Far left - Tom with a group of Irish musicians
By Sarah J. Nachin
One doesn’t expect to travel halfway around the world and hear mention of a tiny village in the Catskills. However, that happened to me in September on a trip I took to Ireland. Our tour stopped at a Jack Meade’s Pub, a small watering hole near the city of Waterford for a private show given by local musician Tom Comerford.
Tom regaled us with songs−some well-known traditional Irish ballads, such as “Danny Boy,” and some humorous songs, such as “Long Way to Tipperary.”
He related funny anecdotes, such as the one about the Irish Navy. You didn’t know there was an Irish Navy, did you? And some personal stories about his life as a professional musician.
When he mentioned East Durham, New York, my ears pricked up. Tom has been coming to our area almost every year since 1994 when his former band, The Whole Shabang, was invited to perform at the East Durham Irish Festival. Besides Ireland and the United States, he has toured in the United Kingdom, Belgium and the Netherlands.
Tom started playing professionally in 1989 when he was twenty-one and is skilled in both bass and guitar. His appreciation of music probably came about because his mother used to sing while doing her daily chores around the house. Tom’s clear tenor voice shines through in all the songs he performs.
His love of his music, entertaining crowds, and interacting with people of all stripes is evidenced by the enthusiasm he displayed at our private show. He has a large repertoire of songs, so each performance is fresh to him. Besides Irish music, Tom performs songs from a multitude of genres. These include Country (Randy Travis’ “Forever and Ever Amen”), Classic Rock (The Eagles’ “Take it Easy”), and Pop (The Carpenters’ “Top of the World”). Each song he makes his own.
Part of his repertoire is “Forty Shades of Green.” Not to be confused with the best seller steamy novel “Forty Shades of Grey!” The late Johnny Cash was inspired to write this song when he fell in love with the Emerald Isle on a visit to Ireland in 1959.
When asked what he finds most rewarding about his career, Tom replies, “Entertaining an audience, who are there to be entertained, when they made a conscious decision to come and see YOU. That’s a great night and there’s no better feeling.”
The good news is that you won’t have to travel to Ireland to hear him sing and you won’t have to wait long. He’ll be hosting the annual Tom Comerford gathering at The Shamrock House in East Durham, March 7th to 10th next year.
One of Tom’s best friends is local booking agent Seamus Balfe, who promotes Irish musicians all across the United States. These range from Irish Folk music performers to traditional Irish Celtic music artists−a genre you associate with Enya− and anything in between. Seamus books these musicians for bar gigs, festivals, theaters and other venues.
Both Seamus and Tom agree that one of the most common misconceptions people outside of Ireland have about Irish music is that it’s just drinking songs or sorrowful ballads. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Traditional Irish Folk music is composed of Celtic melodies dating back to the First Century, C.E. as well as those of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It is similar to the traditional music of Scotland and has influenced Bluegrass and Country music in the United States.
Then there are the ballads and songs that tell a story, such as “Molly Malone” and “The Wild Colonial Boy.” Some of the more modern Irish music of the 19th through the early 20th Century expressed feelings of rebellion against rule by England and could be considered “protest songs.”
Later in the 20th Century, songs such as “When Irish Eyes are Smiling” and “Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral,” (Also known as “An Irish Lullaby”) were written by Americans and became popular in both countries. And then, we have Irish musicians, such as Van Morrison and Sinead O’Connor, much of whose mainstream music has Irish influences.
Seamus has met and helped promote some outstanding, though lesser known Irish musicians.
“I had the opportunity to travel across the country with Darren Kiely, a rising singer/ songwriter who has made it into the Irish charts on several occasions with his unique blend of Irish folk/pop.”
He has also worked on many projects alongside well-known Irish-American singing legend Andy Cooney who has been a mentor.
Seamus originally came to East Duham from Ireland eight years ago. He later discovered how much music and arts played a big role in the town and ended up moving there full-time in 2020.
“Coming to America really put me more in touch with my love for music. Promoting music and culture isn't work for me; it's more of a hobby that I love!
When not traveling around with musicians or booking them at various locations, you can find Seamus tending bar at McGrath's Pub in East Durham.
His biggest reward from what he does is seeing the joy that music brings to people.
“No matter what's going on in your life, to be able to shut off for a period and watch a show or listen to music is truly healing. Being a part of creating this is magical!”
East Durham is a very special place for Irish and non-Irish to explore, from the many pubs and resorts to the Irish Arts festivals held at the Michael J. Quill Irish Cultural and Sports Centre. They purportedly have the largest map of Ireland in the world there. The town also boasts Irish gift shops and several Irish pubs..
Seamus is a true ambassador for our area, stating, “I am blessed to be living in such a great town, and being part of Greene County which has so much to offer!”
You can see some of Tom Comerford’s performances on You Tube and listen to his songs on Spotify. To order a thumb drive with 60 of his works that include live performances of the well-known and not so familiar traditional Irish songs; modern hits, such as “Country Roads;” and numerous anecdotes email him at tcom67@gmail.com. You can also follow him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tom.comerford.79 for information on upcoming performances and photos of past performances. There is another Irish singer named Tom Comeford, so find the Facebook page with the picture that matches the one in this article.
For more information on Seamus Balfe go to www.EmeraldGigs.com or find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/seamusbalfe or https://www.facebook.com/EmeraldGigs
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