The late Revd. Canon James McKeon

James McKeon was as old as this State, for he was born in Drumcondra, North Dublin, in 1922. Having studied Irish and Latin at T.C.D., he was ordained into the Church of Ireland and after curacies, became rector of Castlebellingham and Drumcar in the Diocese of Armagh. While there he also taught Irish and Latin at Dundalk Grammar School.His enthusiasm for the Irish language continued when he became rector of St Peter’s in Drogheda. It was his custom to hold the St. Patrick’s Day Service in Irish and he was a member of the Gaelic League. Older parishioners remember him as a gifted preacher, whose message was that salvation came from Jesus Christ alone and that the bodily resurrection on the Day of Judgement was assured. While Rector of St Peter’s, James also became Acting Principal of St Peter’s N.S., a role he performed admirably for an academic year. Past pupils remember him with affection for his good humour, his great sense of the equality of all pupils and his enlightened teaching methods.In 1964 the Wardenship (Headmaster) of Wilson’s Hospital School in Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath, became vacant and Jimmy, as he was then known, was appointed. He came to a school with a proud Church of Ireland tradition, but which faced difficult times. Pupils were all boarders and male. Funds were extremely limited, but Revd. McKeon set about his task with enthusiasm. He introduced agricultural studies, encouraged yachting on Lough Owel and had an extra storey added to the dormitories. He undertook personally the painting of the interior of the Wilson’s building, one of the finest examples of public Georgian buildings in the country, a task in which he was assisted by students from Queen’s University, Belfast. For some of the latter it was their first time south of the border.At the same time Revd. McKeon taught Irish, handled the finances of the school and took Chapel Services on a daily basis. In the late 1960’s a Church appointed Commission on Protestant schools was set up to review the future of such schools. Their recommendation was that Wilson’s should be closed. Revd. McKeon fought the proposal and surprised many when he had the recommendation reversed. He called it his Battle of Wilson’s Hospital, an expression he used when invited to the 200th Anniversary of the original battle of 1798. In 1969 the future of Wilson’s was assured when Preston School, Navan was amalgamated with it, and girls came for the first time.By this time Revd. Jimmy was also acting as Manager of the school’s farm, a considerable achievement for one born and reared in Dublin City. The story is told of a school inspector wishing to speak to the Headmaster, only to be told that he was in Mullingar buying cattle!In his spare time (!) Revd. Jimmy wrote letters and articles for the Irish Times and indulged his passion for motor-cars.All vehicles, whether his own, or of his wife, Dr. Marie, were fully tested as to their capabilities!In 1983, after nineteen years of outstanding headmastership, Revd. McKeon retired from Wilson’s and retired to parish duties in Geashill (Co Offaly) in the Diocese of Kildare, a post he held for six years. He was created a Canon in the year of his appointment and in 1987 became Precentor of the Diocese (Senior Canon). Following his retirement Revd. Canon McKeon went to live in Collinstown in Co. Westmeath, where he remained until shortly after the death of Dr. Marie, in herself a renowned medical practitioner in both Drogheda and Mullingar. Jimmy then went to live with their daughter Jo Anne in Newport, Wales, where he died in October, just two days short of his eighty-eight birthday. His funeral service in Castlepollard was conducted by the Revd. A. Graham of Mullingar.Canon McKeon is survived by his daughters Lindsey and Jo Anne, sons in law and grandchildren. Pupils of Wilson’s Hospital School formed a guard of honour at the funeral, which was also attended by past pupils, teachers from the school and the Chaplain.Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.Adrian G OughtonWarden, Wilson’s Hospital School