Celebrating World Gaelic Week with Celtic Connections

Each year World Gaelic Week, or Seachdain na Gàidhlig, aims to celebrate and raise awareness of the language and culture across the globe.? Running from 24 February to 2 March, this year’s theme is ‘Building Connections’. With this in mind, we thought it only fitting to reach out to the organisers of Celtic Connections and also find out a bit about Glasgow Life 's Gaelic Arts Plan.

Q) ?The 32nd edition of Scotland’s premier winter festival generated impressive statistics. Please can you share some highlights?

Celtic Connections 2025 was another resounding success, with 125 sold-out shows across 18 days. The festival attracted audiences of around 110,000 despite Storm éowyn causing a day of rescheduled events.

We are known for our diverse and ambitious programme, and this year was no different as around 1,500 musicians and artists spanning 40 nationalities performed in around 300 events at 24 venues across Glasgow.

A record 620 people also signed up for our Celtic Rovers scheme, which gives members access to exclusive events, selected ticket presales and generous discounts. And almost 3,000 tickets were bought through our new Under 26 Community, allowing young people to get involved in the festival for less.

Q) ?Building connections is the heart of Celtic Connections, how does the festival bring together local and international communities?

The clue is in the name, as the festival is all about connections. Whether this is bringing artists together for unique collaborations or introducing audiences to outstanding musicians they may never have seen before.

One concert gave 300 community singers the chance to experience what it is like to perform on the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall stage during the festival. The choir accompanied award-winning Scottish singer-songwriter Karine Polwart during her spectacular headline show The Back of Winter.

We also had 120 volunteers who supported the festival and built new connections with like-minded people. Over 7,000 children attended this year’s school concerts in the Main Auditorium of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. These concerts help pupils build a connection to Scotland’s musical heritage, and for many, it is their first time experiencing live music.

Similarly, nearly 900 people of all ages participated in ceilidhs and family events, more than 120 benefited from free dementia-friendly concerts, and almost 1,500 took part in music and song workshops.

Showcase Scotland introduces delegates from all over the world to the Scottish music sector. The music industry event is held every year as part of the festival and encourages international collaboration. We were thrilled to welcome back Ireland as our international partner for 2025, with selected Irish artists featuring as part of the showcase. Next year’s partner is Québec.

Q) ?Gaelic is a strong strand within an incredibly diverse programme of musical genres. How did this year’s programme celebrate Gaelic?

Gaelic always features heavily in the Celtic Connections programme, and this year was no exception.

Breabach’s collaboration with the Scottish Jazz Orchestra was an unforgettable evening which featured Gaelic songs. Celebrated Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis was also one of the guest performers for this year’s Transatlantic Sessions.

BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award winner and Gaelic Singer of the Year Mischa Macpherson put on a show with some of Scotland’s finest musicians and special guests. Songs in Gaelic, Scots, and English were all blended as part of the launch of Scottish singer Ainsley Hammill’s new album, Fable.

Another exciting event to feature Gaelic was the performance by Canntaireachd. The quartet is a collaboration between award-winning singers Kim Carnie and Kathleen MacInnes and pipers Brìghde Chaimbeul and Ailis Sutherland.

Trail West had their first-ever headline show at the festival, and Gaelic singer-songwriter Rachel Walker joined forces with Aaron Jones to perform songs from their brand new album.

Gaelic talent was front and centre during Ceòlas @ 30. The performance marked 30 years of the prestigious Uist music and language centre and had an incredible line-up of Gaelic talent. The artists included pipers Seonaidh MacIntyre and Alana MacInnes, singers Màiri MacInnes and Alasdair Whyte and Canadian brothers Kenneth and Angus MacKenzie.

An Lanntair Arts Centre on the Isle of Lewis celebrated its 40th anniversary with a showcase of traditional songs and melodies from the Hebrides.

Scots and Gaelic songs are featured during in-school workshops for every primary 7 class in Glasgow. The sessions introduce children to Scottish traditional music and help them to develop musical skills.

Audiences were treated to a Brew & A Blether with Deirdre Graham & Sian, who talked about the stories behind Gaelic songs. There was also a Gaelic tunes mixed instrument session where people could join in and learn songs.

Q)? Glasgow Life has a new Gaelic Arts Plan for 2025 to 2029, can you tell us a bit about the plan?

The launch of the new Gaelic Arts Plan reaffirms Glasgow Life’s commitment to deliver and promote a broad spectrum of arts and culture which – reflecting the priorities of Glasgow’s Culture Strategy – are relevant to all the city’s diverse communities, supporting inclusion, wellbeing and the local economy.? ?

Glaschu Beò: Plana nan Ealan Gàidhlig was developed in response to Glasgow City Council’s Gaelic Language Plan and with the support of Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

To safeguard, strengthen and celebrate Gaelic as a living language in Glasgow – which has the largest concentration of Gaelic speakers outwith the Western Isles – the plan sets out a range of initiatives to amplify Gaelic artistic expression by ensuring it is embedded within the city’s broader cultural offer.

A range of experiences and events will be designed to encourage and inspire existing and new audiences to connect with Gaelic arts, language and culture will be integrated across Glasgow Life’s museums, sports, libraries, learning and community services – as well as major festivals Celtic Connections, Merchant City Festival, Mela, Aye Write, and Glasgow International. ??

In addition to widening engagement and increasing public participation, the projects will also act as a catalyst for collaborations which will create and cultivate opportunities for creative expression in Gaelic by artists, musicians and writers.

Further details on the introduction of the new Gaelic Arts Plan are available here, and it can be accessed in both English and Gaelic here.

Gaelic Translation

A’ comharrachadh Seachdain Ghàidhlig an t-Saoghail le Celtic Connections

Gach bliadhna thèid Seachdain na Gàidhlig a chumail gus gàirdeachas a dhèanamh ris a’ chànan agus cultar na Gàidhlig agus gus Gàidhlig a chur fa chomhair an t-sluaigh air feadh na cruinne. Thèid Seachdain na Gàidhlig a chumail eadar 24 Gearran is 2 Màrt am-bliadhna, agus ’s e cuspair na bliadhna sa, ‘Ceanglaichean gun Chrìch’. Mar sin, bha sinn a’ smaoineachadh gum biodh e math bruidhinn ris na daoine a tha a’ cur Celtic Connections air dòigh agus cuideachd barrachd fios fhaighinn air Plana nan Ealain Gàidhlig aig Glaschu Beò.

C) ?B’ ann air leth soirbheachail a bha an 32na bliadhna de phrìomh fhèis gheamhraidh na h-Alba. Am biodh sibh cho math innse dhuinn mu deidhinn?

Bha Celtic Connections 2025 glè shoirbheachail, agus thairis air na 18 làithean bha 125 de na cuirmean againn loma-làn gun aon tiogaid air fhàgail. Bha 110,000 neach an làthair aig tachartasan na fèise a dh’aindeoin Stoirm éowyn a thug oirnn an clàr-ama atharrachadh airson aon latha.

Tha cliù againn airson prògram farsaing is lèirsinneach, agus bha sin againn gun teagamh am-bliadhna le 1,500 neach-ciùil is neach-ealain bho 40 diofar dhùthchannan a chluich aig mu 300 tachartas ann an 24 àiteachan air feadh Ghlaschu.

Cuideachd, chlàr 620 neach airson an sgeama Celtic Rovers againn, an àireamh a b’ àirde a bh’ againn riamh – leis an sgeama sin gheibh buill cothrom air tachartasan sònraichte, tiogaidean airson cuid a thachartasan mus fhaigh daoine eile cothrom orra, agus lasachaidhean-prìse nach beag. Chaidh cha mhòr 3,000 tiogaid a reic tro ar sgeama ùr Coimhearsnachd nan Daoine fo 26, sgeama a bheir cothrom do dhaoine òga an fhèis a fhrithealadh airson prìs nas saoire.

C) ?Tha ceanglaichean gun chrìch aig cridhe Celtic Connections, ciamar a bhios an fhèis a’ toirt choimhearsnachdan ionadail is eadar-nàiseanta còmhla?

Tha ar n-ainm ag innse tòrr dhuibh, ’s e a tha aig cridhe na fèise, ceanglaichean. Bidh sinn a’ toirt luchd-ciùil còmhla gus co-chuirmean air leth sònraichte a chur air dòigh agus a’ toirt cothrom do luchd-èisteachd luchd-ciùil a chluinntinn nach cuala iad riamh ’s dòcha.

Aig aon chuirm-chiùil, fhuair 300 seinneadair coimhearsnachd cothrom seinn ann an Talla Consairt Rìoghail Ghlaschu aig an fhèis. Thug a’ chòisir taic dhan t-seinneadair/sgrìobhadair-òran ainmeil Karine Polwart à Alba, a tha air duaisean a chosnadh, aig a’ chuirm aice, The Back of Winter.

Cuideachd, bha 120 neach-obrach saor-thoileach a’ cuideachadh aig an fhèis agus thog iadsan ceanglaichean le daoine eile. Bha còrr is 7,000 duine-cloinne an làthair aig consairtean nan sgoiltean am-bliadhna sa Phrìomh Ionad-èisteachd ann an Talla Consairt Rìoghail Ghlaschu. Tro na consairtean sin, bidh sgoilearan a’ togail cheanglaichean ri dualchas ceòl na h-Alba, agus airson tòrr dhiubh, b’ e a’ chiad turas riamh a chuala iad ceòl beò.

Ghabh cha mhòr 900 neach de gach aois pàirt sna cèilidhean is tachartasan teaghlaich, agus fhuair còrr is 120 neach cothrom a dhol gu consairtean, gun phàigheadh, a bha nas freagarraiche airson daoine le seargadh-inntinn, agus ghabh cha mhòr 1,500 neach pàirt ann am bùithtean-obrach ciùil is òran.

Le ‘Taisbeanadh air Alba’, tha luchd-frithealaidh bho air feadh an t-saoghail a’ faighinn cothrom eòlas a chur air roinn chiùil na h-Alba. Bithear a’ cumail an tachartais seo airson gnìomhachas a’ chiùil gach bliadhna mar phàirt dhen fhèis gus co-obrachadh eadar-nàiseanta a bhrosnachadh am measg dhaoine. Bha sinn air ar dòigh glan a bhith ag obair le èirinn a-rithist mar ar com-pàirtiche eadar-nàiseanta ann an 2025, agus bha taghadh de luchd-ciùil èireannach a’ gabhail pàirt san tachartas. Bidh muinntir Québec còmhla rinn an-ath-bhliadhna.

C) ?Tha Gàidhlig air a bhith na pàirt follaiseach dhen phrògram agaibh anns am bi iomadh seòrsa ciùil a’ nochdadh. Cò na tachartasan Gàidhlig a bh’ agaibh ann am prògram na bliadhna sa??

Bidh tòrr luchd-ciùil Gàidhlig daonnan a’ nochdadh ann am prògram Celtic Connections, agus bha sin fìor am-bliadhna cuideachd.

Mairidh an oidhche fada air chuimhne nuair a chluich Breabach còmhla ri Orcastra Jazz na h-Alba agus iad a’ seinn òrain Ghàidhlig. Cuideachd, bha an seinneadair Gàidhlig iomraiteach, Julie Fowlis, am measg nan aoighean aig na Transatlantic Sessions am-bliadhna.

Bha Mischa Nic a’ Phearsain – a tha air na duaisean airson Seinneadair Gàidhlig na Bliadhna is Neach-ciùil Traidiseanta òg na Bliadhna aig BBC Radio 2 a chosnadh – an làthair aig cuirm-chiùil far an robh i a’ seinn còmhla ri cuid dhen luchd-chiùil as fheàrr ann an Alba agus aoighean sònraichte. Chualas òrain ann an Gàidhlig, Albais is Beurla mar phàirt dhen tachartas gus clàr ùr leis an t-seinneadair Albannach Ainsley Hammill, Fable, a chur air bhog.

Bha tachartas sònraichte eile ann le Gàidhlig far an robh Canntaireachd a’ cluich. ’S e còmhlan le ceathrar a th’ annta leis na seinneadairean Kim Carnie is Kathleen NicAonghais agus na pìobairean Brìghde Chaimbeul is Ailis Sutherland

Nochd Trail West mar phrìomh chòmhlan aig consairt airson a’ chiad uair aig an fhèis, agus bha an seinneadair is sgrìobhadair-òran Gàidhlig Raonaid Walker agus Aaron Jones air an àrd-ùrlar còmhla gus òrain a ghabhail bhon chlàr ùr aca.

Bha pailteas de luchd-ciùil Gàidhlig ann airson Ceòlas @ 30. Bhathar a’ comharrachadh 30 bliadhna bho thòisich a’ bhuidheann chiùil is chànain ann an Uibhist agus ’s iomadh Gàidheal tàlantach a bha an làthair. Am measg an luchd-chiùil is nan seinneadairean bha na pìobairean Seonaidh Mac an t-Saoir is Alana NicAonghais, na seinneadairean Màiri NicAonghais is Alasdair MacIlleBhàin agus na bràithrean Canèidianach Coinneach is Aonghas MacCoinnich.

Bha An Lanntair ann an Leòdhas a’ comharrachadh an 40mh ceann-bliadhna le cuirm-chiùil le òrain is fuinn bho na h-Eileanan Siar.

Bhathar ag ionnsachadh mu òrain Albais is Ghàidhlig mar phàirt de na bùithtean-obrach sna sgoiltean a chaidh a chumail airson a h-uile clas Prìomh 7 ann an Glaschu. Bidh na seiseanan a’ toirt cothrom dhan chloinn eòlas a chur air ceòl traidiseanta na h-Alba agus sgilean ciùil ionnsachadh.

Fhuair luchd-èisteachd cothrom èisteachd ri “A Brew and a Blether” le Deirdre Ghreumach is Sian, agus iad a’ bruidhinn mu na sgeulachdan air cùl nan òran Gàidhlig. Cuideachd, bha seisean ann airson diofar ionnsramaidean airson fuinn Ghàidhlig a chluich anns am faodadh daoine pàirt a ghabhail agus òrain ionnsachadh.

C)? Tha Plana ùr nan Ealain Gàidhlig aig Glaschu Beò airson 2025 gu 2029, an innis sibh dhuinn beagan mu dheidhinn?

Le foillseachadh Plana ùr nan Ealain Gàidhlig, tha Glaschu Beò ga dhèanamh follaiseach a-rithist mar a tha miann againn a bhith a’ brosnachadh is a’ toirt taic do dh’fharsaingeachd de dh’obair ealain is cultar – agus sinn a’ gabhail ealla ri prìomhachasan Ro-innleachd Chultarach Ghlaschu – ealain is cultar a tha a’ buntainn ri coimhearsnachdan eugsamhail a’ bhaile, agus iad a’ cur taic ri in-ghabhail sòisealta, math dhaoine agus ris an eaconamaidh ionadail.

Chaidh Glaschu Beò: Plana nan Ealain Gàidhlig ullachadh gus togail air Plana Gàidhlig Comhairle Baile Ghlaschu agus le taic bho Bhòrd na Gàidhlig.

Tha am plana a’ stèidheachadh diofar iomairtean gus cur ri ealain na Gàidhlig, iomairtean a nì cinnteach gum bi an cànan air fhighe a-steach do chultar a’ bhaile agus iomairtean gus Gàidhlig a dhìon, a neartachadh agus a chomharrachadh mar chànan a tha beò ann an Glaschu – baile sa bheil an àireamh as motha de luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig taobh a-muigh nan Eilean Siar.

Thèid diofar chothroman is tachartasan a chur air dòigh – gus daoine a bhrosnachadh gu bhith a’ cur eòlas air is a’ dol an sàs ann an ealain, cànan is cultar na Gàidhlig – an lùib thaighean-tasgaidh, spòrs, leabharlannan, agus sheirbheisean ionnsachaidh is coimhearsnachd Ghlaschu Beò – agus an lùib phrìomh fhèisean a’ bhaile leithid Celtic Connections, Merchant City Festival, Mela, Aye Write, agus Glasgow International

A thuilleadh air a bhith a’ brosnachadh barrachd dhaoine bhon phoball gu bhith a’ gabhail pàirt agus a’ dol an sàs sna h-ealain Ghàidhlig, bidh na pròiseactan cuideachd a’ brosnachadh chom-pàirteachasan às an tig cothroman airson luchd-ealain, luchd-ciùil is sgrìobhadairean Gàidhlig a bhith ri obair chruthachail.

Gheibhear tuilleadh fiosrachaidh air Plana ùr nan Ealain Gàidhlig an seo, gheibhear lethbhreac Gàidhlig agus Beurla dheth an seo.