Tom Lenihan facts for kids

Tom Lenihan (born in 1908, died in 1990) was a famous traditional Irish singer. He came from a place called Milltown Malbay in County Clare, Ireland.

The house where Tom Lenihan lived in Knockbrack, Milltown Malbay. In 2011, the house was updated and made bigger.

Tom and his wife, Margaret Lenihan (who was born Vaughan), lived in a farmhouse. Their home was in Knockbrack, which is a few miles outside Miltown Malbay. Tom worked as a farmer and also as the local butcher.

Tom's Special Singing Style

Tom Lenihan was known for his unique way of singing. He believed that the most important part of any song was its story. For him, a singer needed to truly connect with the song's meaning.

He thought it was vital for singers to use speech patterns. This meant singing the words almost like you were speaking them. Tom felt that the tune should fit the words, not the other way around. This is why he had so many story-telling songs in his collection. He wanted listeners to understand every part of the tale.

His Music Recordings

Tom Lenihan's amazing voice and songs were recorded. This means people can still listen to his music today. He released some albums on his own and also appeared on other music collections.

Solo Albums

• Paddy's Panacea, released in 1978 by Topic Records.
• The Mount Callan Garland: This was a collection of songs from Tom Lenihan. It came out in 1994 as a double cassette with a book.

Songs on Other Albums

Tom's songs were also featured on many other albums, often called anthologies. These albums bring together songs from different artists.

• Irish Voices, 1997, Topic
• Hurry The Jug, 1996, Globestyle
• Come All My Lads that Follow The Plough (Voice of the People Vol 5), 1998, Topic
• They Ordered Their Pints of Beer and Sherry, 1998, Topic (This album included one of his songs.)
• As Me and My Love Sat Courting: Songs of Love (Voice of the People Vol 15), 1998, Topic (This album also featured one of his songs.)
• Around the Hills of Clare

Recordings for History

Besides his music albums, Tom Lenihan also made recordings for historical purposes.

• Tom Munnelly recorded Tom Lenihan talking about folklore. These recordings were made for the Department of Irish Folklore at University College Dublin. They help us learn about old stories and traditions.