Tommy Sands has presented his unique weekly Country Ceili programme on Downtown Radio, Belfast, without a break since August 1977. It is one of the longest running folk music programmes in these islands and continues to be one of the most popular.

"Ceili", for Sands, is not just music, but chat and a get together too, just like the gatherings in his own family home when he was growing up.

Folk and traditional music is the main focus of the programme but, as well as playing all the recent recorded releases, he likes to travel the Ulster country side recording the music and stories of the older people who may never otherwise be heard.

He believes that the music can be a great force for unity and healing in a divided society like Northern Ireland and the "Folks" who have dropped into the programme to take part include the late Cardinal O'Fee to sing "The Oul Orange Flute", Rev Ian Paisley to tell jokes, Lord Fin to play "Roisin Dubh" on the mouth organ or Gerry Adams and Gary McMichael to reminisce about their youthful days in Belfast. Country Ceili airs every Sunday night in Northern Ireland between ten and eleven o'clock on Downtown Radio.