Martin Keane A Hero In Westport

[Thunderblaster]

In Westport, there is a councillor by the name of Martin Keane and to be honest, anyone who knows about him or personally knows him would regard him as a legend in his own right. Many years ago, Martin Keane had his problems, which I will not get into, but once he was on the straight and narrow, the work he put into the children of Westport is absolutely unreal. For many years, he has organised football for them, trips, the cinema, had a church choir going at one point, organised pool, table tennis and swimming, is involved with any sport involving children, actively fundraises for that purpose, spends money on kids without ever looking for a reimbursement. Every December, he has a Toy Appeal for disadvantaged kids in the community and also has a fuel appeal for the elderly in the wider Westport district. I think that this guy should be publically honoured by at least Westport Town Council, if not the President of Ireland for all the work he puts into the youth of Westport. He is well respected within the Community Games set up also.

[Fingal hoop]

?

eh what?

[Thunderblaster]

?

eh what?

I guess that you never heard of him. To be honest, he would not be a very famous person internationally or nationally except through those around that he has a close connection to through sport, but locally he is a true legend and he did get some national recognition with the People of the Year awards years ago and the Community Games last year, but it is time that this man should be properly honoured, especially by the fellow citizens of Westport.

[Superhoops]

I guess that you never heard of him. To be honest, he would not be a very famous person internationally or nationally except through those around that he has a close connection to through sport, but locally he is a true legend and he did get some national recognition with the People of the Year awards years ago and the Community Games last year, but it is time that this man should be properly honoured, especially by the fellow citizens of Westport.

Like what?
- freedom of Westport
- a statue in the town centre
- take up a collection at mass for him
- free beer for a year
- an honorary knighthood

Come on Westport, get off your asses!!!!

[Thunderblaster]

Like what?
- freedom of Westport
- a statue in the town centre
- take up a collection at mass for him
- free beer for a year
- an honorary knighthood

Come on Westport, get off your asses!!!!

- freedom of Westport-Defo!!

- a statue in the town centre-Defo!!

- take up a collection at mass for him-Don't think he would appreciate that!!

- free beer for a year-The man's a Pioneer!!

- an honorary knighthood-Cannot see him accepting an award from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II somehow, can you?

Gnasher, Turbotimmy, Proud Cove, Mpondo, et al, you can surely make a contribution to this debate. Even any of the Mayo based forumites that would have heard of him or know him, please log on!!

[A face]

There was a report recently on the amount of volunteers that Irish communities have, in recent times it has dwindled rapidly. I suppose its something all eL clubs could related to given the amount of people who dont step forward to help the clubs they support (the ratio is very poor)

Martin Keane, fair play to the guy, there should be more like him.

[Thunderblaster]

Martin Keane, fair play to the guy, there should be more like him.

More than agree with you!!

[Thunderblaster]

Martin Keane's annual fuel appeal has commenced once again and he is on MWRFM on Sunday morning at 11:30 doing an interview in relation to his annual Christmas appeals.

[jebus]

are you martin keane by any chance?

[MojoPin]

Martin Keane's annual fuel appeal

is he man or machine?

[paul_oshea]

the founder of MWRFMMMMMMMM is my neighbour at home.

[Thunderblaster]

are you martin keane by any chance?

Nope!!

HOT OFF THE PRESS: Cllr. Martin Keane has been inducted into the Hall of Fame at the annual Mayo AFL Dinner Dance in the Welcome Inn Hotel in Castlebar. The award was in recognition for his services to football in Westport, particularly with schoolboys and fundraising. Cllr. Keane was quite humbled to receive the award, but he is a man that leads a humble and simple life. Congratulations to Cllr. Martin Keane on behalf of all on www.foot.ie.

[MojoPin]

alright gag up in fairness the man is great... but so what???? every community has a few of these guys..... not being bad but i could do a post a day on good deeds by local people...

maybe i should embrace kindness more often but i dont feel its necessary as the world i currently live in is all rosey and happy..(not just for me)

[jebus]

maybe i should embrace kindness more often but i dont feel its necessary as the world i currently live in is all rosey and happy..(not just for me)

Yeah those Bangladesh cyclone survivors have it all at the moment, booze, women, hanging out with minor celebrities, it's all rosey in that garden

[Thunderblaster]

There was a Mayor's ball in Westport last May and despite all the nominations he received, the fact that he was a serving councillor actually disqualified him from picking up the award. If he was a plain Joe Soap, Martin Keane would have walked home with the award.

[Leveller]

alright gag up in fairness the man is great... but so what???? every community has a few of these guys..... not being bad but i could do a post a day on good deeds by local people...

maybe i should embrace kindness more often but i dont feel its necessary as the world i currently live in is all rosey and happy..(not just for me)

Why should he gag up? If you dont like what you reading, dont look at this thread, and more importantly dont post on it.

We cant help that we in Westport are proud people, we have a fantastic town with nice people, as a result of this pride everything is kept in pristine order in the town, shopfronts etc, we have won Irelands tidiest town many times, we have alot of visitors every year because of this, and our friendliness, unlike many of the kips that I have seen around the country.

The work carried out at various levels of the town is due to people like Martin Keane and thankfully there are many like him in Westport, so go back to your rosey (me fein) world.

If everything is so rosey in your world, why all the negative comments?

[Leveller]

Like what?
- freedom of Westport
- a statue in the town centre
- take up a collection at mass for him
- free beer for a year
- an honorary knighthood

Come on Westport, get off your asses!!!!

The above thread goes for you as well Hoop.

[Leveller]

Martin Keane is a legend, what he has done for the youth of westport is unbelievable, a work which he carries on doing.

[Thunderblaster]

Fourteen-year wait ends for Cllr Keane

WESTPORT

WHILE being named Cathaoirleach of your council is the greatest honour that can be bestowed on any town councillor, it’s doubtful that receiving the chain of office ever meant more to an individual than it did to Cllr Martin Keane in Westport last week.
After 14 years serving the people of Westport, he finally sat in the Chairman’s seat at 6.50pm last Wednesday evening, after he was named Cathaoirleach for the last year of the current Council by six votes to three.
Having been proposed by Sinn Féin councillor, Dave Keating, and seconded by Labour’s Keith Martin, Cllr Keane – an Independent – was also voted in by Fianna Fáil councillors Margaret Adams, Brendan Mulroy and Declan Dever. Councillor Tereasa McGuire had proposed outgoing Leas-Chathaoirleach, Fine Gael’s Myles Staunton, for the job, and this was seconded by Cllr Peter Flynn. However, it quickly became apparent that the night would belong to Martin Keane.
With the chain of office finally around his neck, a highly emotional Cllr Keane broke down momentarily as he wished his late mother was around to witness the moment.
A man who has been through rougher times than many people will ever know, he then spoke of how he had come back from the brink thanks to the people of Westport, and was determined to now pay them back.
“You have to be at the bottom before you can get to the top,” he said, “and tonight I am where I always wanted to be. I love this town and this Council and will serve the people to the best of my ability. What is past is past for me, and now I am in the present. If I kept going the way I was going I wouldn’t be here now, and I thank you all for helping me to rise to the top.”
After thanking everyone who had made his dream come true and assuring those that did not vote for him that they would be treated no different than those who did, Cllr Keane pledged to work with all associations and organisations in the town and to continue to place a special emphasis on his work with the youth and the elderly.
His fellow councillors then paid tribute to him, led by a gracious-in-defeat Cllr Myles Staunton, who told him ‘today is the first day of the rest of your life’.
“I put my name forward and was willing to give my services to the town, but you are a special person and your contribution to Westport has been second to none. Tonight, democracy has worked, and I sincerely and genuinely congratulate you and want you to know that I will help you in any way I can,” he said.
Councillors Teresa McGuire and Peter Flynn also congratulated Cllr Keane and stated their support for him, while Cllr Dave Keating said he was excited to see him as Cathaoirleach – a sentiment echoed by Cllr Keith Martin. Councillor Declan Dever reminded him that they started on Westport Town Council on the same day and said he deserved to be Cathaoirleach for all the hard work he had done over the years.

Absolutely thrilled for him, no less than what he deserves. He has been on a high since. He has received lots of good wishes and cards from people all over.

[GavinZac]

Gripping stuff