GRT Artists, Performers, Storytellers and Journalists Involved with the History Month
Richard O'Neill - Storyteller, Romani Gypsy
Richard O'Neill grew up listening to stories around the campfire, at family camps and fairs, in caravans at weddings and christenings.
"When I was five years old buoyed by having learned to read at school I did my first performance, some reading (which amazed many of the older people) and a little selection of tales about my school and the Gorja (non Gypsy) people I met there. I carried on telling my tales whenever I was asked, developing new ones especially for my children and their many cousins who seemed to have a voracious appetite for them.
"I now travel the country telling my stories and teaching storytelling skills to children and adults in schools primary and secondary, museums and festivals. Many of my stories have been turned into theatre style performances. I believe that story can entertain, enlighten and educate."
Richard is part of Lollobal Stroytelling & Training
Brigid Corcoran
A talented and attractive Country Music artiste who is recognized by her peers as the future voice of Country Music. Her interpretation of the traditional songs added to her understanding of the newer music has made her popular with all generations. Her talent has brought her to the notice of great country entertainers like John McCane and he has spoken in glowing terms of her future in the business.
There is notice being taken of Brigid as far away as the USA and she is in great demand for festivals throughout the UK. Brigid Corcoran has been described as Country Music’s brightest rising star.
Jentina Chapman - Rap Singer, Romani Gypsy
Jentina Chapman was born in a caravan in Woking to a Romany family.
She grew up in West Molesey, Surrey, alongside 13 brothers and sisters. By seventeen she had moved to work in London and got her first record deal at just 19 years old. After a heavy advertising campaign on television and features in various UK music magazines, notably NME, her debut single "Bad Ass Strippa" reached number 22 in the UK singles chart.
View a digital story about Jentina from "Travellers Tales" a DVD created by Gypsy and Traveller communities working with Romani Journalist Jake Bowers.
Jake Bowers - Journalist, Romani Gypsy
Jake Bowers is a Romani journalist and a regular contributor to the Guardian and BBC Radio 4.
He presents 'Rokker Radio' every Sunday evening BBC Three Counties Radio's weekend programme for the travelling community.
The show focuses on the issues affecting the whole of the travelling community and provides an opportunity for them to talk about subjects which are rarely aired outside the community. The station hopes that by reporting their stories in a balanced way some of the myths about Gypsies and Travellers will be dispelled.
Jake says: "Rokker Radio is the only programme for Traveller communities on UK radio, and I think it will be the first time since the 1930's that the BBC has broadcast programming which is actually produced by a rural ethnic minority."
Michael Collins - Writer and Actor, Irish Traveller
Michael is a professional actor and has been on TV, the Theatre and in Film. He also visits all parts of the UK performing and giving drama workshops to help inspire new talent.
Michael will be performing his play 'It's a Cultural Thing, or is it?' as part of GRTHM. You can view a clip below.
It's a Cultural Thing, or is it? >
Romani Rad
Romani Rad is a group of Roma dancers and musicians from Poland. The group was formed in the spring of 1999 to share their culture with audiences in the London area. Since tentative first beginnings, these young performers have grown in stature and have now become regular players in many different events and festivals throughout London and the UK. The exotic and colourful costumes are all designed and handmade by Romany women. Theirs is the tradition expressed by costumes, music and dance, the skills of which are handed down from generation to generation.
The musicians include a violinist, guitarists, accordionists, double bassist, male and female singers. All are highly-skilled performers. The leading accordionist is considered to be one of the foremost performers of the different styles of Romany music in the UK. They present a wide range of Gypsy songs and dances from different parts of Europe while maintaining the originality and uniqueness of style.
Their music and dancing has enough energy and power to light the streets and stages of Britain with a feast of colour, flair and originality.
Romipen
Formed in April 2008 specially for Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month the members of Romipen are people who love Slovak and Gypsy folklore.
The ensemble consists of two parts: a Gypsy band of Marek Konček (Cigánska kapela Mareka Končeka) and solo dancers Vlado Michalko & Linda Luptáková.
Orchard Family
Tom, Jean and their son Ashley come from true Gypsy stock, a stock that has strong music traditions. Known as The Orchard Family, their ancestors have lived in Devon and Cornwall for more than 400 hundred years. All the Gypsies in that area would look forward to their families providing the entertainment at their gatherings such as fairs and weddings etc.
Tom learned to step dance and play his melodeon from his dad and started to play and dance in public when he was only 6 years old. Jean learned old traditional songs from her mother Amy Birch, who learned them from her mother. She learned to play the recorder at school and then taught herself the penny whistle after she married Tom. Their eldest son Richard always showed a keen interest in learning to play the melodeon and soon their family became a band when their 2nd and 3rd sons Nathan and Anthony started singing and playing the bodrahn and bones.
Sadly, Nathan and Anthony were killed in a car accident and Richard married and had a family of his own. Soon after their youngest son Ashley took up the melodeon and brought the band back together. They play their old family traditional stuff and also modern folk that they have picked up along the way.
William Dundun - Musician, Storyteller, Irish Traveller
William grew up around Irish Music.
"It would have been a miracle not to pick it up. We enjoy telling and receiving stories and showing children that there is more to life than television. Travellers telling stories and playing music is important as many young children and the general public don't know what the Traveller and Gypsy community is like.
Jess Smith - Storyteller and Scottish Traveller
Jess is a best selling author and also travels the world telling stories
Jess Smith was raised in a large family of Scottish Travellers. As a traditional storyteller and writer she is in great demand for live performances and workshops throughout the UK.
Jess recorded an audio CD of seven stories called Dragonory for the Travellers Storytelling Project in 2006. Some copies are still available. See here for more details.
Listen to Jess tell the story "Dragonory" >
Sheila Stewart MBE - Ballad Singer, Storyteller, Author, Scottish Traveller
Sheila comes from the family "The Stewarts of Blairgowrie" who are famous throughout the world for their songs and stories. They are Scottish Travellers who have an ancient, oral culture. "Ever since I was a child I was taught to sing the old ballads to carry on the tradition".
Listen to Sheila sing "Jock Stewart" >
Tommy Collins - Justice for Travellers, Irish Traveller
Tommy became interested in campaigns for equality when working with many of the new immigrants from Africa and India when he lived in London. He was upset to see they were often treated as badly as Travellers.
In 1996 Tommy went to live in Leeds where he met the Traveller campaigner Tommy Docherty who set up the first Traveller group in the UK. Tommy got involved with the local Race Equality Committee that worked to help ethnic minorities across Leeds and set up Leeds Justice for Travellers.
Justice for Travellers is a Leeds based Traveller organisation that campaigns for social justice for Travellers and Gypsies. It aims to achieve secure accommodation for all families and better access to Health, Education, Training and Employment.
Tommy Collins
9 Mowbary Court,
Leeds LS14 6UN
Telephone: 0113 264 8658
Poster Competition
The first major part of the GRTHM is a poster competion for ages.
