Words from Peter EI2IU:
It was with deep regret I learned Michael Clarke EI3IG of Ballindrimley Castlerea passed away on Thursday morning 20th August in Castlebar Hospital after a short illness.
Michael was a one of a million type of life’s characters a real gentleman he had a passion for music and played the bass guitar with the Rhythm Stars who’s first hit was Chewy Chewy recorded in the Eamon Andrews recording studios in Dublin back in 1969 which Michael was also on vocals of that famous track they went on to record 7 tracks 8 in total in the same studios that Michael featured playing with Dean Lane one of his great friends.
Michael was always interested in radio communications as an S.W.L. years before he became licensed back in 1979 he was very active in the local C.B. club in Castlerea with his life long friend Sean Browne.
Michael pursued his passion for radio communications and studied to become a licensed Amateur Radio Experimenter and passed his exam. He was issued the callsign EI6EOB and became very active on V.H.F. as he lived in a fabulous location on top of Ballindrimely hill in Castlerea town and could be heard often on Dundalk to Cork and in between repeaters from his location.
Michael perused his passion for radio further and became proficient to be able to send and receive Morse Code at a speed of 12 words a minute Micheal spent many hours learning the code in the front room of the house while been carer for his late Mother which he most dearly loved and cared for her right up till her death.
One story many people do not know is Michael travelled to Limerick to the Department of Marine to sit the Morse test.
Michael would never use a lift in a building he had a fear of lifts and always took the stairs in any building but when he arrived to do the test in Limerick the Marine Radio Officers office was on the top floor. Michael wouldn’t take the lift, and the stairs were under maintenance, so there was a big problem.
The Officer arranged for Michael to sit the exam in the reception and Michael passed with flying colours as he did with anything he turned his hands too throughout his life he was so proud of been awarded a Class A Radio Licence it was a major achievement for him at the time and he was issued the callsign EI3IG
Michael became very active on H.F. as well as V.H.F. and could be found almost every day on the WAI net or chasing DX someplace on the bands and with 100w and a Cushcraft R5 and a G5RV he worked the world.
Now that Michael is a Silent Key and has passed his time with us I have no doubt in my mind that Michael has gone straight to heaven as he had qualities as a man a friend and a neighbour that were most certainly something that most of us can only wish to aspire too he was the most decent man that ever walked the hill of his beloved Ballindrimely I am honoured to have shared so many fabulous memories with him.
When Michael had his B callsign, he would always sign off by saying “ goodbye from EI6EOB or END OF BROADCAST. “
I thought it was a fitting memory for the day of his funeral,
Micheal’s Mass of the Resurrection took place on Saturday 22nd August in St. Patrick’s Church Castlerea at 11am burial afterwards was in Cuiltybo Cemetery Loughglynn in the family grave beside his late Mother.
73 Michael till we meet again,
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam
