The story of local handball legend ‘Tatters’ Keegan

Éamon Ginnane tells the story of legendary local handball player Tom ‘Tatters’ Keegan. The article is included in the recently published book ‘Grassroots: Stories from the heart of the GAA’, edited by PJ Cunningham. A native of Co. Clare, Éamon moved to Athlone for work reasons and enjoyed Westmeath senior football success as part of Athlone's famed six-in-a-year team (1955 to 1960). Éamon is married to Margo Flanagan, and the couple have two daughters, Sinéad and Síle.

I learned my handball skills against the gable wall of the national school in Carrigaholt, West Clare. My job brought me to Westmeath and I played football with Athlone GAA Club, and handball in Bealnamulla.

I cycled the five miles to the club some evenings but Sunday mornings were the highlight of the week with a series of singles and doubles. And it was always Tom ‘Tatters’ Keegan who was the centre of attention.

‘Tatters’ was born in 1888. A well-built man of 5ft 8inches with an open face, he had a natural welcome and a roguish smile. He was an early riser. First thing in the morning he would dip his head in a barrel of rainwater outside his back door.

Every Sunday, he made 7 o’clock Mass in the Friary in Athlone and later cycled out to the Bealnamulla handball alley on his old Raleigh.

He wore a pocket watch and chain, making a big display of taking it carefully from his pocket, flicking open the lid and pausing to check the time.

Although he was great on the Gaelic field, it was in the handball alley where he really shone. He was as fit as a fiddle because he was a ‘mobile ganger’ with the Great Western Railway. That meant he cycled miles from his home to wherever his crew was working laying the railway tracks.

There were all kinds of stories about how he had earned the nickname. I heard the true story from the local postman, Paddy Farrell. Tatters was a spectator at a GAA club championship game between Tubberclair and a team from north Westmeath. Tubberclair were being hammered in the first half. A Tubberclair selector spotted Tom in the crowd and even though he wasn’t a club member, he was coaxed into their dressing room, given a club jersey and a pair of boots.

There were no spare togs to be found so he played in his Sunday trousers (at the time, people dressed up in their Sunday best). He played an outstanding game and turned the tide for Tubberclair. When he arrived back in the dressing room, he looked down and roared “My Sunday best is in tatters!’ and the name stuck.

Tatters wasn’t just a great handball player, he was an outstanding coach. The Bealnamulla alley was built on the verge of the old road to Taughmaconnell and for a number of years had no back wall. Tatters would coach us to serve a long high ball because if our opponent failed to hit it in the air rather than letting it hop, he would have to run backwards, across to the far side of Taughmaconnell Road before he could return it.

Duggie Mahon, a nephew of Tatters, approached him to coach a team of ‘Townies’ (myself included) in a tournament against the local country lads, who were being coached by a very skilful player, Jackie Fallon. Tatters was a great admirer of the legendary Cork hurling manager, Jim Barry, who always looked immaculate on the sideline in an Aran jumper. Tatters suggested he would do a far better job of coaching if we managed to find him an Aran jumper. He got the jumper. We got our coach.

The country lads were noted for their skill at butting, but Tatters had warned us to keep the ball high and skimming the side walls; the advice was good and the townies won out. Tatters roared “Look at ye now - when ye first joined, ye couldn’t even hit the ball with a bicycle wheel!”

He would spend hours coaching, coaxing and cajoling players to perfect their skills. He continued to play handball into his eighties and was filmed giving an exhibition of his handball skills by PJ Devaney for RTE.

At 84 years old, he cycled out to the alley accompanied by his grandchild, Paddy Harney. They played for a while with Tatters passing on his handball tips and tricks to his grandson. It was to be Tatters’ last game at his beloved alley. A few weeks later he passed away. His trusty Raleigh now takes pride of place on a wall in Paddy’s workshop.

The local handball community, young and old, attended his funeral. At his burial in Kiltoom cemetery, many were surprised by the Irish army honouring Tatters with a seven gun salute. However, Tatters was not only a giant of handball, he was also a man of great courage. He was awarded three medals for brave and honourable deeds as a captain in the War of Independence.

He was always on the run from the Black and Tans but was never captured - the bog and the forest were his safe hideaways. Whenever the Tans arrived at his home and failed to find him, they wrecked the house and terrified his family.

Tatters’ house was located on the bóirín leading to the ‘Occupiers’ rifle range. The army lorries drove past at top speed and woe betide any hen or duck that crossed their path. The driver was obliged to report any ‘fowl’ incident to his commanding officer, who would then compensate Tatters’ family for their loss.

Times were hard and money was scarce. Occasionally, when he heard the sound of approaching lorries, Tatters would release an ailing hen or a lame duck on the road. Just like on the handball alley, when Tatters saw his advantage, he took it.