Songs of the Open Road
Director Pat Collins Producers Vanessa Gildea, Sharon Whooley Camera/Editor Keith Walsh Sound Robbie Elder
RTÉ
Renowned Traveller singer Thomas McCarthy was born into a Travelling family in Birr, County Offaly in 1965, where he learnt his craft of singing from his grandfather, mother, aunts and uncles. He is the inheritor of a largely undocumented song tradition among the Irish and UK’s Traveller communities and has over 1200 songs in his repertoire. The role Travellers have played in keeping many great songs alive has been crucial in shaping the folk tradition as we know it today. Watch Songs of the Open Road on the RTÉ player: https://www.rte.ie/player/movie/songs-of-the-open-road-s1-e1/270598696372
