A Night for Dick Gaughan at Celtic Connections 2026

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A Night for Dick Gaughan at Celtic Connections 2026

Glasgow Scotland. 16 January 2026. Dick Gaughan, Scottish traditional folk singer and musician, made an appearance at a Tribute night True and Bold, at Glasgow concert hall, at Celtic Connections 2026. He is an icon of Celtic folk muisc of 20th century. Photo Pauline Keightley.

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. 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.

The Concert

Glasgow Scotland. 18 January 2026. Karen Matheson, Scots Gaelic singer, performed at a Tribute night to Dick Gaughan,True and Bold, at Glasgow concert hall at Celtic Connections 2026. Gaughan is a legend of Celtic folk muisc of 20th century. Handful of Earth. Photo Pauline Keightley.

Karen Matheson, Celtic Connections Photo Pauline Keightley.

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.

Karine Polwart, Celtic Connections 2026. Photo Pauline Keightley.

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 emotional opening performance of Workers’ Song, sung by Paul McKenna, Karine Polwart, Kris Drever and Siobhan Miller.

Kris Drever, Celtic Connections 2026. Photo Pauline Keightley.

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, expressive Scots singers – Karen Matheson with the song Language of the Gaels, Karine Polwart with her intimate Craigie Hill. While Ricky Ross and Lorraine Macintosh of Deacon Blue, sang Wages Day.

Seamie O’Dowd, Photo Pauline Keightley.

The Irish folk artists also 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 haunting The Snows they melt the Soonest.

Dick Gaughan, and Billy Bragg Celtic Connections 2026 Photo Pauline Keightley.

There was a powerful performance by Billy Bragg, with the song The World Turned Upside Down. The second set began with Kris Drever singing 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 Hamish Henderson’s song Freedom Come all Ye.

Kris Drever Karine Polwart Fiona Hunter Janice Burns Lori Watson Jon Doran

Glasgow Scotland. 18th January 2026. Emily Smith, Kris Drever, Karine Polwart, Fiona Hunter, Janice Burns, Lori Watson, John Doran, at a Tribute night to Dick Gaughan,Celtic Connections 2026. Photo Pauline Keightley

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. 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.

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. Gaughan had a stroke in 2016, which means he can no longer play the guitar. Gaughan’s album Handful of Earth became an iconic folk album – with both tender ballads and political songs.

(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.)

Review and Photos Pauline Keightley – https://pkimage.co.uk