This article originally featured on the now defunct hospitalpass.net website.
By Sean DeLoughry
The Irish football public and the entire town of Dundalk are in mourning this week after the untimely death of Barry Kehoe, at the age of just 40, last Friday. Barry will be remembered by those who saw him on the football pitch as a brilliant and inspirational midfielder. He will be remembered by those lucky enough to know him as a truly wonderful person.
Havoc
Barry came to prominence with Dundalk in the early 80s, causing havoc against Spurs in the Cup Winners Cup and starring in a strong Dundalk side that never failed to challenge for the title. Barry went to Old Trafford for a trial, with a youngster from Pats called Paul McGrath, and by all accounts it was Kehoe who caught the eye. McGrath himself expressed his surprise that Barry was not retained by Man United. Barry went home, thinking that another chance would come his way, not knowing what was around the corner. It was shortly after coming home from his trial with United that Barry fell ill. Soon he was diagnosed with cancer. It was a devastating blow, which would be enough to break the spirit of most people. Barry fought heroically against the cancer, battled through the chemotherapy and incredibly he made a full recovery. He soon played his way back into the Dundalk side and it was clear that he had lost none of his ability. It came as no surprise when Barry won representative honours with the League of Ireland team, and he was an automatic choice for the Irish team during the qualifiers for 1988 Olympics.
Double winner
In 1988 Dundalk won the league and cup double, with Barry Kehoe the star of the show. He led Dundalk from 2-0 down against Sligo in the cup to win 3-2, and he was the driving force behind one of Dundalk most famous wins, when the Lilywhites over-turned a 2-0 deficit against Derry City with three goals in the last fifteen minutes. Barry missed the last league game of the season through injury, but he confounded the doctors with his recovery to star in the cup final win the following week.
Testimonial
The entire Ireland squad, together with players of the calibre of Peter Beardsley, Brian McClair and Pat Jennings gladly turned out for Barry’s testimonial match in 1989. The programme from that match doubles as Barry’s autobiography, it deals with his football career and his battle with cancer and was aptly titled “My Most Difficult Opponent”.
Resilient
Having defeated his most difficult opponent once, Barry was cruelly struck down again, but amazingly he fought back, and won again. His arrival off the bench during a friendly match against Finland made a bitterly cold winter’s day feel like a joyful summer’s day for those of us privileged to be there. Barry continued to play League of Ireland football well into his thirties with Drogheda United, and it was Barry, who else, who led Drogheda to a famous FAI cup win over Dundalk in 1996. He was still playing five-a-side for fun recently, and it was no surprise to discover that he was on the golf course at the time of his untimely demise.
High praise
Several friends of mine had the pleasure of playing five-a-side with Barry, and to a man, without prompting, they all raved, not about what a great player he was (though of course he was!), but about what great guy he was. They talked about how he made sure to include his team-mates, made sure
that everyone enjoyed the game and how he generally looked after players who would admit themselves hardly deserved to share a pitch with the great Barry Kehoe. Barry was a warm, generous, thoughtful man, full of life. He was brave, strong, skilled, intelligent, hard working. Barry’s tireless attitude on the field was reflected off the field, and his business career blossomed as spectacularly as his football career. He owned Dundalk’s most successful nightclub, a restaurant and several bars. Barry was not just a great footballer, he was a great person, and we were lucky to have him in our lives. Our thoughts are with his family. Go ndéanfaidh Dia trocaire ar a anam.
From The Dundalk Democrat.
“The final whistle has sounded – Barry’s now in his biggest ever victory parade, in Heaven,” stated Rev. Padraig Keenan C.C., St Patrick’s, at the conclusion of his Homily during the funeral service of Barry Kehoe. The Church was packed to overflowing to pay tribute to Barry, who passsed away at the age of just 40 years.
One of life’s characters
“He was a sportsman, businessman and colleague,” said Fr Keenan. “He bore his illness in a dignified and humble manner and was one of life’s gentlemen. He graced the playing fields the length and breadth of Ireland as well as Europe in a very honourable manner. Barry was a Dundalk man through and through and when he was in hospital in Dublin, he always wanted to come back home. When his dream of making it across the water as a professional player was not to be, he never became disillusioned. He simply battled on. He was one of life’s characters who will be sadly missed,” added Fr Keenan.
Battler
Former Dundalk manager, Jim McLaughlin, simply said: “If things were not going right, you just had to think of Barry and you realised how lucky you were. He was unbelievable.” Martin Murray, who, along with Barry, played in the double-winning Dundalk team of 1988 said he was shocked when he heard the news on. “Barry was some player and such a bubbly character. He went through a lot but bounced back when others would have thrown in the towel,” said Martin.
Inspiring
Another former playing colleague, goalkeeper, Alan O’Neill, who remained friends with Barry after their playing days, was “very upset” when he heard the news. “It’s really hard to take; he was so full of life,” said O’Neill, who played for the Oriel Park club from 1985 to 1993. “We always kept in contact since our playing days ended and I spoke to him two weeks ago when he was in hospital in Dublin. It is a huge blow for me personally. After I got to know Barry as a player, I got to know him as a person. He was some player who always gave 100 percent. He battled against illness and obviously, it got him down sometimes, but he never showed it.” O’Neill said it was testimony to the esteem in which Barry was held that players like Liam Brady and Paul McGrath came to Oriel Park to play in his testimonial in 1989. “That was a tremendous night,” added O’Neill. “It was a fitting tribute to Barry.”
