R.I.P Tommy Murray

I was shocked to hear of the death of Tommy Murray on Saturday. I came to know him to talk to through Boyne Berries Magazine and through The Boyne Readings and Open Mic. Tommy had been a featured reader at this year's May reading. I last spoke to him at the Boyne Berries 12 launch. He asked for a copy of my chapbook. I liked him. I can hear him reading from his poem "Van Winkle's Return" included in his poetry collection "Swimming with Dolphins" (Lapwing, 2012):

Look at me
Blear-eyed, grubby
As dishevelled
As a swallow in a sandstorm
Reeking of sloe gin and juniper
Hair, a hurricane of
Grizzled grey and auburn
Time trailing in my wake

I attended Tommy's removal in Trim church tonight. It's a beautiful church really. It's a cold, dark November night. The stars are twinkling. It's Guy Fawkes Night.

Condolences to his family, friends and fellow writers in The Meath Writers' Circle.

Tommy Murray was pictured below with Paddy Smith, chairman of Boyne Writers' Group.