Keenan Hall

Infobox_University
name = Keenan Hall
type = Residence Hall
motto = "Fratres in Cristo"
established = 1957
gender = male
rector = Fr. Dan Nolan, C.S.V.
free_label = Undergraduate residents
free = 291
colors = Navy/White
mascot = Knights
campus = North Quad
free_label = Chapel
free =Chapel of the Holy Cross
website = [http://www.nd.edu/~keenan/ Keenan Hall Website]
city = Notre Dame
state = Indiana
country = USA

Keenan Hall is a residence hall located on the North Quad of the University of Notre Dame main U.S. campus, conveniently squeezed between the Golden Dome and the North Dining Hall. Keenan has been recognized time and again as one of the most active and productive dorms on campus. Winning awards four of the last six years, and six of the last eleven, the Knights have often been recognized as Men's Hall of the Year ('00-'01, '03-'04, '05-'06, '07-'08) and Hall of the Year ('01-'02).

History

Keenan Hall was built and dedicated in 1957. The dorm, which is attached to rival Stanford Hall and located next door to its other rival Zahm Hall, was originally a dorm for incoming freshmen. Keenan Hall is named for James Keenan '13, who gave a donation to cover construction costs of the hall. The hall is dedicated as a memorial to Keenan's son, James, Jr., who died in 1941 just before he was able to start college.

After Notre Dame changed its residence hall policies, Keenan Hall became a residence for male freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

Dorm events

Keenan's most (in)famous activity, and signature event, is their annual Keenan Revue. The Revue is a variety show held in O'Laughlin Auditorium on the campus of St. Mary's College. Despite the fact it is one of the most popular dorm events at Notre Dame, the Revue quite frequently sparks campus controversy over the often off-color nature of its humor. The Keenan Revue debuted in November of 1976.

Keenan also hosts the annual Great Pumpkin, which is a Halloween event for children living in South Bend, Indiana. During the Great Pumpkin, children go trick-or-treating to various dorms on Notre Dame's campus. The event is unique because, while sponsored by Keenan Hall, it involves most of the other residence halls and other organizations around campus.

Keenan's newest dorm event, Muddy Sunday, is an annual mud volleyball tournament. The tournament raises money for Habitat for Humanity and was started in 2005.

Keenan has an annual December cookout called the Reindeer Roast and an annual 70s-themed dance, the Disco Bowl, at a local bowling alley, now relocated to a rollerskating rink and renamed Disco "Roll".

Athletics

Keenan has had recent Interhall Football success (2000 and 2004 Champions, 2005 and 2007 Runner-ups). Keenan also had two different teams in the 2006-2007 Intramural basketball final four, one of which won the championship.

Keenan's official athletic rival is Stanford Hall, but a spirited rivalry also exists with Zahm Hall.

Notable former residents

* Fr. John Jenkins, CSC, President of the University of Notre Dame (did not live in Keenan as an undergraduate)
* Steve Bartman, Infamous fan who interfered with a fly ball in the 2003 NLCS [cite news |first=Andrew last=Soukup |title=Interfering fan a Notre Dame grad |url=http://media.www.ndsmcobserver.com/media/storage/paper660/news/2003/10/16/Sports/Interfering.Fan.A.Notre.Dame.Grad-530433.shtml |work=The Observer |date=2003-10-16 |accessdate=2008-02-07 ]
* Bryant Young, San Francisco 49ers Defensive Tackle. Selected seventh overall in the 1994 NFL Draft.
* Jeff Burris, NFL Cornerback with the Buffalo Bills, Indianapolis Colts, and the Cincinnati Bengals. Selected twenty-seventh overall in the 1994 NFL Draft.
*Joe Theismann NFL Quarterback with the Washington Redskins

External links

* [http://www.nd.edu/~keenan/ Keenan Hall Website]
* [http://www.nd.edu/~orlh/halls/keenan/index.htm Keenan Hall Profile]

References