Irish roots take hold at festival

THE recent Irish Roots programme at the Govanhill International Festival and Carnival—which formed part of the Glasgow 850 celebrations—proved to be a huge success.

17 singers came over from the Inishowen Traditional Singers’ Circle in Donegal as well as performers from Aberdeen, Fife, County Monaghan and Dublin. For two nights

audiences were treated to the finest voices and the best traditional songs in Irish and English. On the Friday in Sharkey’s and then on the Saturday at McNeill’s, the wonderful film made about the group by director Bob Gallagher—It’s a Fine Thing to Sing—was screened. Another screening of the film is planned for later on this month, as well as a singing session afterwards. Organisers were also delighted to have Jerry O’Donovan, Irish Consul General of Ireland in Scotland, kick off the proceedings. The organisers wish to place on record their gratitude to Fiona Sharkey for providing the sandwiches on both nights and hosting on the Friday.

Other events were went down a storm too. On both Sundays there was The Derry Boat to Donegal Hill Irish Heritage Trail (above). The trail began on the north of the Clyde on the Broomielaw and then wound its way through the city streets to Glasgow Green. The following part saw participants starting again on the Broomielaw then heading south through the Gorbals, up through Govanhill to Donegal Hill in Queen’s Park.

Requiem: An exploratory creative residency also enthralled visitors. The week-long residency by musician Lainey Dempsey and artist Rachael Flynn, explored the untold stories of Irishwomen who migrated to Scotland. Visitors were invited to take part in an evolving installation—a living, alternative archive of women’s lives—by sharing stories, letters and folk songs during Open Studio drop-ins during the festival week. This

culminated in an audio-visual event, which shared the micro-histories and discoveries unearthed throughout the week and featured incredible live performances by Emma Pollok and Lainey Dempsey.

Maura McRobbie gave a great presentation at Govanhill Library about her book Howth, a semi-biographical story of her grandmother, Florrie, who was born and grew up in Dublin in the early 20th century, before coming to Scotland in 1918. The novel explores the social, cultural and religious differences of the time and the barriers Florrie faced. She also spoke about her children’s novels, Vikings and Skylarks on Cumbrae, set on the Isle of Cumbrae in Scotland in 1263, before the Battle of Largs and Smugglers’ Midnight Escape, a novel, set off the Ayrshire coast in the 1760s.

For the second year in a row Conradh na Gaeilge Glaschú delivered their brilliant Irish language and Irish singing taster sessions.

Paula Larkin is the Archive and Heritage Manager as well as the Irish History Group Coordinator at Govanhill Baths Archive and Heritage Centre (The Deep End)

The Irish History Group meets on the third Thursday of the month at The Deep End. For more information on all of the Irish projects visit the group’s Facebook page or e-mail: archive@govanhillbaths.com