Tommy Makem
The name, Tommy Makem, has become synonymous with Irish music. The sad news came on August 2, 2007, that the Dover, New Hampshire resident has passed away after a lengthy bout with lung cancer. The singer, songwriter, guitarist, who was born in Ireland, was a popular performer, and a part of the Clancy Brothers Band in the 1950s and 1960s.
His most poignant song, that touched my heart, is one that I recall hearing as a teenager. “Four Green Fields” tells the story of Ireland itself, divided into the Catholic and Protestant sections. The songwriter tells the story through the eyes of a mother. At the end of the song she says this: “But my sons have sons, as brave as were there fathers/ And my four green fields, will bloom once again, said she.”
New Hampshire fans, and Irish people everywhere, have lost a great spokesman and a true and gentle artist.
We are blessed by people who share their talents with us, in this relatively short expanse of time that we call “life.” Tommy’s life and music will live on through the work of his sons, who have formed their own musical group called the Makem Brothers. We cannot let this moment pass without acknowledging the loss of a great person, who led by example.
To read more details and/or to view a tribute video about Tommy, please visit WMUR Channel 9 News online for a summary of Tommy Makem’s life. We have lost a treasure.
Irish Quilts – These quilts are either made by Irish women or are about Ireland.
Pat
