Conor Kehoe: The Mischievous Friend Who Found His Voice

Overview

Conor Kehoe is one of Gordon D’Arcy’s closest friends in the Gordon’s Game series by Paul Howard and Gordon D’Arcy. A natural prankster with a quick wit, Conor initially appears as the class clown who deflects every serious moment with a joke. Beneath the humour, however, lies a boy desperate to prove himself on the rugby field, until a careless accident derails his athletic dreams and redirects his talents toward a surprising new outlet: writing a comedy play. His journey from impulsive trickster to determined playwright forms a meaningful parallel to Gordon’s own growth.

Plot Role

Conor serves as both comic relief and a cautionary mirror for Gordon. From the opening chapters, he is the one who concocts the potato‑tackling games at McWonderburger and secretly sticks a harmonica to the bus grille to annoy driver Hughie. His antics often land the group in trouble—Gordon is nearly blamed for the prank in the prologue. Yet Conor also pushes Gordon to confront his fears, especially when Gordon admits he is faking a stomach ache to avoid Leinster training. Later, Conor’s reckless decision to jump the Gollymochy river after being cut from the junior squad becomes a turning point: it sidelines him from rugby and forces him to find a new identity.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Conor’s primary motivation is a desire for recognition and respect. He hides this need behind humour, telling Gordon “if you never get your hopes up, then you’ll never be disappointed.” But he does get his hopes up—he tries out for scrum‑half at Vinnie Murray’s suggestion and attends the trial. When Frank Kelly says he needs “one more year” because of his size, Conor’s hurt explodes into a dangerous act: he jumps the river to prove he is daring enough. This shows his impulsiveness and how he equates physical courage with worth. After the broken leg, his motivation shifts from athletic achievement to creative expression. He writes a comedy play and writes himself a part, demonstrating adaptability and a refusal to be defined solely by rugby.

Chronological Arc

• Summer job at McWonderburger: Conor invents games to make the drudgery bearable, showing his creativity and loyalty to Peter and Gordon.
• Return to Clongowes: He teases Gordon about Leinster stereotypes but also takes Gordon’s advice seriously, promising to attend the scrum‑half trial.
• Trial and rejection: Mr Kelly tells Conor he is too small; Conor blames Gordon for encouraging him to aim high, then decides to jump the Gollymochy.
• The accident and hospital: The break is severe—six months in a cast with a possible permanent limp. Conor sinks into despair.
• Recovery and new fame: Back at school on crutches, he enjoys signing sessions in the cafeteria, but hates watching others play rugby. He still doesn’t know if he’ll ever play again.
• Cast removal: The doctor finds a screwdriver and a TV remote inside the plaster. Conor asks if he can play again; the answer is uncertain but he learns to walk slowly.
• School play: Conor writes a part for himself and appears in the play after the cast comes off, showing he has channeled his energy into comedy and drama.

Relationships

• With Gordon: The core friendship. Conor respects Gordon’s rugby talent but also teases him mercilessly. He is the first to spot Gordon’s fake‑tan desperation and the one who calls him out for faking illness. After the broken leg, Gordon blames himself and stays by Conor’s side at the hospital.
• With Peter: Peter is the steady, academic foil. Conor and Peter team up to throw the potato sack at Gordon, and Peter is the one who follows Conor when he suspects he is getting into trouble with older boys.
• With Aoife: Conor’s cousin. Aoife is a strong female role model; Conor is proud of her when she speaks out against inequality, and she visits him in hospital. Their bond shows the Kehoe family’s support for each other.
• With older boys: After the accident, Conor briefly falls in with a rough crowd, plotting a robbery. Peter overhears and alerts Gordon and Aoife, who intervene. This episode highlights Conor’s vulnerability and desire to belong.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Theme and Symbol Connections

• Theme – Resilience: (linked to /books/gordons-game/themes/resilience/) Conor’s recovery from a broken leg and his pivot to playwriting embody resilience. He does not give up after losing rugby; he adapts.
• Theme – Balancing Academics and Athletics: (linked to /books/gordons-game/themes/balancing-academics-and-athletics/) Conor’s struggle mirrors Gordon’s own academic difficulties. He is a reminder that not every student makes the team.
• Theme – Bullying: (linked to /books/gordons-game/themes/bullying/) Conor’s brief association with older, rougher boys suggests he is susceptible to peer pressure, a form of bullying that can lead to poor decisions.
• Theme – Gender Inequality in Sports: (linked to /books/gordons-game/themes/gender-inequality-in-sports/) Although Conor is male, his cousin Aoife’s fight for equal treatment influences him. He supports her strongly.
• Symbol – The plaster cast: It contains everyday objects (pencil, screwdriver, remote) that represent Conor’s resourcefulness and his need to stay occupied during inactivity. The cast’s removal is a literal shedding of his old self.
• Theme – Teamwork: (linked to /books/gordons-game/themes/teamwork/) Conor learns that friendship—Gordon and Peter pulling him from the river—matters more than proving toughness alone.

5 Questions and Answers about Conor Kehoe

1. What motivates Conor to jump the Gollymochy river?
   He is devastated after being told he is too small for the Clongowes junior squad. He blames Gordon for giving him hope and wants to prove his courage, so he attempts the dangerous jump as an act of rebellion.

2. How does Conor change after breaking his leg?
   Initially he is miserable and obsessed with his lost rugby prospects. Over time he accepts the injury and channels his humour into writing a comedy play, which he performs at school after the cast is removed.

3. Why does Conor fall in with older boys planning a robbery?
   Feeling sidelined and vulnerable, he is drawn to a group that offers him a sense of belonging. Peter overhears their plan and alerts Gordon and Aoife, who stop Conor before he gets into serious trouble.

4. What does Conor’s relationship with Gordon reveal about his character?
   Conor can be brutally honest (calling out Gordon’s fake tan and fake illness) but also deeply loyal. He calls Gordon out on his cowardice with Bully, yet he is the first to console Gordon after a poor Leinster performance.

5. Does Conor ever play rugby again?
   The epilogue chapter does not confirm it. The doctor tells him it is too early to tell, and he may end up with a permanent limp. By the end of the book, Conor has redirected his energy into the school play, suggesting a new path.

For further analysis of the book’s themes, see our pages on resilience, teamwork, and the story’s ending.