Willzee, Limerick-based artist of Traveller descent, today releases Travelling Man, the first single from forthcoming album Deep T’inker. One of Willzee’s most personal songs to date, Travelling Man is a culturally rooted Irish folk melody, with a rap structure, and spoken-word poetry. The single is a bold reclaiming of Traveller identity – turning pain into pride.
“I’m a TraBuffer — Traveller blood, Settled rearing. I’ve tapped into my settled artistry for years. Now it’s time to give the Traveller in me a go,” says Willzee. For him, this release is more than a song – it’s a call to reimagine how Ireland sees its Indigenous nomadic people. It confronts the trauma of assimilation, shines a light on Traveller excellence, and gives voice to those often left voiceless.
The official video, directed by Kreated by Naty, brings family to the forefront. Featuring his children Cayne and Dakota, nephew Baby Mike, cousins Paddy and John, and niece and nephew Lexi and Ian Clancy, it offers a glimpse into the too often misunderstood essence of Traveller heritage, identity, and intergenerational pride.
“I wanted to bring the young family into it because, in essence, they’re the ones who will carry the flame,” explains Willzee. “The aim was to showcase what constitutes Willzee – a little bit of street, Traveller, traditional music, and of course family, all sprinkled with a bit of Casey charm.”
Upcoming album Deep T’inker, due for release early next year, is inspired by ancestral storytelling and driven by a mission to dismantle prejudice – Willzee explains “It’s like my ancestors awaken in me each time I hear this album.”
Rooted in Willzee’s lived experience, academic research, and ancestral memory, the album emerged “from studying how policies have harmed our people” such as the 1963 Commission of Itinerancy, a policy which reshaped Traveller lives for generations. “But it’s also about the stories, the love, the music I grew up with around the fire. I wanted to go back to the grass roots of Traveller music – and honour the uncles and aunties who inspired me.”
Biography
Willzee is a Limerick-based artist of Traveller heritage whose work spans music, poetry, screenwriting, and activism. Known for his honesty and hybrid sound, he fuses rap, Irish folk, and spoken word into something deeply personal and politically resonant.
A winner of the Traveller Pride Award and the Virgin Media Discovers Film Competition, his work includes the short film Innocent Boy, the acclaimed album Kuti Gris, and the NO SPUDZ podcast. Travelling Man marks a turning point – a spiritual and artistic homecoming.