Charles W. Clarke

Charles Walter Clarke, age 75 years, died from a long battle with cancer Saturday April 18, 2015. His wife Mary Lou and family extend much gratitude to Concord VNA Hospice for the support needed for him to pass on in his own home.

Known before coming to USA by his middle name, Walter was born in 1940 in Donnybrook, Douglas, Cork, Ireland to Ernest Clark and Kathleen “Kitty” Riordon, Walter was was pre-deceased by his beloved sister, Carmel Elmes.

The Clark Family moved to Birmingham, England as a young family. After completing his formal education and apprenticeship as Toolmaker, he left to travel across Europe and Scandinavia and worked in Paris, France for a year before returning to Ireland. He was married in Cork to Elizabeth Kelly in 1966 and they lived in England, Belgium and Switzerland where his employment at Tupperwear in Lausanne provided the opportunity to come to America.

Settling in Worcester, Massachusetts, Charlie continued his education and was awarded a degree in Mechanical Engineering. A daughter, Martha was born 3 months after arriving in the USA followed a few years later by a son, Eoin.

A Plant Manager position brought the Clarkes to New Hampshire where they made their home on Bay Hill, Northfield. Charlie proudly became a US Citizen on St. Patrick’s Day 1976.

He was employed at Granite State Machine in Manchester, Webster Valve of Franklin and Scotia Technology and Baron Machine of Laconia.

Charlie had a passion for all things Irish. He was highly active as a young man in Brimingham studying Irish Step dancing (his mother’s father Monty was 3-times Munster Champion), Irish Gaelic and the Bagpipes playing in pipebands in both Birmingham and Cork.

Charlie and his wife Mary Lou met in late 1984 through their mutual love of Traditional Irish Music. They worked with the then owners of the Tilton Inn, Dave and Nancy Tryon, to produce a concert to benefit the “Between Program” based in Cork that brought both Catholic and Protestant residents from stressed communities in the North to a farm in Cork for Summer holidays. That concert event led to an almost 30 –year collaboration of concerts to both encourage access to Traditional Music as well and benefit the Between respites. They organized a monthly series called “House & Porch Concerts” and later “OSSIAN’s Loft Concerts”.

They married in 1993 and started a home-based business as retailers of mostly imported Irish Music. Attending Music Festivals for ten seasons with OSSIAN USA, Charlie made many friends among customers and musicians as he worked diligently to promote Irish Culture. He was highly regarded and both Boston College Gaelic Roots Summer School and Catskills Irish Arts Week used OSSIAN as their principle music vendor.

Charlie leaves behind his wife and life-partner of 30 years Mary Lou Philbin-Clarke, his son Eoin Clarke of Manchester, daughter Martha Clark and husband Roger Bolduc of Sanbornton, first wife Elizabeth, his three cherished grandchildren Joshua, Audrey and Elyssa Clairmont, brother-in-law Mick Elmes, nieces Catherine Barr and Teresa Elmes, nephew Gerard Elmes as well as many other relatives in both Ireland and England.

There will be no calling hours or service. Some music events are being planned in his honor.

The Bennett Funeral Home of Concord is in charge of the arrangements.