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LAST UPDATE | 22 Jan 2022
THE AUTHOR AND award-winning journalist Colm Keane has died aged 70.
He died from cancer in Waterford, it has been confirmed.
Keane was born in Youghal in Cork, and is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and Georgetown University, Washington DC.
He was the author of 29 books and wrote extensively on near-death experiences, as well as books on St Brigid and St Padre Pio.
A book about St Thérèse of Lisieux, which was co-written with his wife, former RTÉ newsreader Una O’Hagan, also reached number one in the non-fiction charts.
During his 26 years with RTÉ, he produced and presented documentaries on a wide range of subject such as music, sport, politics and history.
Keane is survived by his wife and is predeceased by their son Sean, who died in 2007.
Tributes have been flooding in for the author and broadcaster today.
RTÉ’s Des Cahill said: “Most of us will remember him as a great broadcaster and a lovely man… I will remember him most as an incredible father to his late son, Sean. Deepest, deepest sympathy to Una and Colm’s extended family and friends.”
RIP Colm Keane. Most of us will remember him as a great broadcaster and a lovely man… I will remember him most as an incredible father to his late son, Sean. Deepest, deepest sympathy to Una and Colm’s extended family and friends. pic.twitter.com/BWq4lvZguZ
— Des Cahill (@sportsdes) January 22, 2022
Former colleague John Creedon also expressed his condolences, saying he will fondly remember their “early-morning chats about Bray Wanderers, music, Youghal, the Irish Saints and any subject you care to mention”.
So sorry to learn of the death of our colleague Colm Keane. I'll always fondly remember his enthusiasm & our early-morning chats about Bray Wanderers, music, Youghal, the Irish Saints and any subject you care to mention. Deepest condolences to Una and all of those closest to him.
— john creedon (@johncreedon) January 22, 2022
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This has been going on for many years but I’ve yet to see any virtue signalling Facebook or The Journal profile pictures displaying the DR Congo flag.
@Dan Broderick: That might be because Ukraine is a fellow European country, that more directly affects us, we have more of an affiliation with their plight; we host 60,000 Ukrainian refugees and we see the effects of the war daily on TV news and websites. It more directly affects us, regardless which side we favour.
And I suspect if we were to look at Facebook profiles of Congolese people from the region, and other peoples of neighbouring African countries, near were this massacre happened, I wouldn’t be surprised if they lack Ukraine flags but display various indications of Tutsi and Hutu support, they might not be directory involved but have a side they support, because their neighbours got massacred this time or previously (ca. 5.4 million dead though war and famine in the last 25 years or so). What do you think?
I suppose it would be virtue signalling if Irish people started showing Hutu flags in or Hutus started showing Ukraine flag in their profiles. But that’s not what is happening.
@Dan Broderick: careful now, you’ll have your comment deleted. Seems the journal delete every comment they don’t like! Censorship deprives the public from perspective
@John White: Does it?
@John White: https://jrnl.ie/5938495
@Gavin Conran: there’s a big difference in deleting comments that are factual and not identifying anyone in particular vs making hurtful accusations against an individual, guilty or not it’s for the courts to decide. That’s not what I’m disputing, I have had multiple comments deleted that were PC and factual as have many others.
The UN are a complete waste of space.
@Mike Dunne: fully agree.
animals
@joe doyle: animals are far and away better than these so called human beings.
@joe doyle: Animals, financed by the biggest conglomerates in the World. The Congo was plundered by Belgium before independence only to be replaced by big business. The Congo is blessed or plagued by the minerals that’s found there. Our mobile phones work because of Cobalt which is mined in the Congo. Diamonds Gold are just a few of the resources that is fought over in proxy wars in the Congo.
The Gov in the Congo uses the Russian mercenary group, Wagner, as it’s security force and a sister company holds most of the mineral mining rights as payment. Be very careful before you jump to any conclusions about events in Congo!
@Liam Dunne: The use of mercenaries in the Congo since it’s Independence has been the norm. South Africa has been a major source for mercenaries funded by Western Big business. The last thing the conglomerates want is the Division of the Congo to unite and have a stable government. Kinshasa broke away from the rest of the Congo after Independence, It was the richest part of the Congo in minerals etc. They had no problem in using mercenaries from Europe, Rhodesia,South Africa paid for by mining companies. Nothing has changed. The mineral wealth of the Congo makes it a battle ground for proxy wars.
They are worse than animals. Savages. With no civil or human morals. There has to be something that can be done with savages like these that are slaughtering innocent villages of people just trying to live their lives. They should be massacred themselves. Them and their ilk raping children and babies as a tool of their power. Big power with their machetes and machine guns. An absolute disgrace that this is still going on and there are Supposedly UN troops designed to tackle these so call armies. Why is this still happening. There are too many movies made from actual events and record of these events throughout the years and they make for disturbing viewing and yet even though acknowledged, there is more and more still allowed to happen without proper intervention from powers that be. SADLY
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