Page 35 - Lansdowne Yearbook 2020-21 Master Digital Edition

in Old Belvedere at the annual end of season
International 7s-and between them they drank
the club dry, as they did at the same event on
an annual basis for many subsequent years.
It was this that prompted Moss to pull me
aside on the night of the launch of his book
in Lansdowne and in a hushed tone say “Ollie,
you know my heart is here in Lansdowne-but
I think my liver might be in Old Belvedere”!!
Moss is well known for his many humorous
one liners such as this but my favourite quote
was his reply to the journalist who asked him
what was it like for him, a self-confessed
Republican, to play for Ireland with players
from the North of Ireland. “There’s no border more than a little and he was a great man
in an Irish dressing room” was his memorable both to play with and to have some fun. He
reply. was like a magnet in any bar he entered as
In the words of James Joyce Moss “lived and everyone wanted to have a pint with the great
laughed and loved and left”. He may be gone Moss Keane so they could say they had done
but he will always live in the hearts of those so, though Moss himself was happiest in the
who were fortunate to have played with him company of his close friends and team mates.
and he will never be forgotten.’ Under it all he was basically a shy man.
Moss was of course much more than a rugby He was a very bright and intelligent man
player. He was a marvellous storyteller and had and was very well read. The depth of his
a story for every conversation. He was naturally knowledge about all sorts of things was
funny and a fantastic conversationalist with a incredible. On trips to play away games, when
deep knowledge of numerous subjects. It is the rest of us were struggling with Simplex he
fair to say that anyone who knew Moss loved would have Crosaire done in no time.
Moss. His untimely death in 2010 brought the He was a great servant of Lansdowne and
entire rugby community together in grief. incredible though it may seem now, regularly
Moss was a Lansdowne legend as a player, turned out for the 1st XV the day after playing
captain and coach. In the words of one of his for Ireland.
great friends, Paddy Boylan: He was a very successful captain of the Club
‘Moss was probably Lansdowne’s most famous winning a Cup and league double in 1981.
member and as we approach our 150th year His family was the most important thing in
it is an apt time to remember him. Moss is a his life and there is no doubt that he and
legend and like all legends the stories about Anne, now sadly no longer with us either,
him have been embellished over the years. were made for each other. They set up home
Many are true some are not. Everyone has a in Portarlington where he was a very popular
Moss Keane story. What is absolutely true is member of the Golf Club.
that he was one of the great characters to
have graced Lansdowne, Munster, Ireland and Another great friend, Con Murphy, the
the Lions. He was a real gentle giant who had legendary Cork team doctor, also remembers
time for everyone and was never unkind or off him fondly.
hand and as a result was loved by everyone. ‘As a full back in the traditional style, no one
got in on the goalkeeper and Moss would
He came later to rugby than most, Gaelic scatter all before him as he emerged with the
Football naturally having been his game ball. He was a very humble man who loved
growing up in Kerry. However, he made up for sport for the friendships he forged rather than
lost time in what was a wonderful career in any achievements on the playing field.
Rugby. Over the years I was privileged to enjoy the
Along the way he managed to enjoy himself warmth of his personality, his rapier wit
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YEARBOOK 2020-2021