Tom Kirby  R.I.P.  December 2008     The Irish darts fraternity is saddened and deeply shocked by the news of Tom Kirby's death.   Tom was a true gentleman and was Ireland's greatest ambassador on the International scene.   He represented his country with pride at many world events and when he joined the WDC/PDC in the early 90's he graced the Sky Sports TV events with distinction.   Tom was a great character who was ever-present at darts tournaments all over the country and in particular at the Festival events in Tramore where he was always the first name on the entry list.   He always said that the hardest competition to win was the O'Shea Cup at the Tramore Winter Gala and after many years of trying he eventually fulfilled that ambition in January 2006.   His passing leaves a huge void that will never be filled on the Irish darts scene.   Gentle Giants do not come any bigger than Tom Kirby !     Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.   Michael O'Sullivan.         PDC Tournament Director Tommy Cox paid the following tribute: I have lost a very dear friend with the sad passing of Tom Kirby. Tom and others like him were the cornerstone of the formation of the WDC/PDC in that they were the first to put their heads over the parapet and join the initial 14 players who were looking for a brighter future for darts. Tom was very much his own man and there were times when we disagreed but we never lost our mutual respect for each other. His Irish humour shone through at all times and he has his place in history as the first winner of a full scale open qualification event under the flag of the fledgling Organisation when he qualified for the Samson Masters in Sunderland. He became a fixture in the early Purfleet years and was active until shoulder and back problems saw him drop out of the upper echelon he had graced for so long. Ironically Tom left a lasting legacy the last time I spoke to him when he introduced Andrew Spillane to me at the World Grand Prix in Dublin. That introduction eventually led to the creation of the Killarney Darts Festival. I'll always have a smile on my face when I think of Tom because his face was very rarely without one. My condolences to his family and God bless Tom.           Tramore's Farewell to Tom Kirby       Colin Osborne, Ann Kirby, Terry Jenkins and Michael O'Sullivan.   On Sunday, September 27th., many of the late Tom Kirby's friends from the Irish and International darts scene gathered on the beach in Tramore, County Waterford, to bid a final farewell to the Irish darts legend.   One of Tom's final wishes was that his ashes should be scattered on the beach in the beautiful seaside resort of Tramore where he was a regular visitor to the many darts festivals played in O'Shea's Hotel.   Tom and his darts partner, Jack McKenna, regularly walked the beach on the Sunday morning before the singles competitions in O'Shea's and it was fitting that Jack should carry out Tom's wish together with Tom's widow, Ann.   Jack McKenna and Ann Kirby scattering Tom's ashes on the beach in Tramore.   A large crowd gathered on the beach on a glorious sunny day and they bade farewell to the great man with a rapturous round of applause.