THERE was great cause for celebration in Raheny recently when a local man celebrated his 100th birthday.
Harry O’Keeffe, who was born on May 20, 1916 at 22 Holles Street, marked the special occasion at Sybil Hill Nursing Home.
On January 2 1941, Harry, a former member of Dublin Fire Brigade, was involved in the rescue of a Mrs Plant of Rathdown Park, South Circular Road, whose home was demolished by German bombs.
These were the first bombs to be dropped on Dublin during World War II and the event is mentioned in the book, ‘The bombing of Dublin’s North Strand in 1941’, written by Kevin C Kearns.
Harry said a childhood memory he will always treasure is when he was on his father’s shoulders in O’Connell Street for Michael Collins’s funeral in 1922. Harry was just six-years-of-age at the time. The funeral ceremony took place at the Pro Cathedral and it was estimated that there were 500,000 people in attendance.
Last Friday week (May 20) in Raheny, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Denis Kealy presented Harry with the Dublin Fire Brigade 150th anniversary commemorative medal and a 1916 commemorative medal to celebrate his milestone.
