Moss Keane Interview

Interview with Moss Keane in February 2010 about his memories of Ireland v England matches.

Maurice Ignatius 'Moss' Keane made his Ireland debut against France in Paris 1974, just 4 years after taking up rugby in his early twenties following the lifting of the Gaelic Athletic Association ban on playing foreign sports. He decided he "did not need to be a rocket scientist to be a second row."
He went on to win 51 caps for Ireland. He was a member of the Ireland side that won the Triple Crown in 1982.

Keane, a native of Currow, county Kerry, was also a very fine and athletic Gaelic footballer and Kerry under-21 full-back in his youth. He won Sigerson Cup medals while attending University College Cork (UCC) He used to play under the name Moss Fenton to trick the GAA, who at the time banned their members from playing rugby - and was a decent and enthusiastic golfer in retirement before cancer took a hold.
It was Con Houlihan who coined the 'few airs and many graces' line about his near neighbour,

He represented the British and Irish Lions on their tour of New Zealand in 1977 and was also a member of the Munster side that famously defeated the All-Blacks in 1978.
On the 1977 Lions Tour to New Zealand, when asked for his comments after a game, Keane replied "The first half was even. The second half was even worse."

During the famous Munster victory over the All Blacks in 1978, following the lineout code being called at a Munster lineout, Keane was heard to exclaim "Oh Christ, not me again."

Former England skipper Bill Beaumont approached Keane in the tunnel prior to an Ireland v England game and said "May the best team win," to which Keane replied "I hope they don't."

In a team talk he was reported to have coined the phrase, "Spread out and stick together."

Former England hooker Peter Wheeler was invited to stay with Keane in Kerry and, on arrival at Keane's house late at night he asked if Moss Keane lived there, to which the woman who opened the door replied "Yes, bring him in."

Another oft quoted Keane story -- when asked what Chairman of (Munster) selectors, Noel Murphy said to the young Kerryman before the famous All Blacks win, the Currow native quoting Murphy said :
"Moss, you are no longer an experiment, you are a Munster man picked to play against the All Blacks." "Just go out there and cause mayhem. Disrupt their line-out. Stop them getting quick ball. Stand up for yourself and your team. Kerrymen have won more all-Ireland finals than anybody else, you are afraid of nobody. Kerry are the All Blacks of Ireland. That's why we picked you."

The words clearly had effect as it was one of Moss Keane's greatest games against that All Blacks warrior and legend Andy Haden who simply was outclassed that day.
He helped inspire Munster to their famous 1978 12-0 win over the All Blacks when he took Andy Haden to the cleaners, and indeed performed wonderfully well in their 3-3 draw against New Zealand a few years earlier.
Contrary to popular opinion he was also extremely well-read, and took first-class honours in his Dairy Science degree. He later worked for the Irish Department of Agriculture.
As the late Bill McLaren used to put it: "Maurice Ignatius Keane. 18 and half stone of prime Irish beef on the hoof, I don't know about the opposition but he frightens the living daylights out of me."

Keane was renowned for his sense of humour, which was sometimes combined with the deep Catholic faith which never left him. Before internationals, he would drink from a bottle of Lourdes water for protection, and on one occasion he sprinkled some over team-mates Mike Gibson and Willie John McBride, both Ulster Protestants, with the advice that it would protect them too.

Ever the farmer, some nights up in Dublin for an international he used to slip out of the team hotel and go rabbit shooting on the back pitch at Lansdowne Road and then melt into the night when the police cars arrived, lights flashing following reports of shooting in Dublin 4. It's a scenario that can't fail to bring a smile.

When Moss Keane received a pass, it was no ordinary event!
You could hear the crowd go silent in anticipation -- and time stop still. Then, like a wake-up call to the fans, suddenly changing direction with surprising agility, the big man would drive.
Except 'drive' doesn't nearly do justice to Moss Keane with the ball; that gentle rhino' suddenly roused-- and he could move -- a devil-may-care Kerryman, an Irish gentleman with the 'blood up', a human powerhouse, head down charging at the opposition, come-what-may, 'Faugh a Ballagh', nothing fancy, all arms and legs -- like shafts in a mighty engine, slow to start but nigh impossible to stop.
Majestic!

It never failed to get the long-suffering Irish crowd on their feet, hairs standing on the back of the neck, with such a roar of enthusiasm that could be heard far, far away in his native Kerry mountains where giants like Moss Keane belong.

Rest in peace.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Moss Keane
• Moss Keane Rugby
• Irish Rugby
• Maurice Ignatius 'Moss' Keane
• Mike Gibson

[iainmcmahon1]

Great Kerryman, great Munsterman and Irishman.

[jamiemarshallcom]

inspiring man .. what a legend (I'm English!) .. a great player is a great player

[b1bass]

What a gentleman of character.

[r3playretro]

R.I.P.

[ciasion12]

From a Welshman, and staunch rugby fan, Moss Keane was one of the giants of the game and a man who's presence and personality transcended that fabled line between the changing room/field and the world outside. Iechyd da Moss, one of the greatest in the greatest game. The utmost respect.

[mariekeanee]

Rip never forgotton

[loopstheloop]

Legend! R.I.P. Moss.

Thanks for posting, mate.