Mary McCormack – an appreciation

On Friday April 21, traditional music and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in Westmeath lost one of its most dedicated and enduring personalities with the passing of Mary McCormack, Tinavera, Ballymore.

Although she had encountered some health problems in recent times, Mary remained unfailingly positive to the end. She had greatly enjoyed Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2022 in Mullingar, and was looking forward to the repeat in 2023, and had even started to plan for Wexford in 2024. However, it was not to be.

Not surprisingly, it can be said, it was through music I first got to know Mary. It was in 1984, I think, that we were brought together, with Pat McKenna from Streamstown, to represent Fr Dalton’s Hurling club in Scór. We got to the final, but we didn’t get the nod from the adjudicators on the night. Still, we were friends and musical comrades from then on, and I learned much from her and a fair bit about her.

Born Mary Teresa Murray in Walderstown, near Athlone, her childhood was the norm for her time – walking to national school in Ardnagrath, and later cycling to the tech in Athlone. The normal pastimes were hers, and she loved the rural way of life and the company of her friends.

But it was inevitable that traditional music would play a big part in Mary’s life. Her grandmother had been a fine fiddle player and the musical gene was passed on to Mary. Add to that the fact that Willie Reynolds, one of the founders of Comhaltas, lived just down the road from her. Another neighbour was fiddle player John Healion, Willie’s musical partner. That musical partnership had frequently broadcast on Radio Éireann, and they were ‘spreading the gospel’ of traditional music locally.

In Mary they found a willing pupil. Introducing her to the tin whistle, they recognised her talent and nurtured it. It was at that time also that as a young girl she became a member of Comhaltas, a membership which was to last for more than 60 years, and which merited a special award, which she was proud to receive from Ard-Stiurthoir Labhrás Ó Murchú at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann last year.

Mary also had a grá for sport. She was a playing member of the Tang camogie club, and in 1964 was on the team who played in the Westmeath senior final. That final has gained some notoriety, as their opponents, Cullion, had one prominent player who certainly took the eye. Not surprising really – she was in fact a he – a sturdy and skilful 15-year-old boy! A major controversy erupted, but in the end the county board got to the bottom of it, so Mary wound up with a camogie championship medal among her growing collection of music medals.

In those days she honed her musical skills playing in the company of experienced local musicians. In addition to Willie Reynolds and John Healion, she always acknowledged the experience gained playing with people such as John Shortall, Mick Kincaid, Willie Jordan and Paddy Ledwith, to name but a few. She often recalled great nights at sessions in the old lodge of Dorrington House, and many a house session around Athlone, Drumraney and beyond. She also made the trip to the Tionól Cheoil in Gormanston on a number of occasions, and was chuffed recently when a friend discovered footage of one of her sessions at the Tionól on YouTube.

She won county titles, and a provincial title at the Leinster fleadh in Mullingar in 1965 against highly rated opposition. She was proud to represent Westmeath in Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Thurles.

Mary married Joe McCormack in October 1971, and moved to Tinavera, in Ballymore parish. In due course, children arrived, Karen, Liam and Joseph. Soon, she was passing on the ‘religion’, as she referred to it, of traditional music. The success of her efforts can be clearly seen today, in her children and grandchildren.

Mary continued to play and added the accordion to her range of skills. She kept up her connections with the session scene, and there were many great nights in the house of Tom ‘Thompton’ Kearney in Mullaghmeehan, with musicians such as Johnny Cleary, Christy Brady, Jim McLoughlin, Jack McKnight Paddy Ledwith and many more.

In 1987, Mary was the driving force behind setting up a new branch of Comhaltas in Ballymore. The foundations laid by Mary, with such people as the late Billy Martin, Rose Longworth, Bridie McLoughlin and others, have stood the test of time, and the Ballymore Comhaltas branch is now ranked with the best in Westmeath and beyond, and the McCormack name is still to the fore in the branch.

An astute judge of music and musicians, Mary frequently served as adjudicator at fleadhanna. But even when not on adjudication duty, she loved to assess and weigh up the merits of competitors, and her verdict was invariably accurate.

Among her favourite musicians were Mary Bergin, a wonderful whistle player, and Annette Owens on accordion. Her favourite event in the All-Ireland was the Ceili Band competition, and she was a great fan of the Bridge Ceili Band. Perhaps there was touch of bias there, as Liam and Karen, and later, her granddaughter Laura Gavagan were among its members.

Although music was her passion, Mary had time for other things too. Her faith was important to her, and in the parish of Boher Ballymore she took an active part in church activities. For many years, in Boher church, she and her family looked after the crib at Christmas, and she was a dedicated member of the Altar Society there for more than 30 years.

She was active also in fundraising, when the Ballymore Community Centre was being built, and likewise in later years, in the drive to build the new Boher Hall.

A full life then, in which she made a significant contribution to the social fabric of her community and beyond it. It is amazing that despite such a busy life, Mary also found time to work outside the home, and for many years she was a highly regarded sales representative of Mars Ireland, a role which she greatly enjoyed.

But above all, Mary was a great mother and homemaker. She and Joe created a happy home where everyone was welcome, and the warmth you felt was created by more than the fire in the hearth. Generous to a fault, as the saying had it, ‘she’d give you her last crust of bread if she thought you were hungry’.

While she will be greatly missed by her wide circle of friends, the keenest loss will be felt by her family, her beloved ‘one in a million’ husband Joe, daughter Karen, sons Liam and Joseph, her son-in-law Pat, daughter-in-law Catherine and grandchildren Laura, Ciara, Jodie and Seán.

Go raibh sí ag seinm cheoil i measc na n-aingeal, maraon leis na mór-cheoltóiri atá imithe ar Shlí na Fírinne.

By Dick Stokes