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During World War I, he was mentioned in despatches, awarded the Distinguished Service Order (London Gazette 14 January 1916) and the French Legion of Honour (London Gazette 14 July 1917). He ended the war as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Tank Corps.
In 1925 he was a major opponent of the Shannon hydroelectric scheme, describing it as "the poisonous virus of nationalisation".
Censorship of publications
In 1942 he was involved in the first occasion on which the Seanad censored itself. On 18 November 1942, Sir John moved: "That, in the opinion of Seanad Éireann, the Censorship of Publications Board appointed by the Minister for Justice under the Censorship of Publications Act, 1929, has ceased to retain public confidence, and that steps should be taken by the Minister to reconstitute the board." and sparked four days of fierce debate, carrying over to 2, 3, and concluding on 9 December 1942.
He quoted extensively from one book The Tailor and Ansty by Eric Cross, which was banned in Ireland soon after its first publication in that year. The Editor of Debates prudishly excluded the quotation from the Official Report; the entry states only: "The Senator quoted from the book". He taunted William Magennis for thinking that two men embracing in another book amounted to sodomy.
At the end of the debate and much discussion in the public press, his point made, Sir John sought leave to withdraw the motion. The question "That leave be given by the Seanad to withdraw the motion, item No. 2, on the Order Paper" was put and negatived. The question on the main motion was then duly put and declared negatived. However Senators claimed for a division, and the motion was defeated: For 2 votes - Sir John Keane and Joseph Johnston - Against 34 votes.
Family
In 1907, he married Lady Eleanor Hicks Beach, the eldest daughter of Michael Hicks Beach, 1st Earl St Aldwyn and his second wife Lady Lucy Fortescue, with whom he had one son and three daughters.
National Portrait Gallery
The UK's National Portrait Gallery includes three photographic portraits of Sir John Keane taken by Bassano's studio on 30 March 1920.
References
"Clifton College Register" Muirhead, J.A.O. p142: Bristol; J.W Arrowsmith for Old Cliftonian Society; April 1948
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Sir John Keane, seated left, pictured with his family.