Obituary: Tommy Makem, 'Godfather of Irish music'

Friday, August 3, 2007
Obituary: Tommy Makem, 'Godfather of Irish music'



Tommy Makem Well-known Irish folk singer/songwriter





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DOVER — Tommy Makem, 74, of Longmeadow Road, died Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007, after a yearlong battle with lung cancer.

Born Nov. 4, 1932, in Keady, County Armagh, Ireland, he was the son of legendary source singer Sarah (Boyle) Makem and Peter Makem. He came to the United States of America on Dec. 5, 1955, to live with family members here.

In his younger years, he worked at Kidder Press in Dover, then moved to New York City to become an actor. After a brief but rewarding career in live television, summer stock and off-Broadway plays, he teamed up with Liam, Tom and Paddy Clancy. Folk music was the "in" music in 1961 and when he and Joan Baez appeared at the Newport Folk Festival, they were chosen as the most promising newcomers on the American folk scene.

Armed with his banjo, tin whistle, poetry, stagecraft and his magnificent baritone voice, Tommy had been mesmerizing audiences for more than four decades. He expanded and reshaped the boundaries of Irish culture, and infused a pride in that culture.

In 1969, Tommy left the Clancy Brothers to pursue a solo career and immediately sold out the Felt Forum in Madison Square Garden, NYC. His popularity soared, and he went on three sold-out concert tours of Australia, three in the United States and several in Canada, Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales, all within a two-year period of time.

In 1975, he teamed up with Liam Clancy, and Makem & Clancy was a magical combination that lasted until March of 1988.

In 1994, he completed a lifelong dream when he taped "Tommy Makem's Ireland" a two-hour TV special, and on its last showing, it was picked up by 320 stations nationwide.

He was well known for promoting Irish culture, and locally he helped promote the "George Grenier Memorial Fund" for the Dover firefighters for many years as well as performing at the Cochecho Arts Festival in Dover. He also sang at Gov. John Lynch's inauguration as well at the Mass for the 175th anniversary at St. Mary Church in Dover.

He received a Doctorate of Humane Letters from UNH in 1998, a Doctorate of Letters from the University of Limerick, and a Doctorate-Litt from the University of Ulster. In October 2006, he was honored by being placed on a stamp in Ireland with his former band mates the Clancy Brothers.

Tommy could have lived anywhere in the USA or the world; however, he chose Dover, N.H., as his home where he was a communicant of St. Mary Church.

The widower of Mary C. (Shanahan) Makem, who died in 2001, he is survived by a daughter, Katie Makem-Boucher and husband, Bob, of Dover; three sons, Shane Makem of Dover, Rory Makem and wife, Elaine Scherer-Makem of Amesbury, Mass., Conor Makem of Dover; two grandchildren, Molly Dickerman and Robert Boucher, Jr. and many cousins.

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Relatives and friends are invited to call Monday evening from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Wednesday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Tasker Funeral Home, 621 Central Ave., Dover.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 9, at St. Mary Church, corner of Chestnut and Third streets with the Rev. Fritz Cerullo, O.S.A., pastor, as celebrant. Burial will follow in St. Mary New Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, it is requested that memorials in his name be made to a fund being started in the name of Tommy & Mary Makem Fund, c/o Attorney William H. Shaheen, PO Box 977, Dover, NH 03821-0977.

Please go to www.taskerfh.com for more information or to sign the online guest book.