Scotland is failing young Irish musicians

CALLS have been made to end the intransigence which sees young traditional Irish musicians on Scotland unable to receive academic recognition for their musical talents in school examinations.

The position of Qualifications Scotland—formerly the SQA—in how they facilitate National 5 and other examinations has been criticised by prominent voices within the Irish traditional music scene in Scotland, as young musicians, who have often mastered their instruments by ear and perfected musical styles which fall outwith the competency of examiners, continue to find doors closed to them as they pursue official qualifications.

Difficulties

Speaking to The Irish Voice, Maggie Doogan, who has supported young musicians in their struggle for recognition for many years, outlined the difficulties which are faced and the requirement to often learn a third or even fourth instrument in order to adhere to Qualifications Scotland rules.

“This academic year, Seosamh Óhíomhair is among many young musicians in Scotland presenting for National 5 Music,” she said. “He is the eldest of seven children, all of whom are being raised in the rich, living tradition of Irish music. Yet, as he approaches the assessment window, he has hit a ‘cultural ceiling.’

“Despite playing the Irish tenor banjo and DADGAD-tuned rhythm guitar accompaniment to a standard that far exceeds the requirements of National 5, he has been told his combination of instruments is ‘not permitted.’

“The sad part is that his is not a new problem. It is a decades-long systemic failure that continues today.“

The exclusion from academic grading raises issues under the Equality Act, which does not allow for lack of training as a defence against discrimination.

“GIRFEC (Getting It Right for Every Child), the Scottish Government’s flagship policy, explicitly demands a holistic approach to a child’s world, respecting their culture and identity,” she continued. “Furthermore, under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), public bodies are required to proactively eliminate ‘indirect discrimination.’

“Yet, when faced with a student from an ethnic minority tradition, Qualifications Scotland has retreated into a fortress of administrative rigidity. At the beginning of January, they issued a ‘final response,’ admitting that while they are reviewing these outdated restrictions for the future, they will continue to enforce them in the meantime.”

Confusing reality

The situation creates a confusing reality for young Irish musicians, where their talents are recognised and celebrated in some settings, but marginalised in others. A large contingent of school age children from St Roch’s Big Band recently took to the stage to participate in one of Scotland’s biggest festivals, Celtic Connections, but are unable to receive such cultural approval for their talents in an academic setting.

Louise Hunter, of the Southside Fiddlers, has long supported the musical talents of countless children learning the intricacies of traditional Irish music, but has found herself regularly battling with schools on behalf of her students to help showcase their chosen musical styles.

“The education system shows some serious ignorance towards traditional music, not only through instrument selection and combination, but also how it treats written notation,” she explained. “The apparent lack of understanding that the notation tells only a tiny piece of the story in traditional music is shocking. One the music’s great beauties is that you can never be quite sure exactly what you’re going to hear, which version of the tune will be played, which ornaments will appear and where, the subtle melodic changes, the variation of ornamentation, and the rhythmic swing which cannot truly be notated.”

As the eldest of seven children, Seosamh is aware that his struggle for recognition is not only for him, but for his musical siblings and many other young Irish traditional musicians in Scotland who find themselves faced with the pressure of mastering another instrument or finding that their years of study, practice, passion and performance will count for nothing in front of examiners.

“This is not just about Seosamh,” Maggie Doogan concluded. “As the eldest of seven, he is the canary in the coal mine. This systemic failure will repeatedly disadvantage his family, his fellow musicians and the hundreds of children across Scotland who attend Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann or traditional feiseanna, only to be told by their school system that their professional-grade skills are ‘unapproved’ or ‘technically insufficient.’

“By refusing to grant a derogation for the 2025–2026 session, Qualifications Scotland is sending a clear message to the Irish community— your culture is a hobby; our bureaucracy is the standard.

“Scotland cannot claim to value its diverse cultural identity while simultaneously forcing its traditional musicians to leave their instruments at the classroom door. If ‘Getting It Right for Every Child’ is to mean anything, it must start with respecting the music that defines their lives.”

PIC: ELVERT BARNES