Festival Retrospective

1995 - The Second Gathering

Celtic Connections Brochure front cover 1995

5th - 22nd January 1995

The festival even already at this young age was starting to gain important recognition.

The inaugural festival had received a Scottish Thistle Award in the Low Season Development Category.

In 1995 the festival expanded with workshops in the Strathclyde Suite. The Grand Ballroom of The Hospitality Inn was the very first external venue to host Celtic Connections events including Wolfstone (unplugged) and an All Day Cajun Festival. Late night Ceilidhs were organised in the Exhibition Hall of The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for those who wanted to dance the night away.

Artists appearing at the festival in 1995 included:

Michael Marra
Dubliners
Eleanor McEvoy
Paul Brady
Tom Paxton
Wrigley Sisters
Shooglenifity
Poozies
Cherish the Ladies
Liam O'Flynn
Mary Coughlan
De Dannan
Luka Bloom
Rankin Family

What the critics said...

The workshops were a huge success. One day I couldn’t get out of the lift for hordes of people learning to play the spoons.

Scotland on Sunday, 29th January 1995

The Celtic Heart melts when it comes to traditional music and the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow has, for two highly successful weeks, tapped into an audience ravenously hungry for every aspect of music and muse. Even in the gale-driven sleet of January, they came in droves, every part of The Royal Concert Hall utilised for a near round the clock two week cycle of Celtic arts. Celtic Connections is not only big, it is smart and hip with a predominantly young audience testifying to the new popularity of the music.

The Guardian 11th January 1995

What you bought

In 1995 you could have purchased a Celtic Connections sweatshirt (in either navy or black), a T-shirt, brooch or even a Celtic Connections tie. If anyone has any of these items, hang onto them, they are sure to become collector's items.

First and Last

Breton harpist Alan Stivell and his band played the first concert of the 1995 festival. There was a standing arena for this concert and ticket prices were £8.50, £7.50 and £6.50.

Irish traditional band Devish closed the second Celtic Connections with a concert in The Strathclyde Suite. They were supported by Edinburgh based Tannas.

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