The late Tom Crowe Tom Crowe was an out and out Clareman. He was born there 56 years ago and it was there, close to the banks of the River Shannon in his native village of Clonlara, he chose as his final resting place. Tom achieved notable success with the Clare hurlers and he was a member of the team that won two National League titles in the mid-1970s. His achievements on the playing field were eloquently described by Fr Harry Bohan at Tom's funeral Mass. Although so closely associated with Clare, Tom spent most of his life living and working in Kilkenny. He came here to work as a young agricultural advisor in 1974. He soon made a big impact with the farming community in North Kilkenny. He was quickly identified as a special talent and he had barely got his knees under his desk in the Kells Road, Kilkenny office than he was chosen to pursue further studies and he attended UCD for a further two years do to a masters degree. When he returned to Kilkenny in the late 1970s, he really got down to the business of getting farmers in Kilkenny to develop to their full potential. This was the 'golden age' for agriculture in Ireland and opportunities for development existed as never before. Tom recognised that these opportunities would not last forever and so in the late 70s and early 80s he encouraged, pressurised and cajoled as many farmers as possible to develop and expand their enterprises. "He was a great advisor but you'd be a bit afraid of him calling around," was how one farmer described him to me recently, an indication of the respect and reverence Tom was held in by the farming community. This was further evidenced by the large turnout of Kilkenny farmers at the funeral mass. Tom continued to work as an agricultural adviser in Kilkenny until 1995, when he moved on to neighbouring Carlow as Chief Agricultural Officer, where he served with distinction until shortly before his death. Outside his professional life, Tom was deeply involved in sport in Kilkenny. He had a deep involvement with O'Loughlin's GAA club for many years. In the early 1980s when O'Loughlins were a struggle junior team, Tom Crowe was the driving force in developing the playing pitches, the club house and he even trained the teams for a couple of seasons. The seeds of the club's current success were definitely sown during his involvement at a time when O'Loughlin's was a less glamourous club than it is today. Tom was also a very competent golfer which he played with the same determination and commitment as he did at hurling in his earlier years. His passing has left a huge void in many people's lives but none more so that his wife, Bernie, and four daughters with whom our deepest sympathy lies today. Courtesy of the Kilkenny People July 2004 Tweet

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