[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 194 (Tuesday, December 18, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2594]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              HONORING THE LIFE OF THOMAS ``TOMMY'' MAKEM

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 11, 2007

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to observe the passing of a 
friend and a man for whom I held a tremendous amount of respect, Tommy 
Makem.
  Tommy was an internationally celebrated folk musician, actor, artist, 
poet, songwriter, and storyteller from Ireland who took pride in 
sharing the Irish culture with those around the globe. He emigrated to 
the United States in 1955, with nothing more than a makeshift suitcase, 
a pair of bagpipes, and proof of his health, to pursue a career in 
acting. He settled in Dover, New Hampshire. After a brief period as an 
actor, Tommy Makem went on to join a band of Irish descent, The Clancy 
Brothers, where he rose to international fame.
  Tommy broke out on his own following his time with The Clancy 
Brothers and educated generations on the history, traditions, and 
customs of Ireland through his music, art, and poetry. He wrote 
hundreds of songs, including, ``Four Green Fields,'' ``Gentle Annie,'' 
and ``The Rambles of Spring,'' which have been played in Carnegie Hall, 
Madison Square Garden, Royal Albert Hall and across the United States, 
Canada, and Australia.
  Tommy Makem's illustrious career awarded him honorary doctorates from 
the University of New Hampshire in 1998, the University of Limerick in 
2001, and the University of Ulster in 2007. He was regarded as an 
exceptional musician and achieved both gold and platinum albums, and a 
host of other awards, such as the Gold Medal of the Eire Society in 
Boston, the Genesis Award from Stonehill College in Massachusetts, an 
Emmy nomination for a New Hampshire public television series, as well 
as the first Lifetime Achievement Award in the Irish Voice/Aer Lingus 
Community Awards. Tommy, one of the greatest Irish-Americans of the 
20th Century, was also listed as one of the top 100 Irish Americans in 
the Irish American Magazine 5 years in a row. The World Folk Music 
Association awarded him its Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.
  Tommy Makem passed away on Wednesday, August 1, 2007, in Dover, New 
Hampshire. He will be remembered not only for his incredible 
achievements, but as a dedicated husband, father, and grandfather. His 
enduring memory and music will live on, as will the power and energy of 
his unyielding spirit. He remains a true inspiration to me and millions 
of others around the world.

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