FANS of 'Big Tom' McBride descended yesterday on a Co Monaghan village to pay their respects to the King of Irish Country.
Thousands queued to bid farewell to the showband legend at a public wake at Oran Community Centre.
Big Tom, who died aged 81 on Tuesday, first found fame in the 1960s with The Mainliners and had a huge hit with the song Gentle Mother.
Over the following decade the band attracted a huge army of fans, packing out venues all around the country.
Big Tom later also formed The Travellers, whose hits included Four Country Roads and Back to Castleblayney, and continued to perform until suffering health problems in recent years.
He was among a host of country stars who performed at a benefit gig in Letterkenny last year which helped raise €30,000 for those affected by flooding in Co Donegal.
Many of his fans made the trip to Oram yesterday to see Big Tom for the last time, as his remains were laid out in a coffin in the community centre in front of a big portrait of the star.
Mourners could also sign books of condolence or leave a note of their favourite memories.
Among them was Liam Gleeson (61), from Ferbane in Co Offaly.
He revealed that he fainted with excitement the first time he went to see McBride in concert as a teenager.
"I was all excited for this guy to come up on stage and he says, 'ladies and gentlemen, please welcome on stage Ireland's number one country singer, Big Tom'," he said.
"And before Big Tom ever came out I hit the ground, I fainted. Just the excitement. So I never seen him come out on stage. He was halfway through Gentle Mother before I woke up."
Mr Gleeson said he had wanted to visit the singer at his house, but when he got there he "hadn't the guts to go in", adding: "I kind of always regretted not going in."
Marty Mone, singer of the hit song Hit The Diff, was also at the wake.
The 35-year-old from Castleblayney said Big Tom was the reason he got into the music business and it was "a dream come true" to find himself sitting next to the star at an awards show.
"He was the reason I started, I looked up to him, and it was great actually to get playing with him.
"He was a gentleman and he'd give you advice," he said.
Mr Mone added: "There was no one really to touch him. He was the king of country."
Sean Farrell (65), from Craughwell in Co Galway, said Big Tom "had this unique kind of a draw that nobody else will ever have again".
"He had given so much entertainment and so much joy," he said.
"He's not called the king for no reason."
Kathy Durkin (63), singer of the hit Working Man, said she was was listening to Big Tom long before she got started in the music industry and has fond memories of him.
"He was a gentle giant, a real inspiration to people that were starting off and he loved his family, he loved the farm, he loved his wife Rose," she said.
"Everybody just loved him and wanted to be there, wanted to be part of his show."
Funeral Mass for the singer will take place tomorrow at 11am at St Patrick’s Church, Oram.
Big Tom and his wife Rose - who passed away in January - are survived by their four children, Thomas, Dermot, Aisling and Siobhán.
