Robert O'Keeffe (16 August 1880 – 1949) was an Irish hurler who played for the

Laois County Laois ( ; ) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medieval kingdom. Hist ...

senior team. O'Keeffe was a regular member of the starting fifteen during the

1914 This year saw the beginning of what became known as the First World War, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip ...

and 1915 championship campaigns. During that time he won one

All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...

medal and back-to-back

Leinster Leinster ( ; or ) is one of the four provinces of Ireland, in the southeast of Ireland. The modern province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige, which existed during Gaelic Ireland. Following the 12th-century ...

medals. At club level O'Keeffe had a lengthy career, playing with

Mooncoin Mooncoin () is an urban area (Ireland), urban area in County Kilkenny, in Ireland. The population was 1,175 in 2016. Historically part of the Gaelic Ireland, Gaelic kingdom of Osraige, today it is in the far south of the counties of Ireland, cou ...

in Kilkenny, St Peter's in Meath and

Borris-in-Ossory Borris-in-Ossory (, or the ' Burgage of Osraige') is a village in west County Laois, Ireland, close to the Tipperary border and the M7 motorway. Features The village has facilities such as a school, churches, community hall, convenience reta ...

in Laois. In retirement from playing O'Keeffe served as a high-ranking referee and was heavily involved in the administration of the GAA. He was chairman of the Leinster Council, before serving as president of the GAA from 1935 to 1938.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:OKeeffe, Bob 1880 births 1949 deaths All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship winners Alumni of De La Salle Teacher Training College, Waterford Borris-in-Ossory hurlers Chairmen of Gaelic games governing bodies Hurling referees Laois inter-county hurlers Leinster inter-provincial hurlers Leinster Provincial Council administrators Mooncoin hurlers Presidents of the Gaelic Athletic Association St Peters Dunboyne hurlers