Tom McCaffrey was born in Mohill, County Leitrim in January 1916, where he lived until 1955 when he immigrated to the United States. He started playing music at the age of 10, first on the fife, then on the flute. His father (also named Tom) was a good fiddler, who used to play for all the local dances and would teach local children to play the melodeon every Sunday. It was from his father and other musicians passing through the area that he learned most of his music. One of his father's pupils, John "Sonny" King taught Tom some tips on the fiddle.

After coming to Cleveland he soon met up with Tom Byrne. Together they recorded an album titled, "Irish Music From Cleveland" which includes a recitation by Tom, "My Father Told Me". Tom also sings "Riley the Moonshiner" on the recording. Tom also has a recording the The Smithsonian Institute.

As with many fiddle players of the time, he was influenced by the recordings of Michael Coleman. Tom has been involved with the Cleveland Irish Musicians Association since its inception and was also instrumental in establishing The Irish Music Academy of Cleveland. During the 1950's and 1960's when Feisanna in the U.S. were in their infancy there wasn't a Feis in the Midwest that he didn't play.

From Bill Kennedy, August 2, 2006:
It's with sadness I report the death of Cleveland's Tom McCaffrey, born near Mohill, County Leitrim in 1916. Tom started playing the fiddle under his father's tutelage, emigrating to Cleveland in 1955. In 1957 flute player Tom Byrne (1920 2001) emigrated to Cleveland from County Sligo and the two of them, known to us as 'Tom and Tom', became the heart and soul of Irish traditional music in the area, hosting sessions in the basements of their homes and elsewhere, and teaching generations of young musicians, including Grey Larsen while he was a student at nearby Oberlin College.

Thankfully there are three recordings of their music, on Folkways, now available on CDR from the Smithsonian, Irish Music from Cleveland, vol. 1, 2, and 3. Ever gracious, it was a pleasure to see Tom interact with the many musicians who came through town, especially other fiddlers, who he kept a sharp eye on for technique and tunes. Tom and his wife, Alice, who survives him, have been in failing health and nursing care for the past year.

In Irish we say 'Maireann croi eadrom i bhfad' 'a light heart lives longest, and Tom had a light heart, always ready with a joke and a smile, we would have had him much longer, Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.