Jacko ‘John Tom’ McMahon (1897-1981)

Jacko ‘John Tom’ McMahon, born in 1896 in Kylemore, was one of four siblings in a household where music was a way of life. His sister Mary played the concertina, Annie played the fiddle, and his brother Joe played the concertina. Jacko himself was a multi-instrumentalist, known for his skill on the concertina, flute, and tin whistle — a rare combination that earned him respect among local musicians.

Jacko himself was a versatile and expressive musician, known for his playing on the concertina, tin whistle, and flute. His style was rooted in the local tradition and shaped by the informal, family-based method of learning that defined his era.

He passed on the gift of music to all four of his children:

• Noreen Hehir (née McMahon)
• Mary McDermot (née McMahon)
• Paddy McMahon
• Pauline Morgan (née McMahon)

That musical torch continued to burn brightly through the next generations. His granddaughter Nuala O’Leary (née Hehir) is a gifted accordion player, and her children —

• Daithí Hehir (whistle),
• Mícheál Hehir (flute), and
• Tadhg Hehir (fiddle) —

have carried the family tradition forward into a vibrant new chapter.

Jacko passed away on 24 March 1981, just a few months before his brother Joe.