Tom Brennan was a general surgeon in Leeds and an outstanding trainer, both of medical students and postgraduate trainees. He was born in Dundalk and graduated from University College Dublin in 1962, before going to England to specialise in surgery. After junior posts in London he became a registrar in Leeds and subsequently a senior registrar in the Leeds/Bradford training scheme. From 1972 to 1974 he was a lecturer in surgery at St James University Hospital Leeds under Geoffrey Giles, where he was later appointed as a consultant. He worked at Leeds until his retirement in 2005. He was a truly general surgeon, but also an innovator, establishing a multidisciplinary clinic for women with diseases of the breast. He was the first in Leeds to carry out interventional laparoscopy. He was highly regarded as a trainer and for many years was an examiner for both the Irish and English Colleges. The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland presented him with a special medal in appreciation of his commitment to training. A passionate sportsman (he particularly enjoyed golf), he was a great colleague, a bon viveur, a lover of wine, and was good company. He died on 12 November 2005, leaving his widow Mary and four children (Jessica, Jennifer, Michael and Catherine).