Limerick busker Tom McNamara is back on the streets of Limerick 

Tom McNamara pictured in laneway between Cruise’s Street and William Street next to a mural created by L.U.A.S (Limerick Urban Art Stencil). Picture: Live 95/2020

Limerick busker Tom McNamara is back on the streets of Limerick 

By I Love Limerick correspondent Peter Cooney

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Eighty-four-year-old Tom McNamara was back busking on the streets of Limerick City on Monday with his notable button accordion after receiving his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Limerick busker is quite the popular figure in Limerick City and has been playing his button accordion throughout the pandemic and for the past 40 years.

The accordion player is synonymous with the cityscape and is a familiar face to passers-by. Normally perched on an ESB box off Cruises Street, Tommy also keeps busy shoppers entertained in the Milk Market at the weekends.

Although COVID-19 has stopped many people going about their daily tasks, not for Limerick native Tom McNamara who has been playing on the streets of Limerick everyday during the pandemic to keep his mental health in check as he tries to boost other people’s morale as they walk by.

The Limerick busker is also compliant to the public health guidelines as he busks within 5km of his home and received his first vaccine dose last week.

Tom is a much-loved character in the centre of Limerick who never fails to bring a smile to passers-by with his witty jokes or his musical presence.

The beloved busker was originally born in Bedford Row and grew up in Ballymorris, Co Clare before his parents moved the family of nine children to Pallaskenry. Tom said he inherited his love of music from his father Michael who also played the accordion.

Tommy Limerick Legend and famous Busker Cruises Street #limerickstreetart pic.twitter.com/xg4nWz0zXe

— Peadar O Broin (@Luasurbanart) March 7, 2020

When he was young, he toured the country as part of the Dalchassin and Garyglass Ceili Bands before he “grew up” and enrolled in the army in 1953. Which he later spent five years based at Sarsfield Barracks and was frequently posted to the border.

Tom said, ““When I was growing up, families had no money and we were happier because it was about simple things. I used to sell milk bottles to get the price of a ticket to the pictures.”

After his years in the military he took off to busy London at the beginning of the sixties.

During his 14-years away, Tom “packed in the music” but after he returned to Limerick he bought a second-hand accordion for £100 from “a Donegal woman who lived in Ballinacurra Weston” and it all came flooding back to him and fuelled his passion for music once again.

Though he never married, Tom has many friends and is continuously saluting and winking at passers-by, most of whom know him by name, while several people pre-Covid came up to shake his hand and get their photograph taken with him.

Tom cites boredom as the main reason he started busking in Limerick. Having lived three-quarters of a century and seeing the city of Limerick and its people change and develop over time.

Now living on Wolfe Tone Street, the musician shows no sign of hanging up his accordion any time soon.

“I love being out and about in the atmosphere, meeting the people and chatting and playing. I will do this ‘til the very end,” he concluded.

For more stories on busking go HERE 

For more information on Limerick City go HERE