Kieran McKeever
Encyclopedia
Kieran McKeever is a former Irish
dual player
who played Gaelic football
and hurling
with Derry
in the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He is chiefly known as a footballer and was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Championship
winning side, also won Ulster Senior Football Championship
s in 1993 and 1998. With Derry footballers he usually played at corner-back and is regarded as one of best defenders and tightest markers to have played the game.
In 2000 McKeever became the first Ulster
player to be nominated for All Stars
in both football and hurling in the same season. He won the football All Star, but narrowly missed out on the hurling accolade. Had he have won the double All Star, he would have become only the second player ever after Cork legend Ray Cummins
to win both awards in the same year.
He has won Irish News Ulster All-Star awards and was named right-corner back on the Irish News Team of the Decade in 2004. The public voted him onto the All-Time Derry Football Team via an online poll in 2007. McKeever played club football with St. Canice's GAC Dungiven
and club hurling with Kevin Lynchs
.
at hurling and football. In 2008 Cathal transferred to Tyrone
side Carrickmore
.
His abilities as a dual player were nurtured at St. Patrick’s Secondary School by former Derry footballers Seán O'Connell
, Fintan McCloskey and Francie Brolly and Kilkenny
born hurling coach Liam Hinphey. He also excelled at athletics at school, particularly the high jump
.
in the Ulster Championship
team in 1986. He played the game at Right half back, despite having a fractured arm.
McKeever made his Derry senior debut in February 1988 against Monaghan
in the Dr McKenna Cup
at Greenlough
. McKeever was Right Corner Back on Derry's 1993 All-Ireland winning team, which beat Cork in the final. McKeever also won an Ulster Championship
medal that year and won a second in 1998, where he captained the team.
He won four National Football League
medals with Derry in 1992, 1995, 1996, 2000. He was corner back on three of those sides and Centre half back on the 2000 team. McKeever and Derry finished runners-up to Offaly
in the 1998 National League decider, with McKeever as captain. Having been previously nominated three times for an All Star (1991, 1992 and 1996), McKeever finally received one in 2000. McKeever also won numerous Interprovincial Championship/Railway Cup
medals with Ulster
.
side that won another Derry Championship and Ulster Club Championship
.
Among his underage achievements, McKeever has won an Under-14, Under-16, and two Derry Minor Football Championship
s. He has also won two All-Ireland special medals.
McKeever started his senior inter-county hurling career in 1987 and played until 1992, when he decided to concentrate on football. He returned to the Derry hurling team in 1999 and for his performances in helping Derry win the 2000 Ulster Hurling Championship
, he was nominated as an All Star. McKeever won a second Ulster Hurling Championship in 2001 also represented and captained Ulster in hurling in the Railway Cup.
in Dublin and won county medals at all possible grades.
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...
dual player
Dual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
who played Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
and hurling
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...
with 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 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He is chiefly known as a footballer and was part of Derry's 1993 All-Ireland Championship
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1993
-All-Ireland Football Final:-Top championship scorer:...
winning side, also won Ulster Senior Football 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...
s in 1993 and 1998. With Derry footballers he usually played at corner-back and is regarded as one of best defenders and tightest markers to have played the game.
In 2000 McKeever became the first Ulster
Ulster 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....
player to be nominated for All Stars
GAA 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 both football and hurling in the same season. He won the football All Star, but narrowly missed out on the hurling accolade. Had he have won the double All Star, he would have become only the second player ever after Cork legend Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. A dual player at the highest levels, he played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1982. Cummins also played Gaelic football with his local club St...
to win both awards in the same year.
He has won Irish News Ulster All-Star awards and was named right-corner back on the Irish News Team of the Decade in 2004. The public voted him onto the All-Time Derry Football Team via an online poll in 2007. McKeever played club football with St. Canice's GAC Dungiven
Dungiven GAC
St. Canice's GAC Dungiven is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dungiven, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They currently cater for Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football. The hurling club in the town is Kevin Lynch's....
and club hurling with Kevin Lynchs
Kevin Lynch's Hurling Club
Kevin Lynch's Hurling Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dungiven, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They currently cater for hurling. The Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football team in the town is St...
.
Personal life
Kieran McKeever was born into a footballing household. His father Thomas was a Derry minor panelist in the mid 1960s and his brothers Emmet and Cathal have both repesented Derry and New YorkNew York GAA
The New York County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or New York GAA, is one of the county boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association outside Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in the New York metropolitan area...
at hurling and football. In 2008 Cathal transferred 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....
side Carrickmore
Carrickmore St. Colmcille's
Carrickmore St. Colmcille's is a Gaelic Athletic Association gaelic football club based in Carrickmore, Tyrone, Northern Ireland.They have an illustrious history in the Tyrone Senior Football Championship, having won it 15 times in their history, and in the Tyrone All County League, they are the...
.
His abilities as a dual player were nurtured at St. Patrick’s Secondary School by former Derry footballers Seán 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,...
, Fintan McCloskey and Francie Brolly and Kilkenny
County Kilkenny
County Kilkenny is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Kilkenny. The territory of the county was the core part of the ancient Irish Kingdom of Osraige which in turn was the core of the Diocese of...
born hurling coach Liam Hinphey. He also excelled at athletics at school, particularly the high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
.
Inter-county
He captained quite a few successful underage teams including the Derry minor side that were runners up to DownDown 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 Ulster 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...
team in 1986. He played the game at Right half back, despite having a fractured arm.
McKeever made his Derry senior debut in February 1988 against Monaghan
Monaghan GAA
The Monaghan County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Monaghan GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Monaghan and the Monaghan inter-county football and hurling teams. Separate county boards are responsible for the...
in the Dr McKenna Cup
Dr McKenna Cup
The Dr McKenna cup is a gaelic football competition played between counties and universities in the province of Ulster. It is the secondary gaelic football competition based in Ulster behind the Ulster Senior Football Championship, and the fourth most important inter-county competition in which...
at 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...
. McKeever was Right Corner Back on Derry's 1993 All-Ireland winning team, which beat Cork in the final. McKeever also won an Ulster 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...
medal that year and won a second in 1998, where he captained the team.
He won four National Football 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...
medals with Derry in 1992, 1995, 1996, 2000. He was corner back on three of those sides and Centre half back on the 2000 team. McKeever and Derry finished runners-up to Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in the 1998 National League decider, with McKeever as captain. Having been previously nominated three times for an All Star (1991, 1992 and 1996), McKeever finally received one in 2000. McKeever also won numerous Interprovincial Championship/Railway Cup
Interprovincial Championship
The Interprovincial Championship or Railway Cup is the name of two annual Gaelic football and hurling competetitions held between the provinces of Ireland. The Munster, Leinster, Connacht and Ulster teams are composed of the best players from the various counties in the province...
medals with Ulster
Ulster 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....
.
Club
McKeever won his first senior county football medal as Dungiven won the 1987 Derry Championship. and added a second in 1991. In 1997 McKeever was part of the DungivenDungiven GAC
St. Canice's GAC Dungiven is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dungiven, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. They currently cater for Gaelic football and Ladies' Gaelic football. The hurling club in the town is Kevin Lynch's....
side that won another Derry Championship and Ulster Club Championship
Ulster Senior Club Football Championship
The Ulster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition played between the top clubs in Ulster. The trophy awarded to the winners is the Seamus McFerran Cup...
.
Among his underage achievements, McKeever has won an Under-14, Under-16, and two Derry Minor Football Championship
Derry Minor Football Championship
The Derry Minor Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the top Derry Minor clubs. The winners of the Derry Championship qualify to represent their county in the Ulster Minor Club Football Championship...
s. He has also won two All-Ireland special medals.
Inter-county
Among McKeever's hurling honours was winning the Ulster Under 21 Hurling Championship with Derry in 1986, defeating Antrim and Down along the way. They beat Down in the final after a reply; 3-09 to 1-02. In the drawn final McKeever suffered a serious injury.McKeever started his senior inter-county hurling career in 1987 and played until 1992, when he decided to concentrate on football. He returned to the Derry hurling team in 1999 and for his performances in helping Derry win the 2000 Ulster Hurling Championship
Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
The Ulster Senior Hurling Championship is the premier intercounty "knockout" competition in the game of hurling played in the province of Ulster. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months. The Ulster Hurling Final is played in July...
, he was nominated as an All Star. McKeever won a second Ulster Hurling Championship in 2001 also represented and captained Ulster in hurling in the Railway Cup.
Club
McKeever was part of the Kevin Lynchs U-14 side that captured the B section of 1982 Féile na nGaelFéile na nGael
Féile na nGael , Irish for "Festival of the Gaels") is an annual tournament comprising the sports of hurling, camogie and handball organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association...
in Dublin and won county medals at all possible grades.
County
- 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...
- Winner (1): 1993 - 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...
- Winner (4): 1992, 1995, 1996, 2000 - 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: 1998 - 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 (2): 1993, 1998 - 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...
- Runner up: 1992, 1997, 2000 - Dr. McKenna Cup - Winner (1): 1993, 1999
- Ulster Minor Football ChampionshipUlster Minor Football ChampionshipThe 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...
- Runner up: 1986
Club
- Ulster Senior Club Football ChampionshipUlster Senior Club Football ChampionshipThe Ulster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition played between the top clubs in Ulster. The trophy awarded to the winners is the Seamus McFerran Cup...
- Winner (1): 1997 - Derry Senior Football Championship - Winner (3): 1987, 1991, 1997
- Derry Senior Football Championship - Runner up: 1996
- Derry Senior Football League - Winner (2): 1990, 1991
- Derry Minor Football ChampionshipDerry Minor Football ChampionshipThe Derry Minor Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football club competition between the top Derry Minor clubs. The winners of the Derry Championship qualify to represent their county in the Ulster Minor Club Football Championship...
- Winner (2): 1985, 1986 - Derry U-16 Football Championship - Winner (1): 1983
- North Derry U-16 Football Championship - Winner (1): 1983
- Derry U-14 Football Championship - Winner (1): 1982
- Other underage awards
Individual
- All StarGAA All Stars AwardsThe 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...
- Winner (1): 2000 - All StarGAA All Stars AwardsThe 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...
- Nominated (runner up): 1991, 1992, 1996 - Irish News Ulster All Stars Team of the Decade (1995-2004) - Winner
- Irish News Ulster GAA All-Star - Winner (?): Years?
- Derry Senior football captain: 1997-1998
- Derry Minor football captain: 1986
County
- Ulster Senior Hurling ChampionshipUlster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Ulster Senior Hurling Championship is the premier intercounty "knockout" competition in the game of hurling played in the province of Ulster. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months. The Ulster Hurling Final is played in July...
- Winner (2): 2000, 2001 - Ulster Senior Hurling ChampionshipUlster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Ulster Senior Hurling Championship is the premier intercounty "knockout" competition in the game of hurling played in the province of Ulster. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months. The Ulster Hurling Final is played in July...
- Runner up: 1998?, 1999?, 2003? - Ulster Under 21 Hurling Championship - Winner (1): 1986, 1987?????
Club
- Ulster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipUlster Senior Club Hurling ChampionshipThe Ulster Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual tournament played between the senior hurling clubs in Ulster. There are nine county championships between the nine counties of Ulster. The nine winners go on to play each other in the Ulster Club Championship in a knock-out format...
- Runner up: 2003?, 2006?, 2007? - Derry Senior Hurling Championship - Winner (9??): 1984, 1987, 1989, 1996, 1998, 2003?, 2004?, 2006?, 2007?
- Derry Senior Hurling Championship - Runner up: 1986?, 1991, 1999, 2005?
- 'B' Féile na nGaelFéile na nGaelFéile na nGael , Irish for "Festival of the Gaels") is an annual tournament comprising the sports of hurling, camogie and handball organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association...
- Winner (1): 1982 - Numerous underage awards including U-14 Derry Hurling Championship
Individual
- All StarGAA All Stars AwardsThe 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...
- Nominated (runner up): 2000 - Ulster Railway Cup captain: Years?
Note: The above lists may be incomplete. Please add any other honours you know of.
External links
- Hoganstand article on McKeever by Bernie Mullan
- Official Kevin Lynchs Website
- Cumann Chainnigh Naofa Dún Geimhin official website