Shock at death of Tomás Mac Cormaic

THERE was shock in Shannon this week following the sudden death of former town clerk, Tomás Mac Cormaic.
Mr Mac Cormaic was found dead at his home on Tuesday. He was aged 76.
A native of Kilkishen, Tomás had worked in Shannon Airport, Clare County Council as well as companies such as LanaKnit and EI while he also spent some time in England. He married his late wife, Eithne in 1965 and they had nine children together.
Tomás became Shannon town clerk in 1982 and held the position until the summer of 2009, when he stood down following the local elections, shortly before his 75th birthday.
In an interview with The Clare Champion after announcing he was stepping down from his position as town clerk, Tomás said he had enjoyed his time in the role hugely and identified the transfer of responsibility for the town from Shannon Development to Clare County Council as a highlight.
“The biggest highlight was the transfer of the town from Shannon Development to Clare County Council. The big thing was when the council created the Community Initiative Fund, which was for initiatives of the council.
“There was great satisfaction when the council firstly put in computers in the library for the use of the people for free. Then there was a language laboratory put in and the computers were upgraded. The big thing that was put in was the playground for kids and it’s one of the best things in the town for children.”
During his lifetime, Tomás was active in various capacities in a number of Shannon community groups. These included the Town Twinning group and Wolfe Tones GAA Club, of which he was president and secretary. A very religious man, he attended mass daily. He also wrote the weekly Shannon notes for  The Clare Champion.
Tuesday evening’s meeting of Shannon Town Council was adjourned for a week and the members paid tribute to him. Councillor Gerry Flynn said he had met Tomás on Sunday and was stunned to hear of his passing. “I got an awful shock. He was a man who showed you the right and the wrong way to do things,” he said.
Fine Gael Councillor Sean McLoughlin said that he had been due to play golf with Tomás on Tuesday. “We hadn’t gone in a few weeks but we were to go today if the weather was fine,” he said.
He said that Tomás had friends throughout Ireland and in France and the US. He also said that the former town clerk had been very helpful to him, both before and after he was elected to the town council.
Labour Party Councillor Greg Duff said he was “just shocked” at the sudden death and he said Tomás had been very helpful and supportive to new members of the town council.
Although he is no longer a member of the town council, Senator Tony Mulcahy attended the meeting. He too praised Tomás and said they had enjoyed a good relationship. “He was a great friend to myself and my family and a great support over the years.” He said it was “a true loss to the town and the people of Shannon”.
Town manager, Bernadette Kinsella said she had been shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden death and her colleagues in Clare County Council would share her sentiments after word reached them.
She said she had known Tomás for nearly 30 years and wanted to extend sympathy to his son, Pádraig, who word for the county council.
His remains will repose from 5-8pm on Thursday evening before removal to Mary Immaculate Church. Mass will be at 12 noon, to be followed by burial at Lemenagh Cemetery.
Tomás is survived by his nine children, Padraig, Máire, Cathal, Ciarán, Áine, Eimear, Eithne, Eoin and Gearóid; his brothers Máirtín, Micheál and Noel; sisters Josie and Margaret; sons-in-law, daughters-in-law and 12 grandchildren.