The funeral of Roy Keane’s mother Marie was held in Cork on Tuesday. (Image: Instagram @OFFICIALKEANE16)
Roy Keane gave a moving eulogy for his late mother Marie at her funeral on Tuesday. The sad news of her death was confirmed on Friday afternoon, with her family announcing that she passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones at Marymount Hospice in Cork, Ireland. Mr Keane was due to appear as a pundit on ITV for England’s game against Uruguay that night, but was replaced by the broadcaster in light of his mother’s death.
Marie’s funeral was held in Cork on Tuesday, with Mr Keene joining mourners in celebrating her life at the Church of the Resurrection in Farranry. In an emotional speech, the former Manchester United captain told the funeral mass that losing her felt like her family had “ripped my heart out of my chest”, The Sun reported.
Mr Keene also said he was going against his mother’s wishes by “making a fuss” about her “kind and caring” mother.
He told mourners: “I know my mom doesn’t want us to make a fuss today. I rarely go against her wishes, but today was that.”
Keene recalled how Marie was known as a wonderful “wife, daughter, sister-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother, etc.” He added: “She was pretty good at everything, but she was also a great mother.”
The former soccer player explained that Marie was the second eldest in a family of nine, so she had many responsibilities from an early age. Romance came calling in the form of his father, Mossy, when Keene was still an adult.
“One day her brother brought home a handsome teenager, Mossy Keene,” he said, according to the Cork Beo newspaper.
“When she stood in the living room, she was in love. They had five children. She said six, including my father, because he was more spoiled than any of us.”
Mr Keene was attended by mourners at Resurrection Church in Farranry. (Image: PA)
Ms Keene admitted that she and her siblings Dennis, Johnson, Hilary and Pat “were not ready for Mom to leave” and said she often wondered who among them was Mom’s favorite child.
“Dennis is the oldest, so I always thought it might be me,” he said. “Pat was the youngest. Maybe he was. Hilary might have been the only girl. I don’t know where that left Johnson and I, but she was loyal to all of us.”
Mr Keene described his mother as “pretty strict” and smiled as he recalled the time she “chased young men down the street after they stole wood for a fire.”
He added: “She sprinted to grab them and came back dragging the tree behind her. It was very impressive.”
Keene also recalled Marie’s trademark “wicked sense of humor”, which he said remained intact until the end. He said the past few years had been difficult for his mother, but she never complained.
“In all that time, I never once heard her complain,” he said. “What a woman she was. After all, our mom and dad were happiest when they were together, and they will be together again.
“God bless you, Mom, and thank you for all you have done for us.”
