Tom Moran & Family– Ballad Singer

Seamus Ennis Recordings

He was recorded by Seamus Ennis in 1954 and a subsequent album which contained a selection of those BBC archived recordings edited by Peter Kennedy was released on Folktrax Cassettes in 1975

The Bonny Bunch of Roses – Thomas Moran

“Michael Moran, who gave permission for the publication of this recording, wrote to us about his father in 1975:-

My father, who was a farmer at Mohill, Co. Leitrim all his life, learned his singing from his mother, Brigid Murphy, known locally as a talented musician. She had four brothers and three sisters, all as good as herself. His father was regularly invited to all the local functions on account of his humorous stories and his songs, which he disposed of freely. In his own way, he was like a tape-recorder, for, whatever he heard, he memorised and could sing immediately. He enjoyed life to the full. If he had been 30 years younger, he would have been Ireland’s No.1 Prize Ballad-singer. However I am glad to tell you that my own children are also becoming ballad- singers and have already won prizes in Connaught, so you can see that it has been well handed down through the years.”