully we can deliver something to the members over the next few years.

We have good teams on sub committees in place, all acting in their professional fields and all driving together in the same direction. There is a good blend of youth but not forgetting the vast experience of the elder statesmen and women. Long may it continue.

I think the secret is increasing the numbers of administrators. The days of one chairperson, one treasurer, one secretary etc are over. It’s committees now so that the workload is spread. The best people are the ones with the least amount of time to give so its to maximise their time and not overburden them. I would encourage anyone who is not currently involved but wants to be to just come forward. There is room for everyone.

The day job

Some would say that I’m a part-time accountant, full time GAA administrator. All joking aside I’m a Chartered Accountant by day being a partner in the firm LSMQ Chartered Accountants, a four partner firm based in Carlow and Dublin.

Since Covid I spend a couple of days a week at home which can service the Portlaoise clients. Working from home saves the bones of 2 hours a day in the car. I try to schedule that I’m at home on training or match evenings to maximise the time in the day.

Family life

Married to Shona, ex Borris in Ossory woman but now firmly a Townie. Three kids, Adam, 11, currently plays hurling and football with the Under 13, Lauren, 8, plays football and camogie with Under 10’s and Alyssa, 7, plays football and camogie with the Under 8s. Shona assists with the Under 8s and 9s.

Sonny Senior

What can I say about this man that hasn’t already been said. The greatest compliment I can give him is the phrase “Ask not what your club can do for you but what you can do for your club”. Since retiring from the prison Rathleague has been his retirement home. He loves it out there and he wants nothing in return.

Some of his best friends are out there too, although he would never admit that. Those breakfast club gatherings in Rathleague are priceless. There should be a sign on the door, “helmets must be worn”, as there are some amount of bullets fired in that half hour.

As members at times we underappreciate what those men do for the club. Thankfully the numbers are starting to increase, slowly, and they are adding to the team. They need help. Grass cutting, painting and general maintenance is time consuming and laborious.

And what about his beloved senior footballers, his second family. For birthdays etc we always have to check are the footballers playing a match. God forbid we ask him to miss a training or a match. Kitman, nutritionist, confidant to the players have all been titles he has been given.

To say we are proud of him is an understatement and hope that we can follow his and Grandad’s tradition in years to come and give back to the club for what the club has given and continues to give us.