President Michael D Higgins has led tributes to 'distinguised and prolific' historian Professor Dermot Keogh who died yesterday.
Prof Keogh taught in University College Cork's School of History from 1980 until his retirement in 2010.
The author of over a dozen books, Prof Keogh wrote about many aspects of twentieth and twenty-first century Ireland - labour history, the Irish Jewish community, Irish diplomatic history, church-state relations, Irish connections with Latin America, especially Argentina, and Irish political and constitutional history.
A graduate of University College Dublin, Prof Keogh worked first in the Irish Press and RTÉ as a journalist.
President Higgins said: "Dermot Keogh was one of our finest historians, bringing in particular a valuable insight into the history of Ireland's connection with South America.
"Among his other most valuable contributions was his publications on Irish diplomatic relations with the Vatican, his time as editor of foreign policy archives for the RIA (Royal Irish Academy), and his important work on Jews in twentieth century Ireland.
"Dermot Keogh will be missed by all those who he taught at University College Cork, as well as all those whose strong scholarship in UCC on South American issues owes much to his personal research interests.
"May I extend my condolences to his wife Ann, to his children Eoin, Niall, Aoife and Clare, and to all his family, friends and colleagues."
University College Cork is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Professor Emeritus Dermot Keogh, "a distinguished and prolific historian of many aspects of Ireland in the 20th century".
— UCC Ireland (@UCC) September 7, 2023
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'Generous, affable and genuinely humane'
President of UCC, Professor John O'Halloran, added: "Dermot made a huge contribution to our understanding of twentieth century Ireland.
"He was part of the fabric of UCC for many years and will be deeply missed here. We extend our sympathies to his wife Ann and all the family."
Dr Hiram Morgan, Head of UCC's School of History, described Prof Keogh as "a generous, affable and genuinely humane individual who will be greatly missed by all who knew him".
Chancellor of the National University of Ireland, Dr Maurice Manning, said: "Professor Dermot Keogh's contribution to the development of Irish historical studies was immense.
"His scholarly publications, often based on ground breaking research covered many aspects of twentieth century Irish history, especially in the areas of church-state relations and foreign policy. He was a fine teacher and a great encourager of emerging talent.
"His enthusiasm for his subject was contagious and he made a huge contribution to the development of historical studies in his beloved UCC."
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Kieran McCarthy said: "I am deeply saddened at the passing of Dermot Keogh who was deeply respected in UCC, Cork, nationally and internationally for his understanding and analysis of modern Irish history, the role of the church and state and of our international relations particularly with Europe and the European Union.
"Not only was he a renowned academic but he was a true gentleman who deeply believed in equality, solidarity and human rights. He was a man who strived to improve the lot of others."
'Socially conscious historian'
A tribute from Prof Keogh's former colleagues at UCC's School of History described Prof Keogh as "a socially conscious historian who wrote with a strong sense of people's right to justice, whether in Ireland or further afield".
"Our colleague was a pioneer in many fields and advocated for an unswerving focus on empirical research as an antidote to the politicisation of Irish history in the aftermath of the Irish Civil War and in the context of the Troubles in Northern Ireland," the tribute read.
"Dermot was a leading lobbyist for the opening of Irish official archives to the public and a severe critic of secret government.
"The current generation of historians and researchers in many disciplines owe him and like-minded campaigners a debt of gratitude for the Freedom of Information Act which led to the opening of the Irish National Archives, and the regular release of documentation from governmental departments and agencies.
"Although primarily a historian of politics, his interests extended to culture and its role in expressing values and identity. An immensely cultured individual, he had a deep knowledge of twentieth-century Irish artists and writers, and appreciated art and literature, and their power to enhance life.
"A keen follower of sports since his youth when he was the goalkeeper for the national schoolboys’ soccer team, he regularly attended both soccer and GAA matches, although his ecumenical spirit could be tested by Cork-Dublin encounters."
