 He came from a famous clan of Irish Travellers who worked as tinsmiths and horse traders.His birth certificate was uncovered in recent years, firstly by Professor Alun Evans, and subsequently by researcher Caomhin MacAoidh, allowing confirmation that his date of birth was 1900, rather than 1895, which has been recorded in error in several publications.His father Mickey 'Mor' Doherty was a fiddler as were a number of his brothers and sisters.