Jumping and a jigging to traditional music is one way to ward off those winter blues and Glasgow has been sunny with smiles for the last 33 years, thanks to Celtic Connections.
Launched in 1994 as a single venue, 15-night event in a bid to fill the city’s Royal Concert Hall, it has grown into Europe’s premier folk, roots and world music festival, featuring more than 1,200 artists across 30 venues.
And this year’s event was spectacular with a wealth of different performers from across the world keen to show case their talents.
Eighteen days of different experiences at the city’s most beautiful venues brought in the crowds wanting to experience the cream of the crop.
Tradition is very much at the heart of the festival and one of the best shows was the Celebration of Gaelic Songs – Suas leis a’ Ghàidhlig (Up with the Gaelic) – held in the red sandstone, neo-gothic Barony Hall, usually home to Strathclyde University’s graduation ceremonies.
Starring a multi-award winning line-up of Gaelic singers and musicians, the night was originally curated for the 2025 Blas Festival finale at Eden Court Theatre in Inverness and showcased the best of the tradition song and heritage.
Starring stalwart Arthur Cormack and his sons, Ruairidh and Iain from The Isle of Skye, renowned Inverness musician, Jenna Cumming, up and coming star, Alice Macmillan (Lewis) and Ruairidh Gray, the sartorial Gaidheal (Highland) of the moment, the night was a fantastic celebration of some of the finest, with musical direction by Ingrid Henderson and house band members including Iain MacFarlane, Angus Nicolson, Eamon Dooley and Sileas Sinclair, plus a string quartet led by Helena Rose (RSNO) from Lochaber, adding lush harmonies and rich texture.
The equally fabulous venue of St Luke’s and The Winged Ox in the city’s East End and transformed from a church in 2013, is a Grade B listed building, retaining original features of the stained glass windows and pipe organ. Perfect for a night of ferocious Scottish banjo music, starring world renowned star Ciaran Ryan.
Known for his work with bands such as Dallahan, Shooglenifty Ciaran has spent the last 15 years entertaining and his Celtic Connections night also marked the launch of his third solo album “Kick Up The Dust” and Ciaran and his band, Tom Callister (fiddle), Ryan Murphy (flute/uilleann pipes), Luc McNally (bouzouki), Amy Laurenson (piano), Craig Baxter (Bodhrán) and Greg Barry (drums) had the packed audience jumping with their brilliance and catchy tunes and reels.
The night had a real twist to it, with Norwegian folk fusion band Pumpegris supporting and impressing with their homeland folk/West African music, which incorporated traditional dance tunes with witty, yet bittersweet lyrics.
Making their maiden appearance at Celtic Connections were hotly tipped jazz duo Mama Terra, featuring pianist Marco Cafolla and saxophonist Konrad Wiszniewski, whose debut single, Ruptura, went straight to number one at the iTunes Jazz chart and a nomination for “Breakthrough Act 2025” at the Jazz FM awards. Their second studio album, inner Space, was launched at the world famous Ronnie Scott’s in London to a standing ovation and the performance at St Luke’s was met with equal energy.
They were joined by rising voice Ariane Mamon who has established herself as one of the most versatile jazz vocalists and artists in Scotland and accompanied by bassist David Bowden from the Fergus McCreadie Trio, keyboardist Ewan Johnston and drummer Greg Irons.
Adding real power to the festival and spreading a strong message was Palestinian singer and songwriter Amal Kaawash, joined by guitarist Joe Aouard and gifted multi-instrumentalist, Georges Cheikh, the performance at the City Halls brought to life Arabic music, jazz and storytelling, using Amal’s experience as an artist born into Lebanon to a family displaced from the north of Palestine in 1948.
The four very different kinds of music had the common togetherness of tradition, talent and raw energy, inspiring the festival to be bigger and better in 2027.
For more information on the Celtic Connections Festival, please visit: www.celticconnections.com.
Author Bio:
Rebecca Hay is an experienced travel writer and member of The British Guild of Travel Writers. Follow her adventures with her family on Twitter and Instagram @emojiadventurer and on Facebook via EmojiAdventurers2.
Photograph of Mama Terra courtesy of Celtic Connections
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