John Keegan (writer)
John Keegan (1809 or 1816–1849) was an Irish ballad-writer. Life. He was born in a small farmhouse on the banks of the Nore, Queen's County, and was educated by wandering hedge-schoolmasters. When very young he began to write verses, but lived a peasant's life. He suffered much in the Great Famine during 1845–6, and died in poor circumstances in 1849. Works. Many of Keegan's ballads appeared in "Dolman's Magazine"; some are contained in Edward Hayes's "Ballads of Ireland", and in the compilation "The Harp of Erin". At the time of  his death Keegan was preparing a collected edition of his poems, which never, however, appeared. Keegan wrote a version of "The Red Beggar (An Brocach Rua) of Abbeyleix", a story from the local folklore of Abbeyleix, a small town in rural County Laois. It tells of a destitute traveller who came into the area; he gained his name the Red Badger (Bocough Ruadh), from a large red woollen nightcap which he wore day and night.