Colum Sands: On Folk Music and Environmental Activism

Colum Sands is a hugely respected and much loved Irish folk music singer and songwriter. As well as penning a myriad of songs he has become more and more engaged in environmental campaigning. He led a campaign to recognise an “Invisible Tree”. This Oak tree on the edge of Rostrevor’s ancient Oak Wood was conveniently absent from developers plans to build inner city style apartment blocks with an underground car park on the site. Indeed, without a campaign like this one they would have “paved paradise and put up a parking lot”.

Colum is one of Ireland’s most gifted songwriters and story tellers. This interview traces his career with The Sands Family band, tells the story of songs written during The Troubles and his recent environmental activism with RARE (Rostrevor Action Respecting the Environment).

Colum is a brilliant human. In this outdoor, socially distanced (and very cold) interview we try to catch the magic and beauty of Colum and his music. To see the work of RARE find them on Instagram at @rostrevor_rare, Twitter @rostrevorRARE or Facebook @rostrevorRARE. His music, including his brilliant new album can be found at www.columsands.com