SHORT TAKES : Folk Musician Tom Clancy Dies

Tom Clancy, a founding member of the Clancy Brothers folk group, has died at age 67 after a long battle against cancer, his family said today.

Clancy, his two brothers and their friend Tommy Makem formed the group in New York in 1959, playing around Greenwich Village at the start of the folk music boom there. On their return to Ireland, the group launched a folk revival in Dublin.

Clancy also worked as an actor in London, New York and Hollywood. He first made his name working for a Shakespeare repertory company in England and then in New York where he appeared both on and off Broadway.

He moved to California, playing character roles in television series like “Starsky and Hutch” and “The Incredible Hulk” and appearing in the film “Airport.”

On his return to western Ireland, he lived in semi-retirement until his death Wednesday.