Colm Keane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Colm Keane
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Keane in 2014
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| Born | 1951 |
| Died | (aged 70) |
| Alma mater | Trinity College Dublin Georgetown University |
| Occupation | Author, broadcaster, journalist |
| Years active | 1977–2022 |
| Spouse(s) | Una O'Hagan |
| Children | 1 son (deceased) |
Colm Keane (born 1951 – died January 22, 2022) was a well-known Irish author, broadcaster, and journalist. He was born in County Cork, Ireland. Colm Keane studied economics at Trinity College Dublin and Georgetown University in the United States. He started his career in the late 1970s at Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), which is Ireland's national broadcaster. After working in broadcasting for many years, he became a full-time writer in 2003. He wrote 29 books, and eight of them became best-sellers in Ireland.
Early Life and Learning
Colm Keane was born in Youghal, a town in County Cork, in 1951. He went to Trinity College Dublin, where he earned degrees in economics and political science. He then continued his studies at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., where he also earned a master's degree in economics. This education helped him understand the world and share his knowledge.
Career in Broadcasting
Colm Keane joined Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) in 1977. He began as a journalist for television. He helped present a show called Public Account, which looked into important topics. He also worked as a reporter for Today Tonight, a current affairs program. While working in TV, he won an award for a science series he wrote and presented called A Future in Mind.
In the early 1980s, Colm Keane moved to RTÉ Radio 1. There, he worked as a reporter, presenter, and producer. In 1988, he won a Jacob's Award for his radio series American Profiles. This series included interesting stories, like visiting a prison in Texas and talking to an Auschwitz survivor in New York. He also made a documentary about NASA astronaut James Irwin.
As a radio producer, Colm Keane created many documentaries. He interviewed famous musicians such as Burt Bacharach, Cat Stevens, Davy Jones from the Monkees, and Glen Campbell. He spoke with over 140 different performers!
He also made documentaries about sports figures, like the famous footballer George Best from Manchester United. Another important documentary he produced was A Belfast Game. This program explored the difficult times in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles, through the story of a local football team. This documentary even inspired a musical called The Beautiful Game by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Colm Keane also presented a radio show called Studio 10. He co-presented this show with Mary McAleese, who later became the President of Ireland.
Becoming a Full-Time Author
After leaving broadcasting in 2003, Colm Keane became a full-time writer. He wrote many books that became best-sellers in Ireland. Some of his popular books include Going Home, We'll Meet Again, and Heading for the Light. Many of these books were based on his research about people's experiences after coming close to death.
Colm Keane also wrote three best-selling books about an Italian saint named Padre Pio. These books were Padre Pio: The Irish Connection, Padre Pio: The Scent of Roses, and Padre Pio: Irish Encounters with the Saint. He also wrote another best-seller with his wife, Una O'Hagan, called The Little Flower, St. Thérèse of Lisieux: The Irish Connection.
He and Una O'Hagan also worked together on Animal Crackers: Irish Pet Stories in 2016. They also wrote The Village of Bernadette: Lourdes, Stories, Miracles and Cures – The Irish Connection in 2019, and The Book of St. Brigid in 2021.
In 2008, Colm Keane started his own publishing company called Capel Island Press. The first book published by his company was The Beatles Irish Concerts. His company has published six best-selling books since it started.
Personal Life
Colm Keane was married to Una O'Hagan, a former newsreader for RTÉ. They were married for almost 30 years until his passing. Sadly, their only child, a son named Seán, passed away in 2007.
Colm Keane lived in Waterford, Ireland. He passed away there from cancer on January 22, 2022, at the age of 70.
