HEARTFELT TRIBUTE: Country Stars Unite in Song to Honor Big Tom at His Final Resting Place
A wave of emotion swept through Oram, Co. Monaghan today as Ireland said farewell to one of its most cherished country music legends, Big Tom McBride. Following the funeral mass at St. Patrick’s Church, a moment of profound unity and sorrow unfolded at the graveside, where some of the biggest names in Irish country music gathered to honor the man they had long admired.
Michael English, Susan McCann, Margo O’Donnell, and Daniel O’Donnell — artists who have each carved out their own place in Irish music history — came together to sing “Four Roads to Glenamaddy,” one of Big Tom’s signature songs. Their voices blended in tender harmony, rising softly above the hushed crowd, carrying both grief and gratitude into the afternoon sky.
The performance was simple, unaccompanied by spotlight or stage, yet it struck deeper than any concert could. For those present, it was a final gift, a reminder of Big Tom’s music and the community it built over decades. Many mourners wept openly, clutching one another as the refrain echoed gently across the cemetery.
Big Tom, affectionately known as the “King of Irish Country,” had long been more than an entertainer to his fans. His songs told the stories of rural Ireland, giving voice to lives filled with resilience, family, and faith. At his graveside, the choice of “Four Roads to Glenamaddy” felt especially fitting — a song rooted in place, memory, and the ties that bind people together.
Daniel O’Donnell, who has often credited Big Tom as an influence and inspiration, stood alongside Margo O’Donnell, McCann, and English in what many described as one of the most moving moments in Irish music’s history. Their tribute was not about performance, but about saying goodbye to a man who had paved the way for all of them.
As the final notes faded, silence fell once more, broken only by the sound of soft sobs and the rustle of the wind through the trees. It was a silence heavy with reverence, one that spoke of the void Big Tom’s passing leaves behind. Yet it was also a silence filled with gratitude, for a life and a voice that gave so much to so many.
Big Tom’s burial marked the end of an era, but his music will continue to live on in the hearts of his fans, and in the voices of those who gathered at his side today.