Childhood friend recalls fun in RTÉ with a ‘larger-than-life character’

Colm Murray’s passing was greeted with sadness in his native Moate, Co Westmeath, where the broadcaster was fondly remembered yesterday.

Childhood friend and Moate councillor Tom Allen said “it is a very sad day for us all. He was just a larger-than-life character that everybody knew.”

The Fianna Fáil councillor, who is related to Mr Murray through marriage, was a regular visitor to RTÉ studios in Dublin while performing as country singer TR Dallas.

“Whenever we’d be in RTÉ doing programmes, Colm would always make contact,” he said.

“I knew him all my life. Racing and politics were his two big topics.”

Wherever you met the broadcaster, Mr Allen said, “he would have a great laugh. He was a very witty man.”

Mr Allen recalled that his last conversation with Mr Murray turned to lighter matters, even though the broadcaster had just completed filming a programme documenting his ongoing battle with motor neurone disease.

“He was telling yarns, stories about fellas around the town here,” said Mr Allen. “We had a great laugh about it. It’s something I will always remember.

“The programme he did, that was a tough thing to do. He had battled so hard for so long, it’s unbelievable.”

Mr Allen said Mr Murray’s family used to run a shop in his hometown and “he was always back and forth to Moate” where he has “loads of cousins”.

Mr Murray was also known to make regular visits to the nearby Kilbeggan Races, said Mr Allen.