Clare Lappin has been working away quietly to confirm Patrons for Common Ground Scotland. “I am delighted to be able to report that we have secured the support of three high profile performers, Eric Bogle, Colum Sands and Roy Bailey, who have agreed to become patrons of Common Ground Scotland. The patronage of such big names will undoubtedly raise the profile of Common Ground and so enable us to share our experience with a greater number of people.”

All three of our new patrons have never been shy of commenting on big issues as they see them.

ERIC BOGLE: Although born in Scotland he made Australia his home 40 years ago. He has been performing for over 35 years and during that time has travelled the globe many times. As well as an excellent performer he is also a prolific song writer with around 250 songs to his name. Through his songs he has managed to get to the heart of the message. Some of his most famous songs – ‘No man’s Land’ also known as ‘The Green Fields of France’ and ‘And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda’ demonstrate the futility of war. Many of his songs have been recorded by a variety of well known artists such as June Tabor, The Clancy Brothers, John McDermott and Billy Bragg

During his long career he has won several medals including a Peace Medal from United Nations for his efforts, through music, to promote peace and racial harmony.

Eric recognises that the aims of Common Ground Scotland reflect the sentiments he has been preaching through his songs for over three decades.

Eric recently completed his farewell tour of Britain performing in almost 100 concerts in Scotland, England and Ireland. He would have liked to visit us at the Summer School at West Park had time allowed but unfortunately he was touring England at that time.

ROY BAILEY is a British socialist folk singer. He was greatly influenced by friends from multi cultural backgrounds whom he met in his student days. They helped him to view the world in terms of ordinary people trying to make ends meet while they cared for and educated their families rather than ‘National Interests’. He has been singing for over 50 years and has been attracted to songs of justice, peace and equality from all counties. He has performed widely in Britain, Australia, Canada and South Africa both on his own and with Leon Rosselson. As well as his social and political repertoire he is also renowned as a singer of children’s songs.

In 2000 he received an MBE for services to Folk Music but he returned this in August 2006 in response to the Government’s policy on Lebanon and Palestine.
In 2003, along with Tony Benn, he won ‘Best Live Act’ at thee BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Roy taught for many years in Further Education and is an Emeritus professor of Social Studies at Sheffield Hallam University

Roy is very enthusiastic about his patronage of Common Ground Scotland and is very willing to do whatever he can, through his music, to promote us. He is also a patron of Towersey Village Festival and Shepley Spring Festival.

Colum Sands has performed in over thirty countries around the world, confirming the universal appeal for the songs and stories with which he observes the minute and often humorous details of life.

A member of the internationally renowned Sands Family from County Down, Colum established his reputation as a songwriter with the release of his first solo album, Unapproved Road in 1981. Songs like Whatever you say, say nothing, and Almost every circumstance were soon in the repertoire of artists from Billy Connolly to Maddy Prior and June Tabor.

On his travels around the world Colum soon discovered that many of his songs had arrived before him, carried by other singers in the folk process and on recordings by fellow performers like Andy Irvine, Tommy Makem and Liam Clancy, Roy Bailey, Mick Hanley, Gerard van Maasakkers, Rosemary Woods, Iain Mc Intosh and Enda Kenny.

Countless other performers have been introduced to the air waves through Colum's work as a presenter of BBC Radio Ulster's Folk club programme, he has also broadcast a series of programmes for BBC Radio 2 and his work in radio and studio production earned him the Living Tradition Award for services to Folk and Traditional Music.

His first book, "Between the Earth and the Sky" has been published, it's pages, like Colum's stage performances, contain a combination of songs and stories which, to quote one critic, "...view the world with balanced, non tribalistic humanity, breaking down all kinds of barriers and leaving behind an optimism and appreciation of the power of the human spirit over adversity".

Colum has picked up countless stories and songs on his journey's and he weaves these into his performances in an effortless style.

Colum Sands has appeared in venues ranging from intimate gatherings like the Stray Leaf Folk club in Mullaghban to the stages of the Alte Oper in Frankfurt and Carnegie Hall, New York.
Recent festival appearances include Ballyshannon, Belfast, Cape Clear International Storytelling Festival, Manchester, Fylde, Sidmouth, Edinburgh, Vienna, Gizycko (Poland), San Sebastian de los Reyes (Spain), Tonder (Denmark) and Kerrville (USA).

Clare Lappin