Gypsy Roma Traveller Leeds
The permanent site of the Gypsy Roma Traveller Communities
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Listening pleasure
Dragonory
An audio CD of seven stories called Dragonory has been specially prepared by Jess Smith the Scottish Storyteller for the Travellers Storytelling Project.
The CD is available to buy from the Gypsy Roma Traveller Achievement Service.
Listen to one of stories to whet your appetite.
A passed down tradition
Irish Music
Today Ireland is culturally respected worldwide as a land of music, song and dance with a thriving tradition that has unknown to many, survived and evolved despite penal laws, the famine, mass emigration and the influence of modern music; it is questionable that without the influence of one group in Irish society, we would have inherited such a legacy. The contribution of the Travellers to Irish traditional music has often been overlooked.
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Des Hurley, John Woods and Rod Taylor entertained the audience at the launch of the TES book "Gypsies and Travellers in their own words" at Leeds Town Hall. |
With radio, television and the Internet today, it is often difficult to now fully appreciate the historical role of the Traveller musicians.
Watch Des Hurley and his nephew Dermot Hurley performing on YouTube. Des plays the fiddle and Dermot plays guitar and bodhrain.
Traditional Irish music was passed down as an oral tradition until relatively recent times, since when collectors have written the music down using a classical music structure. However an oral tradition depends on those who can pass the music on, not just from one generation to another, but from one place to the next.
Little has been documented historically in the role of the Travelling musicians who brought music to villages and fairs in rural Ireland. They carried the tunes and the traditions and were often makers of the instruments and a link between rurally isolated musicians and communities in Ireland.
The instruments associated with the Irish Traveller musicians were the Mouth Organ, Tin Whistle, Fiddle, Banjo and Uilleann Pipes.
To find out more about Irish Music in Leeds contact the Irish Arts Foundation:
Irish Arts Foundation,
West Park Centre ,
Spen Lane,
Leeds LS16 5BE
0113 275 5665
Around the site
Music Download
Traveller pipers John Rooney and son Larry recently visited Leeds for a musical session. More here
Szapora
Szapora is a remarkable collaboration between two Bosnian singing sisters, five British musicians and a Polish gypsy. This fabulous group has become legendary for brilliant, mesmerising performances of songs and dances from central and eastern Europe.
More Irish music
Further information Regarding the influence of the role of the Travellers within Irish traditional music, can be obtained from:
Pavee Point
Travellers Centre,
46 North
Great Charles Street,
Dublin 1
John Rooney
A Session at the Pointer on the occasion of a welcome visit to Leeds by the Traveller Pipers, John and Larry Rooney April 7th 2005. Download mp3 files of the session from this page
Also read about
Classical Inspiration
Gypsy music lifestyle and culture have been inspirational for many of the world's greatest classical composers.
Classical Admiration
Gypsy musicians have earned the respect, love and admiration of some of the greatest classical composers.
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