The MacEgan, Egan, Eagan & Keegan Families

THE KEEGAN DIARIES: TWO DOWN, EIGHT TO GO

Family historians and genealogists should never give up the search. That is the lesson gained from a seven-year hunt for the manuscript journals written by John Keegan of Moate (1813-93) which ended in a joyous gathering in London on November 14, 2000. In the library of the Irish Genealogical Research Society (IGRS) a small group greeted John Stack Keegan (Jack), great great grandson of the diarist who had flown in from his home in San Diego, California.He had with him the first two of the ten volumes written by John Keegan of Moate, who worked in many parts of Ireland and England during a long career as a surveyor for the Ordnance Survey and other clients. It was on those two volumes that Father Wallace Clare, his grandson and founder of the IGRS, based A Young Irishman's Diary, 1836-47, published privately in 1928 and regarded as a gem of vivid writing about people and places in the 19th century. Thanks to Jack Keegan’s generosity, the IGRS is now benefiting from an extended loan of the manuscript volumes and is embarked on a collation of their contents with those of the printed book version. This will establish what material Father Clare omitted from the 1836-47 period he chose to edit. An account of the variations or omissions will be issued as soon as possible. In addition, for the first time, we are able to study a further 230 pages covering travels in England from July 21, 1847 to March 26, 1854. A new transcription of the entire text of both surviving volumes has now been completed. Discussion has begun on ways in which the full text, with some brief annotations, can be made available. Credit for locating the manuscript goes largely to Colonel (retired) Dennis F Keegan, United States Air Force, of Colorado Springs, Colorado. He responded at the ended of 1999 to yet another appeal from John Egan, a member of the IGRS, who began in the search in 1993. Dennis, not closely related to Jack, trawled through many archives and many locations in his search. He often encountered ignorance where he had expected enlightenment, bureaucracy when he had sought assistance; but he never relaxed his vigorous endeavours. He was rewarded in October 2000 when he picked up the phone and spoke for the first time to Jack in San Diego: was he the right person, a kinsman of Wallace Clare, a descendant of John Keegan of Moate? Yes, he was. Did he still have the manuscripts? Yes, he did; right there in the very box he had received from England in 1965. Dennis Keegan accompanied Jack Keegan from the United States after his swift decision to travel to London, where they were both welcomed by George Chartres, librarian of the IGRS, Lord Carbery, vice-president, Michael J S Egan, chief of the Clan Egan association, and other key members of the society. That is not the end of the story. The way now opens for further enquiries to be made about the eight other volumes of the journal. Nothing has been heard of them for many decades, but there is a chance that they are preserved somewhere in Ireland or elsewhere, possibly in the United States. What rejoicing there would be if they were brought to light! When I get my breath back, I shall be back on the search trail. Watch this space. John Egan john.egan6@btinternet.com

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