MARK KEENAN IS stepping down as the Ireland men’s basketball head coach after six years in the role.
Keenan said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time as Ireland head coach, it’s been a great honour to lead my national team. It’s now time to pass on the torch to the next head coach to build on what we’ve achieved over the last six years.”
Keenan was appointed in 2019 and led Ireland to trophy success, winning the 2021 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries. That tournament victory helped send Ireland into the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 pre-qualifiers, where the team claimed home and away victories over both Cyprus and Luxembourg.
Advertisement
Keenan subsequently led the side into the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 pre-qualifiers – the first time an Irish side has competed at World Cup level. The team came close to advancing to the next round, having achieved three wins, twice against Azerbaijan and a home victory against Kosovo.
Keenan stated: “There have been so many highs, including winning the 2021 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries in Dublin. Leading our return to FIBA EuroBasket Pre-Qualifiers was a big task, but one I and the rest of my coaching staff relished, picking up four wins over Cyprus and Luxembourg, who were both ranked higher than us.”
He added: “Our two home wins last November during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Pre-Qualifiers and the atmosphere at those games will also live long in the memory and we came so close to advancing to the next stage of qualifying, with three wins overall.”
The decision follows a meeting between Keenan, Basketball Ireland CEO John Feehan and Deirdre Brennan, chair of the Elite Performance Committee, where all parties “agreed it was time for a change,” according to a statement from Basketball Ireland.
Brennan praised Keenan’s contribution to Irish basketball.
She said: “Mark has left a legacy with Irish basketball and on behalf of the EPC I’d like to thank him for his outstanding service as head coach of the Irish senior men’s team over the last six years, giving us so many wonderful moments.”
Feehan said: “Mark Keenan has given so much to Irish international basketball. As a player he won the FIBA Promotions Cup in 1994 and then 25 years later he was head coach as the team lifted the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries, a remarkable feat.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Mark Keenan to step down as Ireland men's basketball head coach
MARK KEENAN IS stepping down as the Ireland men’s basketball head coach after six years in the role.
Keenan said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time as Ireland head coach, it’s been a great honour to lead my national team. It’s now time to pass on the torch to the next head coach to build on what we’ve achieved over the last six years.”
Keenan was appointed in 2019 and led Ireland to trophy success, winning the 2021 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries. That tournament victory helped send Ireland into the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 pre-qualifiers, where the team claimed home and away victories over both Cyprus and Luxembourg.
Keenan subsequently led the side into the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 pre-qualifiers – the first time an Irish side has competed at World Cup level. The team came close to advancing to the next round, having achieved three wins, twice against Azerbaijan and a home victory against Kosovo.
Keenan stated: “There have been so many highs, including winning the 2021 FIBA European Championship for Small Countries in Dublin. Leading our return to FIBA EuroBasket Pre-Qualifiers was a big task, but one I and the rest of my coaching staff relished, picking up four wins over Cyprus and Luxembourg, who were both ranked higher than us.”
He added: “Our two home wins last November during the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Pre-Qualifiers and the atmosphere at those games will also live long in the memory and we came so close to advancing to the next stage of qualifying, with three wins overall.”
The decision follows a meeting between Keenan, Basketball Ireland CEO John Feehan and Deirdre Brennan, chair of the Elite Performance Committee, where all parties “agreed it was time for a change,” according to a statement from Basketball Ireland.
Brennan praised Keenan’s contribution to Irish basketball.
She said: “Mark has left a legacy with Irish basketball and on behalf of the EPC I’d like to thank him for his outstanding service as head coach of the Irish senior men’s team over the last six years, giving us so many wonderful moments.”
Feehan said: “Mark Keenan has given so much to Irish international basketball. As a player he won the FIBA Promotions Cup in 1994 and then 25 years later he was head coach as the team lifted the FIBA European Championship for Small Countries, a remarkable feat.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Basketball Mark Keenan