Last night, the town came to a standstill as the body of the dramatist, novelist and playwright were brought from a local funeral home to St Mary's Church. Earlier, for several hours, there were long queues at the funeral home as Listowel witnessed what a local Fianna Fáil councillor, Mr Ned O'Sullivan, estimated was the town's biggest funeral in decades.
The world of politics, sport, and entertainment were represented. But it was mostly his friends, neighbours and admirers from the town, and other parts of Kerry and west Limerick who attended. Some were survivors of that remarkable generation from the nearby Stacks Mountains whom John B. Keane grew to love. Their rich language and now almost extinct way of life provided material for his extensive literary output over four decades. He had spent his childhood summers there, making friendships which lasted a lifetime.
Although the gathering represented a celebration of his life, as much as an expression of grief at his death, there was a palpable air of sadness at the passing of a remarkable era in Irish rural life. Fellow townsman, Mr Tony Guerin, a retired garda and playwright, whose play Hummin' is currently being performed at the Andrews Lane Theatre in Dublin, was a friend since 1952.
"I contracted tuberculosis in 1957, which was regarded as the AIDS of its day. I was a social outcast. John B. and his wife, Mary, made me welcome in their house," he recalled.
"I was with him on that night in the 1960s when he was attacked after speaking at a language freedom movement meeting in the Mansion House chaired by Gay Byrne. I accompanied him to Cork for his cancer treatment, and I sat with him when he was dying. He was a dear and loyal friend."
The chief mourners were his wife, Mary, his sons, Billy, Conor and John, daughter Joanna, brothers Michael and Denis, and sisters Peg, Sheila and Anne.
The attendance at the removal of the remains also included the Fine Gael leader, Mr Michael Noonan, the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, Mr John McGuinness TD, Mr Jackie Healy-Rae TD, Mr Martin Ferris TD, Mr Jimmy Deenihan TD, Mr Gerard Collins MEP, Senator Michael Lanigan and Senator Joe O'Toole.
Mr Niall Toibin and Mr Ronnie Drew were among the entertainers present, while the GAA, for which John B. Keane had a passion, was represented by the chairman of the Kerry GAA board, Mr Sean Walsh, and former county stars, Mr Ger O'Keeffe, Mr Sean Walsh and Mr Tim Kennelly.
As the hearse made its way from the funeral home to the church, John B. Keane's pub in William Street was silent, with a simple notice indicating its proprietor had passed away.
For some, like Ms Nora Relihan, there was the poignancy of memories when the playwright played host to the Listowel Players in his pub. The group toured the amateur drama circuit with the playwright's earlier work, paving the way for his long overdue national and international success in later years.
