Tommy Sands honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award
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Tommy Sands, legendary folk singer, songwriter, broadcaster, social activist and writer, has been honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, now in its eight year and hosted by John Creedon.
Sands first gained international recognition as a member of The Sands Family, performing at venues including Carnegie Hall in New York and Moscow’s Olympic Stadium. Widely regarded as a significant cultural voice during Northern Ireland's peace process, Tommy’s songwriting has often reflected the realities of conflict and reconciliation. His acclaimed song 'There Were Roses' remains one of the most enduring musical responses to the conflict.
We are honoured to have published Tommy's memoir The Songman in 2005, which tracks his remarkable journey from being reared in the foothills of the Mourne mountains, to writing songs with The Sands Family, to being covered by the likes of Joan Baez, Dolores Keane, the Dubliners, to his part in the Good Friday Agreement. It's a remarkable book about a remarkable man, full of love, longing, home and belonging.
The awards will be broadcast tonight, Tuesday 10 November, on RTÉ Radio 1 from 8pm, and a television highlights programme will air on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player on Saturday, 14 November. The awards will also honour the late Dolores Keane, who died in March this year, with her induction into the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards Hall of Fame. Performers at the ceremony will include Beoga, The Unthanks, Declan O’Rourke, Edwina Guckian, Joshua Burnside and Jillian O’Malley, alongside other musicians.