Tommy Sands was born in Mayobridge, County Down, Northern Ireland, and is a singer/song writer, radio broadcaster, and social activist.  From the pioneering tours with the highly influential Sands Family, playing Carnegie Hall to Moscow’s Olympic Stadium, he has become one of Ireland’s most powerful songwriters and enchanting performers.

His song There Were Roses has been described as “… certainly one of the best songs ever written about the “Irish Problem”.  The song recounts how Allan Bell, a Protestant friend of Sands, was murdered in Newry. In the aftermath, a group of local Protestants “prowled round the Ryan Road” for a Catholic to kill in retaliation; ironically, the man they selected, Sean O’Malley, had been a good friend of the Protestant victim and also of Sands.

In May 2002 he received an Honorary Doctorate from The University of Nevada, Reno for his outstanding work as musician and ambassador for peace and understanding.

Tommy Sands work around the globe speaks to our common heritage, using music to bridge cultural differences. In this way he shares a vision with songwriters instigating social change such as Phil Ochs, Joan Baez, and close friend Pete Seeger.

Tommy now tours with his Fionan and daughter Moya. With Tommy on vocals/guitar, Moya on fiddle/vocals/bodhran/whistle, and Fionan on mandolin/banjo.  As a solo performer Tommy has many albums, from Singing of the Times (Green Linnet 1985) to his new album Arising from the Troubles (Spring Records 2011), Tommy is also an Author with his book The Songman – a Journey in Irish Music ( Lilliput Press 2005).

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