The first time I saw Tony was at Coughlan’s Bar, here in Cork. I went there expecting nothing, I didn’t even know there was a gig that night. I paid my ticket, grabbed my pint and enjoyed the music. The first singer leaves and that was Tony’s turn. Couldn’t barely speak during his whole show, those lyrics, that voice, that guitar, nothing else but his guitar. It was brilliant to finally meet a real songwriter.
Tony was born in England, raised in Toronto (Canada), worked in the railroad in Edmonton (Alberta) and crossed Canada doing something that I just saw in movies, freight hopping. Back in England in 1971 he met Declan Sinnott and headed to Ireland. They toured the country in venues of all sorts.
A master with wood; Tony owns five guitars, all of them made by himself, he rebuilt his house here in Cork and even the chairs and lamps in the place are his.
(Information recollected in ours conversations during my photo project and from his first album “Ghosts On The Prairie”).
enrique carnicero 