Brontë family
The Sands came from a very musical and artistic family. Their parents both came from families of singers, musicians and storytellers and encouraged a love of Irish culture and tradition in their seven children, Mary, the eldest, Hugh, Ben, Tommy, Colum, Eugene and Anne. Their mother Bridie Connolly, was an accordionist, and the daughter of the 'Burren poet', Owen Connolly, and her mother was related to the Brontë family. Their father Mick Sands and six other uncles played the fiddle.