The Songman: A Journey in Irish Music

by Tommy Sands

‘With a Fenian fiddle in one ear and an Orange drum in the other’, singer Tommy Sands was reared in the foothills of the Mourne mountains, where he still lives. As a child, he was immersed in folk music – his father played the fiddle, his mother the accordion. The kitchen was where Protestant and Catholic farmers alike would gather for songs and storytelling at the end of a day’s harvesting. During the sixties and seventies Tommy was chief songwriter for The Sands Family, who played wherever they were welcome, from local wakes and weddings to New York’s Carnegie Hall; his songs have been recorded by Joan Baez, Dolores Keane, Dick Gaughan and The Dubliners. He tells of his family’s traditional way of life; of the turbulent days of the civil rights movement; The Bothy Band brawling in Brittany; encounters with Alan Stivell, Mary O’Hara and Pete Seeger; Ian Paisley on his radio show Country Céilí; and a ‘defining moment’ during the Good Friday Agreement talks, when he organized an impromptu performance with children and Lambeg drummers. The Songman is a memoir replete with warmth and wit.

Genres: Music

280 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2005

Reviews

[Ray Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I fine story describing the life of Northern Ireland's Tommy Sands who grew up in the Troubles and saw a few friends killed. Fine ending

[Kerry Dexter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tommy Sands and his songs have often been voices of peace amidst anger, and healing amidst conflict, in places from Belfast to Sarajevo to the Middle East.

In addition to his songs, Sands has written a book about his life, called Songman. Though it does indeed talk some of his travels, the most vivid parts of his narrative have to do with his early days in Rostrevor in County Down, his choices as a young man to follow music rather than violence, and his work following music and working for peace in Northern Ireland.


This is an excerpt from a longer story -- which also includes thoughts on Sands' music -- at A Traveler's Library. To read more, please visit
Destination: County Down, Northern Ireland

[Anja Schoeppe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tommy Sands is a gifted story teller and he shares some of his many stories in his book "The Songman". The story of growing up and living in Northern Ireland. Wonderful book!

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful and inspiring.