Volunteer Tommy named Grand Marshal for parade
COMMUNITY activist Tommy Keogh has been chosen as the Grand Marshal for this year’s Clondalkin St Patrick’s Day parade.
Well known for his tireless work in the community, Mr Keogh is a former South Dublin County volunteer of the year in 2018.
Cllr Francis Timmons (Ind), Clondalkin Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, said Mr Keogh has been at the “heart of the Clondalkin community as an unselfish volunteer for over 60 years”.
“Since starting out as a juvenile player with Round Towers during the 50’s Tommy has served the club as player, team manager, club officer, and club President (2014-2016), and he was also honoured with a Hall of Fame award from the Club in 2002.
“Along the way he has photographed hundreds of teams, games and club events. Similarly as a volunteer photographer with both the former Clondalkin People newspaper with Editor Mary Brady and the parish newsletter, he filmed many events, and has recorded the demolition of several Clondalkin landmark buildings, among them Clondalkin Paper Mills, the Church at Mount Saint Joseph, The Stores Pub in Main Street, and just recently O’Byrnes Site on Boot road.”
Cllr Timmons continued: “He also helped to establish several other voluntary groups in the village. Clondalkin Camera Club (1988), Clondalkin Tidy Towns (2012), Clondalkin Round Tower Heritage Group (2012), Friends of the Camac (2017). All vibrant, successful and active clubs which help to make Clondalkin a great place to live in.
“Tommy worked in Clondalkin Paper Mills for over 25 years until its closure in 1982 and his knowledge and photos were the mainstay of an oral history project in 2014 by www.irishlifeandlore.com and South Dublin County Libraries. Earlier in 2013 Tommy was co author with Gerry Flanagan and Malachy Mc Veigh of a Bicentennial History St Josephs BNS entitled ‘From the Monastery to the Boot’.
“We have had excellent Grand Marshals over the years including Mary Kennedy, Colm Gavin, Philip and Gemma Carr, Mary Dardis and now Tommy Keogh.”
