Irish legend Moss Keane dies
Irish rugby icon Moss Keane passed away on Tuesday, October 5, at the age of 62, after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Keane won 51 Irish caps and in 1984, he joined Willie John McBride and Fergus Slattery as only the third Irish forward to reach 50 caps.
The Kerry native made his debut for Ireland in 1974 in Paris, and toured New Zealand as a British and Irish Lion in 1977. He was also a part of the successful Munster team that famously beat the All Blacks in 1978. To this day, the 1978 Munster side remains
the only Irish side to have beaten New Zealand.
Keane mixed his love of rugby with Gaelic football and played for the under-21 Kerry team.
The Irish Rugby Football Union president Caleb Powell said, “Quite simply, Irish rugby has lost one of its most genuine characters and legends of the game. Moss had ability on the field that no one could doubt from his record at club, provincial and international
level. Lansdowne, Munster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions all benefited from his presence and ensured that his reputation will live long in the memories of not only Irish rugby, but World rugby.
The Irish forward scored one try for his country and was a key player in Ireland’s 1982 Triple Crown winning team.
Ollie Campbell, Keane’s former Irish teammate and friend said, “Moss enriched every one’s life that he came into contact with these past 62 years. Rugby people don’t just have the Moss Keane story, they have Moss Keane stories. There are many and they are
all humorous. He just had a way about him — he was a one off. Certainly, he was one of the most loved Irish internationals.”
Keane is survived by his daughters Sarah and Anne-Marie, and his wife Anne.
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