Dan Keating
An unyielding Irish republican whose life spanned from the War of Independence to the 21st century, becoming his nation's final link to that founding struggle.
1902–2007 (age 105)·Irish republican·Birthday: January 2·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Dan Keating's century of life was a single, unwavering thread of Irish republicanism. Born in 1902 in County Kerry, he was steeped in the cause from childhood and took up arms with the Irish Republican Army during the War of Independence against Britain. The subsequent Irish Civil War, which he also fought in, ended with his side's defeat, but it never ended his beliefs. He refused to recognize the partition of Ireland or the legitimacy of the states that followed, a stance he held for eight decades. In his later years, he became a symbolic figurehead for dissident republican groups, serving as president of Republican Sinn Féin. When he died at 105, he was not just Ireland's oldest man; he was the last surviving combatant of the War of Independence, a living bridge to the violent birth of the modern Irish state.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Dan was born in 1902, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1902
Dan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1902Born
The eruption of Mount Pelee kills 30,000 in Martinique
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1907Started school
Financial panic grips Wall Street
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1915Became a teenager
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Could drive
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Could vote
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1923Turned 21
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1932Turned 30
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 40
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 50
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 60
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 70
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 80
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
2007Died at 105
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Was the last surviving veteran of the Irish War of Independence at the time of his death in 2007.
- Served as President of Republican Sinn Féin, a party opposing the Northern Ireland peace agreement.
- Remained an active and public figure in Irish republican politics for over 85 years.
Did You Know?
He never recognized the Republic of Ireland government, refusing a state pension for his war service.
He lived to be 105 years old, making him Ireland's oldest man at the time.
He was a talented Gaelic footballer in his youth and played for the Kerry minor team.
“I never left the IRA, and I never recognized the partition of Ireland.”
