NATHAN CARTER was among those paying tribute to the late singer Big Tom McBride on tonight’s Late Late Show.
The Liverpool-born singer this week told The Irish Post about his memories of the country star, who passed away on Tuesday.
And in a fitting tribute to the late singer, Carter performed Gentle Mother, a hit for Big Tom and The Mainliners back in 1974.
Also paying tribute to Big Tom was Daniel O’Donnell, who said the singer and his peers helped pave the way for other Irish artists in Britain.
“They brought Ireland to the people that were in England at the time,” said O’Donnell.
Fellow guest Ronan Keating explained how privileged he felt to be at the special show honouring Big Tom.
“I grew up listening to all of his music my whole childhood and I’m delighted to be here,” said the Boyzone singer.
Meanwhile Fr Brian D’Arcy paid tribute to the man behind the performer.
“The lovely thing about Tom was that no matter when you met him, it was Tom McBride you were meeting,” said Fr D’Arcy.
“You never met a singer, you never met a show band man, you never met anything else – it was Tom McBride the tractor man, the farmer, the fisherman, the guy who sang songs that everybody thought they could sing as good but couldn’t.”
He added: “Tom was a singer who sang thoughts that we had and couldn’t put words to them.”
Viewers also paid tribute to Big Tom and praised Fr D'Arcy's moving words.
#LateLate I've so many memories of waking up on weekends and my parents blaring big tom songs in the kitchen and my late father god rest him singing Gentle Mother so when Nathan Carter sang it there i was in tears it was my father's favourite song
— Aisling Prendergast (@Aislingp93) 20 April 2018
Something truly lovely and uniquely Irish about the reminiscing about Big Tom McBride on the #latelate. Almost like a wake on the telly, exchanging stories and memories.
A very fitting tribute to an Irish legend.
Ar dheis sè go raibh a h-anam dìlis.
— Sarah Flynn (@RealSarahFlynn) 20 April 2018
Brian D'Arcy C.P. always gives the perfect summation of a life. He knows all men, great or small, the length and breadth of the country.#latelate #LateLateShow
— Eh (@AodhBC) 20 April 2018
Oh Lord , Fr.Brian D'Arcy will have the whole audience bawling with those words on Big Tom😔!! #Latelate
— Aoife Kelly (@kells_a83) 20 April 2018
I hope the young people I work with who asked me ‘who’s Big Tom?’ are watching the Late Late. And I’m not being ironic! Like it or no, country music is part of our cultural heritage. Ok, maybe not one twitter folk identify with...but still...
— Claire Grady (@GradySays) 20 April 2018
Big Tom McBride, who was aged 81, was laid to rest today in his home county of Monaghan.
