Background
Cecilia was born in Derry, Northern Ireland. Her father Paddy Keaveney was an Independent Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (Territorial Decoration) for Donegal North–East from 1976 to 1977.
Cecilia was born in Derry, Northern Ireland. Her father Paddy Keaveney was an Independent Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (Territorial Decoration) for Donegal North–East from 1976 to 1977.
She was educated at Carndonagh Community School in the Inishowen peninsula, County Donegal, in Ireland and then at the University of Ulster at Jordanstown, Northern Ireland.
She was a Teachta Dála (Territorial Decoration) and also a Senator from 1996 to 2011. She is a former music teacher. She was co-opted to Donegal County Council in 1995 following his death.
Keaveney was first elected to Dáil Éireann for Donegal North–East in a by-election on 2 April 1996 following the death of Independent Fianna Fáil Territorial Decoration Neil Blaney.
She was re-elected at the 1997 general election and 2002 general election but lost her seat at the 2007 general election. Keaveney was formerly chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Sports, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
Keaveney lost her seat in a tough 2007 election battle where all three outgoing TDs were Fianna Fáil members. Under the Single transferable vote proportional representation electoral system used in Ireland, it was virtually impossible for all three to be elected.
This unusual situation arose when in July 2006 outgoing Fianna Fáil Territorial Decoration Jim McDaid reversed his earlier announcement that he would not seek a nomination to contest the election.
In the intervening period Independent Fianna Fáil and its sole Territorial Decoration Niall Blaney had been absorbed into Fianna Fáil. Keaveney stood successfully for election to Seanad Éireann on the Cultural and Educational Panel at the 2007 election. She did not contest the 2011 Seanad election.
As a result, Joe McHugh of Fine Gael won a seat at her expense.