Thomas Byrne

Tom Byrne has rowed his last big wave. He died May 2 at 58 while otherwise trying to have fun, after having been diagnosed with cancer in July 2012.Tom began teaching at Durango High in 1992; he loved developing and teaching alternative courses to the traditional Senior English class. Many students earned credit for their college composition requirements through his classes. As the junior varsity coach for Thespian Troupe 1096, he directed a dozen plays, and was proud of those kids and their continuing success on other stages. Lately, Tom enjoyed performing Celtic music at the Irish Embassy Pub’s Sunday Session until he could no longer play and sing. He fronted his own group An Sliabh (The Mountain), Durango’s cuddliest Irish band, and performed regionally. Tom earned a master of arts in English and a teaching certification from Northern Arizona University in 1988. While there, he worked for both S.U.N. Entertainment, helping to return contemporary, live music programing to the University, and as adjunct faculty. Before coming to Durango, Tom robbed the Grand Canyon Railway daily, where he was shot and killed during shoot-out reenactments. He also rowed wilderness river trips on the Colorado, San Juan and Salt Rivers. Tom taught English in Page from 1988-1991, but didn’t like to talk about it. As a lifelong learner, Tom was interested in diverse areas of study. In 1992, he won a National Endowment for the Humanities independent study fellowship to examine The History and Exploration of the Colorado River in Grand Canyon. He won a second NEH fellowship, Shakespeare, Experiencing the Text, in 2001, and was a guest of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. The Education in Ireland Seminar at the National University of Ireland in Galway in 2007 brought him further chances to travel and study. He also visited Scotland and Northern Ireland during that trip, where he developed an interest in Irish literature and history, particularly between 1913 and 1923. At the time of his death, however, he had still not finished Ulysses. After diagnosis of his illness, Tom traveled widely. He visited the Midwest by train, went to New Zealand for a month, and returned to Ireland and Wales. Later, he visited the Gulf Coast and Hawaii, completing his plan to visit all 50 states. Tom is survived by his mother, Ruth Byrne, and sister, Anne Byrne, of Glendale, AZ; brothers, Michael Byrne of Cupertino, CA, and Timothy Byrne of Andersonville, TN; nieces Laura Hamm, Amanda Kim, and Melanie Byrne; nephews Patrick Massaro, Dylan Nadon, and Sean Nadon, and Chaos (Cat, the). His father, George Byrne, and his brother, Patrick Byrne, precede him in death.
An Irish wake will be held at 2 p.m. June 27 at the Irish Embassy Pub in Durango. Family and friends are invited to listen to live music. Memorial contributions may be made to the La Plata County Humane Society, 1111 So. Camino del Rio, Durango 81303.