NEWS of the death of Tom Blee reverberated through Plumbridge and all of Ó Néill's country where he was well known through his work with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and the GAA.
This grandson of a native Irish speaker from Gleann Larc in the Muintir Luinigh Gaeltacht lent his guiding hand to the Dún Uladh cultural heritage centre and the establishment of Irish-medium schooling at Gaelscoil na gCrann in Baile na Maolán, Omagh.
Tom was our "go to" man when we needed work done.
He set about seemingly daunting tasks with boundless amounts of energy and enthusiasm.
For his expertise, forbearance, wisdom, and kindness, I and many others will be eternally grateful.
A native of the scenic Gleann Fhoichle (Glenelly Valley) in north Tyrone, Tom never stinted in his commitment to his parish and community.
He was an esteemed committee member of Aughabrack Daniel O’Connell’s GFC, a past manager of Glenelly's under-16 side, and a dedicated volunteer of the Rockin’ by the River Festival.
Along with his wife Bridget, he was also a founder of the Jim Conway Music Festival, which brought many top-class international musicians to Plumbridge.
Perhaps most important of all was the pivotal role that he played as chairman of the Cappagh-Badoney branch of Comhaltas for many years.
His generosity of spirit and community activism saw him lend a hand at fleadhanna at county, provincial and all-Ireland levels.
Tom was blessed with a melodious voice and prodigious memory that made him an excellent traditional singer as he served as Fear an Toighe at sessions across Tyrone.
But first and foremost he was a family man. He loved spending time with his wife, their children Emma, Fiona, Martin and Catherine, his grandsons Daire and Fionn, as well his brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces.
A new grandson, named Tomás in his memory, was born earlier this month.
His family said his main aim in life had been to make sure they were happy and content.
"Tom was known for going the extra mile, whether that was queuing for Boyzone tickets for his daughters at 5am in the morning, fixing broken-down cars no matter what the time or weather, or taking his son to London to enjoy a Chelsea v Leeds match, despite knowing the outcome wouldn’t be in his favour as a life-long Leeds fan," they said.
"Work was important to Tom but for no other reason than to use his creativity and skills to brighten up the homes of those who he was working for.
"A joiner for almost 50 years, he was content when driving through the roads of Tyrone and further afield in his van listening to traditional music on the way to his next project.
"He worked tirelessly to promote Irish music, song, dance and language, encouraging people of all ages to take up an instrument or get involved in another way.
"He thrived on seeing young people flourish and constantly created opportunities for musicians to share their talents, whether that be a nervous child at their first music class or an accomplished musician at a packed seisiún."
They added: "Tom’s hallmark was that he treated everyone in life with the same dignity and respect, no matter what their age or creed. He always took the time to find out more about those around him, making them feel loved and welcome.
"Tom didn’t set out to be, or even mean to be, but he was indeed an extraordinary man and his family and friends are all the better for having had him in their lives."
Tom Blee died aged 65 on January 16 following a short illness.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Brian McKenna
