keenan was interned without trial on three occasions: 1940–1945, 1957–1961, and 9 august 1971 – 27 april 1972. he spent a total of 15 years in jail despite never being convicted of an offence. in march 1972, a month before his final release, he was paroled for the funeral of his son colm, a provisional irish republican army officer who had been shot by the british army.