IRISH ROOTS

Part of Govanhill International Festival 2025 – 1 – 10 August

INISHOWEN TRADITIONAL SINGERS’ CIRCLE SESSION

Friday 1 August, 7pm-9pm (drop in)

Sharkeys, 51 Old Rutherglen Road, G5 9DT

Join the Inishowen Traditional Singers’ Circle for an evening of song as living archive – a collective act of remembering, holding and passing on.

Since 1988, the ITSC has been dedicated to preserving and sharing the folk songs and ballads of the Inishowen Peninsula. Through regular gatherings, they hold space for a living
tradition as a vibrant, evolving practice rooted in place, language and collective memory.

You are invited to enter that tradition: to listen, share and join a circle where song becomes connection, inheritance and celebration.

No age restrictions

Free but ticketed

Irish Music

IT’S A FINE THING TO SING FILM SCREENING & INISHOWEN TRADITIONAL SINGERS’ CIRCLE SESSION

Saturday 2 August, 6:30pm–10pm

McNeill’s, 106 Torrisdale Street, G42

Step into the world of Irish music, memory and community – everyone is welcome!

A 60-minute film features musicians Ian Lynch (Lankum), Ye Vagabonds and The Henry Girls, bringing new life to songs passed down through generations in Inishowen. The film weaves together beautiful Irish landscapes with the voices of original singers like Roseanne McGonigle, Dan McGonigle, Mary Ann Canny, Corney McDaid and Packie Manus Byrne, celebrating Ireland’s musical heritage.

After the film, enjoy the live music session and experience the musical spirits.

Free but ticketed

No wheelchair access

Irish Talk

THE DERRY BOAT TO DONEGAL HILL HERITAGE TRAIL

Sunday 3 & 10 August, 11am-1pm

Starting Point: next to casino, 61 Broomielaw

Explore the history and heritage of the Irish community in Govanhill on this guided walking tour. From early migration to the present day, reflect on how Irish lives, labour and culture have shaped the area – and how these identities continue to resonate through music, memory and grassroots organising.

Walk the streets where stories cross the sea – from the journey of the Derry boat to Donegal Hill in Queen’s Park. Along the way,  trace the lines of memory, activism and community, and ask what it means to carry these histories forward.

All are welcome. Come to walk, to listen, to remember.

Free but ticketed

Two hour walk with limited rest stops.

Irish Heritage/Themed walk

REQUIEM: AN EXPLORATORY CREATIVE RESIDENCY

Monday 4, Wednesday 6, Friday 8 August, 12pm-3pm: drop-in Open Studio

Saturday 9 August, 7pm-9pm: Closing Gathering

The Deep End, 21 Nithsdale Street, G41 2PZ

Requiem is a week-long residency by musician Lainey Dempsey and artist Rachael Flynn, exploring the untold stories of Irish women who migrated to Scotland.

Visitors are 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 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

These everyday contributions will shape a shared space of remembrance: how memory is carried across distances, how legacy is passed between generations, how women’s histories often endure outside official records.

The residency concludes with a Closing Gathering on Saturday, sharing the micro-histories and discoveries unearthed throughout the week.

Especially welcome are voices with ties to Irish-Scottish migration.

Free but ticketed

*No age restriction. Toilets, wheelchair access, toilets, various seating options, there will be a maximum of 40 in the audience, seated events.

Creative Residency | Govanhill Neighourhood Grants

MAURA MCROBBIE

Tuesday 5 August, 6pm–7:30pm

Govanhill Library, 171 Langside Road, G42 7JU

Join Glasgow-based writer Maura McRobbie as she shares the personal and historical inspirations behind her work – from Howth, drawn from her grandmother’s life in early 20th-century Dublin, to Vikings and Skylarks on Cumbrae, and her latest YA novel Smugglers’ Midnight Escape, set on the 1760s Ayrshire coast and shortlisted for the Dragon’s Pen Award.

Spanning genres and generations, Maura’s writing reflects her Scottish-Irish heritage and deep interest in place, memory and storytelling.

Suitable for readers of all ages.

Free but ticketed

Irish Talk

IRISH LANGUAGE & SINGING TASTER SESSION

Thursday 7 August, 6pm–8:30pm

McNeill’s, 106 Torrisdale Street, G42

Experience the beauty and rhythm of Irish language and song at this welcoming taster session hosted by Conradh na Gaeilge Glaschú. Whether you’re a fluent speaker or a total beginner, come learn the basics of Irish (Gaeilge) and try out traditional Irish singing in a relaxed, friendly setting.

Timetable:

6pm – 7pm:  Irish language Taster Session

7pm – 8.30pm: Irish Singing Taster Session

From sean-nós melodies to everyday phrases, discover how language and music connect us to culture, community and history. All are welcome!

Free but ticketed

Irish Language & Music