Tommy Drennan
{{Short description|Irish singer (1941/1942–2024)}}
Thomas Drennan (12 October 1941 – 11 July 2024) was an Irish classically trained lyric tenor and recording artist. Associated for the most part with the showband era, his [https://www.irishrock.org/irodb/bands/drennan-tommy.html discography] includes fourteen Top 20 singles and nine Top 10 singles in the Irish Charts. His rendition of O Holy Night on the [https://www.irishrock.org/labels/columbia.html Columbia Records (EMI)] label, became the Irish Christmas No.1 single for 1971.
Life and career
Drennan was born in October 1941,{{cite web|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-20301613.html|title=Grandad Drennan on song as he enlists eight little helpers for CD|publisher=Irish Examiner|date=9 December 2014|access-date=13 July 2024|first=|last=}} in the Janesboro area of Limerick and was educated at Presentation Convent before moving to Limerick CBS. He was first introduced to singing when he joined the [https://www.redemptoristslimerick.ie/ Redemptorists church] choir as an 11-year-old boy soprano. Drennan's 1953 rendition of O Holy Night brought him to prominence.{{cite web|url=https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/997740|title=O Holy Night by Tommy Drennan and The Monarchs|publisher=Second Hand Songs|date=|access-date=13 July 2024|first=|last=}} He later studied voice at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. During this time Drennan was first prize winner at the Feis Ceoil, appeared on several half-hour programmes of classical songs for Radio Éireann, and also appeared regularly on Ulster Television in Teatime With Tommy.{{cite web|url=https://www.irish-showbands.com/Stories/limerick_leader__september_4th.htm|title=Tommy: Monarch of all that he surveys|publisher=Limerick Leader|date=4 September 1999|access-date=13 July 2024|first=|last=}}
Drennan toured as lead singer with The Freshmen before later becoming lead singer with the Limerick-based showband The Monarchs.{{cite web|url=https://www.irish-showbands.com/Bands/Freshmen.htm|title=All about the Freshmen (1962-1980)|publisher=Irish Showbands website|date=|access-date=13 July 2024|first=|last=}} The band released several albums under the EMI label and had numerous hit singles which reached number one in the Irish Charts, including a 1971 version of O Holy Night which merged his original 1953 recording with a contemporary version. Drennan also reached the semi-finals of the 1968 National Contest.{{cite web|url=https://eurovisionworld.com/national/ireland/1968/tommy-drennan-if-you-love-me|title=Irish Selection 1968: Tommy Drennan - "If You Love Me"|publisher=Eurovision World|date=|access-date=13 July 2024|first=|last=}}
Drennan died at the age of 82 at Milford Care Centre on 11 July 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/home/1552473/limerick-showband-legend-dies.html|title=Limerick showband legend dies|publisher=Limerick Live|date=11 July 2024|access-date=13 July 2024|first=|last=}}{{cite web|url=https://clareherald.com/news/showband-legend-and-ennis-music-teacher-tommy-drennan-dies/|title=Showband legend and Ennis music teacher Tommy Drennan dies|publisher=The Clare Herald|date=11 July 2024|access-date=13 July 2024|first=|last=}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External Links
- {{discogs artist|Tommy Drennan}}
- {{imdb name|14602733}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drennan, Tommy}}