Joseph Chapman Keogh of Wicklow

Born at Dunbur in Wicklow, to Thomas and Maria Keogh (née Chapman) into a farming family, Joseph Keogh was baptised on December 8th 1862 and by the mid to late 1880s, he had not only pursued a career in banking, but had risen to become the youngest ever Bank Manager in Ireland, managing the Hibernian Bank’s branch

1901 Census records the name of the ‘Landholder’ of the Bank’s building as a William Keogh, possibly a relative and this might explain how Joseph made the move from a farm in Wicklow to the relative backwater of Swinford in the wilds of Mayo. Swinford, at the time spelt Swineford, the name means literally, the place where the swine forded a water course. 

After the Collapse of his Stock exchange business Joseph was cared for in Twyford Abbey, Park Royal in North London. This was a nursing home run by the Alexian Brothers for destitute ‘gentlemen’.

In early 1944 whilst boarding a ferry, Joseph Keogh was taken seriously ill and died on February 10th; no doubt whilst trying to return to Ireland (presumably to die on home soil). He is buried in Amlwch (pronounced Am-Lock) on the island of Anglesey, to the very north west of Wales and his grave is unmarked