CELTIC REVIEW & PHOTOS 2026

 

Fiona Hunter and the Scottish Symphony orchestra

Record breaking Celtic Connections delivers message of hope and unity to the world

Its usually hard to decide, as there are so meny concerts on over the festivals weekends, which concerts to attend. The opening night this year celebrated the over 200 artists from Europe and worldwide who will perform at Celtic Connections. Through diverse, contemporary  traditional, electic, national and roots music. The festival brings people together people from different places, cultures, backgrounds, traditional – to explore and expand our musical horizons. 

This year I decided to attend Friday’s concert which brought together the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and outstanding singers with new orchestral commissions for a celebration of Scots traditional ballads, brought to a deeper resonance. singers of traditional ballads were acclaimed Scots folk singers - Karine Polwart, Kris Drever, Lori Watson, Janice Burns with Jon Doran, Emily Smith, Fiona Hunter.  

 

Celtic Connections is Europe’s leading winter and roots music festival, it certainly chases away those winter blues! I was thrilled to attend several high quality and wonderful concerts this year. There are many concerts I might wish to have attended – Mother Tongue, Celebration of Gaelic song, Capercaillie, Jacob Jolliff, and many more. 

Scots legend Dick Gaughan Celebrated!

**The highlight for me at CC this year was the celebration of Scots folk legend Dick Gaughan. He is a voice of deep humanity in our present dark world. This was the most emotional Celtic concert I have been to, over my twenty years attending and doing photos! Testament to Dick’s fame and widespread appeal among legends of the folk music scene, several had travelled far and wide to perform tonight from Ireland, England and Scotland, to perform Gaughan’s well loved songs. Many has also sent messages. 

 

I first heard Dick Gaughan in the 70s at the Police folk club Edinburgh. A musician friend raved about how incredible and distinctive his guitar playing was. Many years later (after being in America for nearly ten years) I heard Gaughan again at Milngavie Folk club in 2007. This was an intimate gig where his chat and stories between songs while he tuned his guitar, was worth going for alone. In his own distinctive voice, Gaughan hammers and speaks with his acoustic guitar.

Gaughan brought many of the traditional Irish and Scots Celtic songs to new life. I’d never heard Robert Burns Westlin Winds before Gaugan introduced this as one of the best songs ever written. He searched through the Scottish national archives for the best traditional ballads. Like Burns and Dylan before him Gaughan has been a genius song collector and remaker of the old songs. He drew on his Scots and Irish traditions to develop his song craft and performance. 

Julie Fowlis and SCO

Another highlight was the excellent Irish Scots folk trad music at the concert with Julie Fowlis with SCO at Celtic Connections 2026 – with their well-crafted songs. Julie has a clear musicality, along with her husband Irish bouzouki (Greek mandolin) player Emanon Doorley and now partnered with Irish fiddler and Gaelic singer Zoe Conway and Irish musician John McIntyre.    The quartet’s 2024 ALLT albums captures their authentic traditional music with that impactful live vibe and a cohesive sound: with soaring pipes, fiddles, melodies, dynamic rhythm guitar, the emotional solo voice, and the collective and caressing soothing vocal harmonies. They played the range and depth of traditional music – and the long roots between Irish and Scottish music. Both intimate and powerful. All performers were clearly thrilled to have the impact and range of the SCO behind them, to enrich their music with strings, percussions, wind instruments. Creatively conducted by David Brophy.

Karen Matheson

The Celtic roots celebration returned for its 31^st year at Celtic Connections music festival. Transatlantic Sessions is one of the highlights of Celtic Connections music festival, with both the familiar tunes and the new. TS brings together the deep connections between Irish, Scots and American music. Its a special blend of the churning rhythms of bluegrass, country, the fine Scots melodies, jigs and reels and the haunting Irish Gaelic song. This year we were treated to a quality range of performers – from America, Kathy Mattea, and Darrell Scott: from Scotland Karine Polwart and from Ireland Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh. 

Like a musical river from Tennessee to Nashville to west Kerry, than to Shetland and to Pathhead Midlothian. As Mattea described, the colourful, one off collaborating at Celtic Connections lead to arteries “like the roots of a tree that lead to different accents – and make the collaborating more sweet.” Like a fascinating patchwork quilt with the variety and range of musical styles and genres that challenge and add musical colour to our lives.

This has been another hugely successful festival to chase away the winter blues.

Darrell Scott

Kathy Mattea

Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh

 16^th  Friday -  BBC Orchestra, Beyond the Tradition

 

17^th Saturday -  Celebration of Gaelic song

 

18^th Sunday –  True and Bold:  A Night for Dick Gaughan

 

21^st Wednesday  - Julie Fowlis & Scottish Chamber orchestra

 

23^rd Friday – Capercaillie 

 

23^rd Friday - Jacob Jolliff

 

29^th Thursday  -  Shooglenifty

 

1^st February – Transatlantic Sessions

Kris Drever

Record breaking Celtic Connections delivers message of hope and unity to the world =  Celtic Connections music festival 2026 celebrated several sell out live performances, record-breaking ticket sales and unique events, sending a message of hope and unity around the world about the power of music, cultural identity and collaboration.

More than 1,600 artists over 300 events at 25 venues across in Glasgow - Scotland’s largest live music city. This year’s event recorded over 200 sell outs, compared to 125 in 2025. With attendances of 114,000 across 18 days - with the highest ever number of tickets sold in the event’s 33-year history - cementing its place as the biggest winter festival of traditional, roots and world music on the planet.  Artists from 35 countries, included Palestine, Iraq, Ukraine, Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, Gambia, Mali, Senegal, Sweden, Norway, Ireland and the United States.

 

Ceilidhs and family events proved popular, with 637 participants taking part in music and song workshops. Four free concerts welcomed 7,000 children and young people from across Scotland to the Glasgow Concert Hall. With performances from Sian, DLÙ, Celtic Fandango and Ímar. Since 1999, more than 300,000 children and young people have benefited from the festival’s learning programme.

  

The last night’s programme, included the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year final, the Danny Kyle Open Stage, Transatlantic Sessions and a performance from three-time Grammy winner Lucinda Williams, concluded the first major event in a busy year for Glasgow in 2026. 

 

Showcase Scotland shone a light on participants from Quebec, along with a wealth of homegrown talent, With international delegates attending from 24 nations for five days of top performances and networking opportunities.

 

The festival is delivered by Glasgow Life in partnership with Innis & Gunn. Celtic Connections is supported by the Scottish Government’s Festivals EXPO Fund and Creative Scotland.

Glasgow will also host WOMAD for the first time in July, the 2026 Commonwealth Games and the Royal National Mòd in October.

 

Alan Morrison, Head of Music at Creative Scotland said: “Scotland’s trad and folk artists were at full strength every single day during Celtic Connections 2026. Tradition bearers were honoured, new stars were born, and Scotland’s music proved yet again that it contains the very best the world has to offer. This was a particularly strong year for international artists too, as the festival celebrated different global cultures, bringing voices together in harmony, not discord, and creating music without borders.”

 

Celtic Connections Creative Director Donald Shaw said: “Such a unique coming together of performers as a global family sends a powerful message about the strength of music, cultural identity and collaboration, especially at a time when the world can feel more fragmented than ever."

“From the Drygate to Donbas, Byres Road to Baghdad, Candleriggs to Palestine, these past incredible days have been forged in friendship, fortitude and the freedom to express ourselves through song, dance and performance, filled with hope, inspiration and togetherness.  “From unforgettable headline moments to seeing artists step onto a Celtic Connections stage for the very first time, we have been united by the music and that is a legacy that will thrive long after the lights have dimmed. With the extraordinary support of our funders and partners, colleagues, venues, audiences and incredible volunteers, this is a festival built by passion and people, celebrating a rich cultural tapestry, musical pioneers and songwriting greats."

 

“To see audiences turn out in such record numbers through a cold and wet winter month is the most fitting tribute we could hope for, and I would like to thank everyone involved for making our 33rd edition so memorable, as we already begin the exciting work of looking ahead to what comes next.” 

Voices of deep humanity in a dark world

 “You can teach the craft but you can’t teach the poetry”.   David Hockney

 

Gaughan is a voice of deep humanity in our present dark world. 

Gaughan brought many of the traditional Irish and Scots Celtic songs to new life. I’d never heard Robert Burns Westlin Winds before Gaugan introduced this as one of the best songs ever written. He searched through the Scottish national archives for the best traditional ballads. Like Burns and Dylan before him Gaughan has been a genius song collector and remaker of the old songs. He drew on his Scots and Irish traditions to develop his song craft and performance. 

 

I first heard Dick Gaughan in the 70s at the Police folk club Edinburgh. A musician friend raved about how incredible and distinctive his guitar playing was. Many years later (after being in America for nearly ten years) I heard Gaughan again at Milngavie Folk club in 2007. This was an intimate gig where his chat and stories between songs while he tuned his guitar, was worth going for alone. In his own distinctive voice, Gaughan hammers and speaks with his acoustic guitar.

 

Songs of social conscience and of contrast, quality and sincerity. Gaughan has became a legend on the Scottish and world folk circuits for more than 40 years. He is an interpreter of Scotland’s traditional folk ballads with his distinctive style of guitar playing, with open chords and timing that he learnt from guitarist Davey Graham. 

 

Gaughan is Scots/ Irish and has spent his life in Leith Edinburgh. He’s a social protester, a profound storyteller who crosses boundaries, forges alliances through the depth of his story telling, song and dramatic guitar playing. His songs don’t flow easily to the shore and they also share the full range of emotions. Gaughan is plain spoken and holds firmly held beliefs on the rights of everyman.

 

 

A Night for Dick Gaughan at Celtic Connections 2026

Gaughan is a voice of deep humanity in our present dark world. 

And a Message from Chicago, that spoke of playing Gaughan’s songs on the long drives to work to remind him of our shared humanity, in these dark times facing Americans today 

 

Gaughan brought many of the traditional Irish and Scots Celtic songs to new life. I’d never heard Robert Burns Westlin Winds before Gaugan introduced this as one of the best songs ever written. Guaghan searched through the Scottish national archives for the best traditional ballads. Like Burns and Dylan before him Gaughan has been a genius song collector and remaker of the old songs. Gaughan drew on his Scots and Irish traditions to develop his song craft and performance. 

 

I first heard Dick Gaughan in the 70s at the Police folk club Edinburgh. A musician friend raved about how incredible and distinctive his guitar playing was. Many years later (after being in America for nearly ten years) I heard Gaughan again at Milngavie Folk club in 2007. This was an intimate gig where his chat and stories between songs while he tuned his guitar, was worth going for alone. In his own distinctive voice, Gaughan hammers and speaks with his acoustic guitar.

 

Testament to Dick’s fame and widespread appeal among legends of the folk music scene, several had travelled far and wide to perform tonight from Ireland, England and Scotland, to perform Gaughan’s well loved songs. 

Mike Harding

**The CONCERT

What a joyful celebration of the legend that is Dick Gaughan – the most influential folk artist, musician and singer of the folk song of the 20^th century. 

 

The Dick Gaughan tribute concert was amazing! So emotional, so many folk icons. He’s the most respected Scots folk artist, song collector and awesome guitarist of the past century. The concert began with a black and white video of Gaughan performing at a folk singing session back in the 70s. 

Tonight’s concert was hosted by presenter Mike Harding and comedian Stewart Lee. Harding read warm messages from fans and from several folk icons – Ralph McTell, Peggy Seeger and more. And a Message from Chicago, that spoke of playing Gaughan’s songs on the long drives to work to remind him of our shared humanity, in these dark times facing Americans today 

 

There was a lot of love and camaraderie in the room tonight! The quality house band boasted Michael McGoldrick, Euan Burton, Innes White, Dave Milligan, Megan Henderson, Louis Abbott, They played an energetic opening performance of Workers’ Song, sung by Paul McKenna, Karine Polwart, Kris Drever, and Siobhan Miller.  

Karen Matheson

Ross and Lorraine Macintosh 

Karine Polwart

This was followed by the song Erin Go Brach sung by Paul McKenna. There were performances by accomplished guitarists – Martin Simpson, Kris Drever, Brian McNeill, Paul McKenna and Seamie O’Dowd.  And moving singers - Karen Matheson with the song Language of the Gaels, Karine Polwart sang an intimate Craigie Hill. While Ricky Ross and Lorraine Macintosh of Deacon Blue, sang Wages Day.

Lisa O'Neil

Seamie O'Dowd

The Irish folk artists impressed – Lisa O’Neil sang two of her own songs: Rock the Machine, and The Wind Doesn’t Blow This Far Right.Karen Casey who performed The haunting The Snows they melt the Soonest.

There was a powerful performance by Billy Bragg, with the song The World Turned Upside Down. The second set began with Kris Dreversinging Gaughan’s most loved Burns song, Westlin Winds. The Irish guitarist Seamie O’Dowd who performed Song for Ireland was so good, one of those hushed silence moments….  And an emotional performance by Martyn McCarthy of the song Bonny Woodha carefully assisted by Eliza McCarthy, and given warm applause by the audience. 

Dick Gaughan was there towards the end and sang a bit – the song The Shipyard’s Apprentice as a tribute to Archie Fisher. The passing of a generation. The concert finished with the rousing community singing of a Gaughan favourite Both Sides the Tweed, a song of unity and hope, led by Matheson, Casey, Bragg and Polwart. And after by Hamish Henderson’s social call Freedom Come all Ye. 

Martyn McCarthy & Eliza McCarthy

Dick Gaughan

Billy Bragg

Siobhan Miller

Billy Bragg, Karen Matheson & Karen Casey

Songs of social conscience and of contrast, quality and sincerity. Gaughan has became a legend on the Scottish and world folk circuits for more than 40 years. He is an interpreter of Scotland’s traditional folk ballads with his distinctive style of guitar playing, with open chords and timing that he learnt from guitarist Davey Graham. 

 

Gaughan is Scots/ Irish and has spent his life in Leith Edinburgh. He’s a social protester, a profound storyteller who crosses boundaries, forges alliances through the depth of his story telling, song and dramatic guitar playing. His songs don’t flow easily to the shore and they also share the full range of emotions.  Gaughan is plain spoken and holds firmly held beliefs on the rights of everyman. 

 

Tonight was a wonderful tribute and celebration to Gaughan’s genuine authenticity. He cares about the truth of things and of digging below the surface for the stories behind the songs. What an excellent song list and cast of musicians, a veritable who’s who of the folk scene, for what proved a most memorable, poignant and quality concert. The joy and enthusiasm of the performers was palpable. 

 

So glad to hope the younger generations are carrying the stream. (More so in Ireland perhaps?). I have to admit the most emotional Celtic concert I’ve been to. So many memories….You come away from his gigs questioning and renewed in the faith of our shared humanity. 

**SONGS – Erin Go Bragh, Workers Song, The Snows they Melt the Soonest, No Gods, Wages Day, Language of the Gaels, Song for Ireland, Westlin winds, Daughters and Sons, Craigie Hill, What you do with what you’ve got,  Both Sides the Tweed.

Gaughan is plain spoken and holds firmly held beliefs on the rights of everyman. Gaughan had a stroke in 2016, which means he can no longer play the guitar. He’s not been able to play for nearly ten years. Gaughan’s album Handful of Earth became an iconic folk album. 

·       (R/evolution: 1969–83) was released in January 2026 along with 

·       Live at the BBC: 1972–79 (vinyl). 

 

* The concert was recorded by BBC Radio Scotland. (Celtic concerts used to be recorded by the BBC Scotland tv.)

GUITAR  Earthy, real and powerful guitar playing, an incredible presence and depth. Gaughan says his guitars is an integral part of his singing. The Song has a tempo all of its own. The guitar has to follow the song. His distinctive style of guitar playing, with open chords and timing that he learnt from guitarist Davey Graham which was tuned differently. 

 

Karine Polwart, 

Ricky Ross and Lorraine MacIntosh, 

Billy Bragg, 

Kris Drever, 

Paul Mckenna, 

Siobhan Miller, 

Karen Matheson, 

Martin and Eliza Carthy, 

Michael McGoldrick, 

Martin Simpson, 

Tommy Sands, 

Karan Casey, 

Brian McNeil, 

Seamie O'Dowd  

Lisa O'Neil 

From Ireland – Karen Casey, Tommy Sands, Lisa O’Neill, Seamie O’Dowd.

From England  - Billy Bragg, Martyn Carthy, Martin Simpson, Michael McGoldrick

From Scotland – Ricky Ross, Lorraine Macintosh, Karine Polwart, Kris Drever, Karen Matheson, Siobhan Miller, Brian McNeill, Paul McKenna.

(Gaughan is challenging Celtic Music over the copyright ownership rights of of his music. Colin Harper has set up Go fund Campaign. Gaughan has never been paid any royalties. With Photography I allow people to ‘use’ to my photos, but I never loose copyright ownership. His music has been held back from streaming and Celtic Music claims ownership of eight albums from 1972. Other musicians have also battled over ownership of their music.)