Scottish folk scene loses leading light

Feb 18 2009 by Alan Rennie, Stirling Observer Wednesday

TOMMY QUINN, one of the stalwarts of the Stirling folk music scene when it was revived in the 1970s, has died, aged 72.

Tommy used to run the folk club in its different locations over the years, including the former Crown Inn in The Arcade and the Golden Lion Hotel.

He was always very forthright with his views and his sense of humour, forged in his beloved native city of Glasgow, won over many an audience.

Tommy was also a founder member, as the singer and bodhran player, of the Chapter Four folk group.

The other members of the group – Ian Scott, Peter Davie and Robin Duncan – played at a packed funeral at Falkirk Crematorium on Monday and also accompanied Tommy’s son David, who very beautifully sang a song in memory of his father.

In his working life, Tommy was a social worker in Stirling and Falkirk, including a lengthy association with the courts and Cornton Vale women’s prison.

There were many well-known faces from the folk scene at his funeral as well as former Labour MPs Maria Fyfe and Dennis Canavan.