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63. John (Johnny, Sean) Edward⁶ Keenan (John Joseph⁵, Daniel Xavier⁴, Hugh³, Thomas², James¹) He was born at Cappagh Lodge, Monaghan, Ireland.[133] He was educated at the Christian Brothers' schools at Monaghan, then attended Castleknock College. He took his law lectures at the National University. He placed first in the final examination of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland. He was awarded the Society's silver medal and given the Overend Final Examination Scholarship and the Findlater Scholarship. He practices law in Monaghan, Ireland.[134] He was reported to have thrown all of his Irish language text books into the River Liffey after passing his Irish examination.

He married Margaret Ann Kieran at the Catholic Church of Donnybrook in Dublin, Ireland. Her parents were Cornelius Kieran, medical doctor, and Ellen A. Armstrong. Her father Cornelius Kieran was born 18 November 1896 at Monaghan, Ireland, to Patrick Kieran, merchant, and Margaret Denver. John Keenan and Margaret Kiernan adopted two children.[135]

	77.	i	Jane7 Keenan
	78.	ii	David Keenan

64. Joan⁶ Keenan (John Joseph⁵, Daniel Xavier⁴, Hugh³, Thomas², James¹) She was born at Monaghan, Ireland. Joan "was educated at St. Louis Convent Monaghan and then at Loreto Abbey, Rathfarnham, Dublin. I was a perfect and also vice captain of games. I studied Dietetics at St. Marys College, Dublin, and after qualifying worked at Addenbrookes College, Cambridge, and then the West Middlesex Hospital - where Ray was born. Later I worked at Good Hope Hospital, Sulton Coldfield, where I was in charge of the Dietetic Department (in fact the only dietetian in the North Birmingham District for 12 years)."[136]

She married John Crosthwaite on at Barnes, England. John Crosthwaite was born at Thurnaby on Tees, England.[137]

John started his career as a mechanic for racing cars and ended up as a car designer and international consultant. John was working with with Cooper racing when the first rear-engined racing cars were built. He was with Lotus in 1957 when he went to the United States to work with Colin Chapman's Lotus team at the Seabring races in California. He then stayed on with J. Chamberlin who had the Lotus distributorship. He worked with the first Formula Junior racing cars. He designed and developed the Dolphin racing cars.[138]

In January of 1962 he started work with Mickey Thompson and within 120 days he had designed and developed three cars for the Indianapolis 500 race. The three cars were built for Mickey Thompson, Lawrence Harvey of Harvey Metals and Jim Kimberly of Kimberly Clark Paper. The cars were basically enlarged versions of the Dolphin and were the first cars to qualify on stock engines in 30 years. During the May 1962 race their car, being driven by Dan Gurney, was running 9th when a seal blew out.[139]

For the 1963 Indianapolis 500, John developed a new car with a titanium alloyed frame. This car had a dry weight of only 980 lbs., the lightest of any car raced at Indy (later rule changes made it impossible to race cars as light as this one). The car used 12 inch wheels that were 9 inches wide. They were the first of the low profile tires used in modern racing. In the 1963 race, one of the 1962 cars, being driven by Al Miller, placed 9th.[140]

After the 1963 race John returned to England to work with Graham Hill of BRM (British Racing Motors). He later worked with Jackie Stewart, the Scottish driver, and in 1974 began working with Reliant Motor Cars. He spent two years working in Korea helping to establish the Hyundai car production plants.[141]

+	79.	i	Ray7 Crosthwaite
+	80.	ii	Moria Crosthwaite
	81.	iii	Cathy Crosthwaite[142]

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References

[134] News clippings, various articles which are undated and from unknown Monaghan newspapers, in possession of writer

[135] Birth Certificate for Cornelius Kieran, copy of entry from the Certified Copies of Births in Oifig an Ard-Chl Marriage Certificate for John Keenan and Margaret Ann Kieran copy of entry no 176 from the Certified Copies of Entries of Marriages in Oifig an Ard-Chláraitheora, Dublin, No. C 164/25, copy obtained by John Edward Keenan in possession of writer; Birth Certificate for Margaret Ann Kieran, copy of entry from the Certified Copies of Entries of Births in the General Register Office, Dublin, copy obtained by John Edward Keenan in possession of writer; áraitheora, Dublin, copy obtained by John Edward Keenan in possession of writer; Certified copy of entry no. 544 in the Adopted Children Register, No. A31/48, record lists date of birth and date of adoption order, copy obtained by John Edward Keenan in possession of writer; Certified copy of entry no. 538 in the Adopted Children Register, No. A31/49, record lists date of birth and date of adoption order, copy obtained by John Edward Furniss in possession of writer.

[136] Family records prepared by Joan Keenan; Joan Keenan to author, undated letter 1992, original in possession of writer.

[137] Family records prepared by Joan Keenan.

[138] Oral interview with John Crosthwaite, 2 July 1988, interview on "Car Talk" of KPKF 90.7 Los Angeles, California, taped by Maureen Ruth Furniss, recording in possession of writer.

[139] Oral interview with John Crosthwaite, 2 July 1988, interview on "Car Talk" of KPKF 90.7 Los Angeles, California.

[140] Oral interview with John Crosthwaite, 2 July 1988, interview on "Car Talk" of KPKF 90.7 Los Angeles, California.

[141] Oral interview with John Crosthwaite, 2 July 1988, interview on "Car Talk" of KPKF 90.7 Los Angeles, California.

[142] Family records prepared by Joan Keenan; Joan Keenan to author, undated letter 1992, original in possession of writer.

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