Tom loved and was loved

The death took place on February 9 last of Tom Gleeson, The School House, Coleridge Court, Keswick, Cumbria, England and formerly of 4 Lacey Avenue, Templemore.

Tom was born to Tommy and Lil Gleeson in Templemore on February 23, 1941. He really enjoyed his school days growing up in Templemore, which is not universally the case for any schoolboy. His surviving classmates remember with great affection the good times they had growing up in Templemore.

Tom loved music and song, particularly the tin whistle, and began his musical life in the Sacred Heart Church Choir and continued in the Christian Brothers School Band. The Christmas Masses were a particular favourite each year.

Tom began his working life in the Garda College following its opening in 1964. Tom had a great way with people and following his Garda College days he moved on to the hotel trade, where he worked as a waiter and a porter.

His gentle manner endeared him to many as he eventually found his way to the Lodore Falls hotel in Keswick in the heart of the beautiful Lake District in the North-West of England. Here he spent almost 50 happy years under four different owners, a testament to his popularity. He got on well with all guests and struck up a chord with some famous visitors including the Rev Ian Paisley and the Olympian Sir Brendan Foster.

Tom took great pride in his appearance and was always particularly well-dressed. His love of education continued right throughout his life and he loved to read on a daily basis in both English and Irish. His daily newspaper brought him great pleasure each day as he loved to keep up with current affairs across the globe. He particularly liked articles written by Irish-born journalist Patrick Cockburn.

LOVE OF LANGUAGES

Languages were another favourite and Tom could easily converse in Italian, French, German, Polish, Japanese and Chinese. It began with Italian as there were so many Italians working in the Lodore Falls when he began, a good grasp of their language was essential. But Irish was still his favourite and he still communicated in his native tongue right to the very end, despite having learned it so many decades previously.

When visiting Tom in early February, some family members began to recite a favourite poem of his, 'Cill Aodain'. Tom immediately took over and recited the first verse without a single pause:

“Anois teacht an Earraigh Beidh an lá ag dul chun síneadh ‘S tar éis na Féile Bríde Ardóidh mé mo sheol. Ó chuir mé i mo cheann é Ni chónóidh mé choíche Go seasfaidh me síos i lár Chontae Mhaigh Eo.”

There was hope that Tom might rally after that visit to enjoy the beauty of spring in the Lake District once again, but alas it was not to be as he passed to his eternal reward just a week later.

During Tom’s funeral Mass on February 28, his sister-in-law Bridie played his favourite tune on the tin whistle, a slow air titled ‘Cill Chais’. Tom dearly loved his family and friends, a love repaid to him a thousand times over. He was predeceased by his parents Tommy and Lil, sisters Carmel (infancy) and Peggy, brothers Charlie and Joe and is survived by his brothers Paddy and Murt. We pray too for his nieces Amanda, Tara and Denise, nephews David, Kevin and Cathal and his extended family.

Tom never married but we fondly remember his female acquaintances over the years, including Juliet, Beryl and Vera; his good friend Fred and her family, and his many good friends in the Lodore Falls Hotel in Keswick and the wider community in Keswick. We pause also to remember his many friends in London, Dublin and his hometown of Templemore.

The Gleeson family would also like to thank in particular all those who looked out and cared for Tom in his later years, especially Amanda, Tara and their families, Fred and his sister-in-law Bridie. Tom Gleeson certainly left his mark on this world and whenever Danny Boy or Mursheen Durkin is sung in the Lodore Falls, his memory will spring to many minds.

In five short words - Tom loved and was loved. A special mass in Tom’s memory will be held in the Sacred Heart Church in Templemore on a date to be arranged. Slán go fóill, a Thomáis. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.