Gallus Glasgow B: the Barrowland

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Stephen Sweeney CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Stephen Sweeney CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Barrowland, in the East End of Glasgow, is a legendary street-market, affectionately known to all as The Barras. When it was started by Maggie McIver almost a hundred years ago it would, literally, have been a collection of barrows – over 300. Maggie went on to found the Barrowland Ballroom which is still going today (although it had to be rebuilt after a fire in 1958) as a major music venue. All the most gallus Glaswegians are seen there. When Maggie died she was a multi-millionaire – not bad for a girl from the East End!

Barrowland Ballroom
Barrowland Ballroom

A recent addition to the area is Barrowland Park with this art work by Jim Lambie. It’s a 100 metre pathway listing the names of 2000 of the bands who have played at Barrowlands since 1983. I’ve highlighted a couple that I know I was at! (Elvis Costello and Grinderman).

Barrowlands Park
Elvis Costello
Grinderman

It’s C tomorrow – and I hope you’re hungry! We’re talking Glasgow’s favourite food.

A to Z Challenge 2015, Scotland, UK ,

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  5. I’ve been in Scotland for fifteen years now and I’ve never been there. When I was at school my friends used to swap the pirate DVDs they’d picked up there hehe. I think that’s something they’ve cracked down on now.

    Cait @ Click’s Clan

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    • I don’t think I’ve ever actually bought something in the Barras, though my sister-in-law bought a bike there once. Not sure she ever used it though, but it was cheap enough not to matter too much.

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    • Good guess on the first. Not Gibson Street though. I’ve used a C street for a double whammy. I don’t know how long it is since you visited Gibson Street but the Shish Mahal is now on Park Road.

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      • I knew it had to be curry. Once went to a great Shosh Mahal in B’ham.
        Didn’t read the stuff about signing up for a list before I started this challenge- DOH! So not really playing it properly as they have closed the list!!
        Seems to be a lot of people playing along

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  8. Fun! First Avenue (featured in the movie Purple Rain) in Minneapolis has stars painted on outside of the building that contain the names of some of the bands that have played there (before getting popular enough for a larger venue).

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  10. Hi Anabel, coming over from A to Z Challenge. I love your theme. Today I wrote about why Canadians are NOT boring. I’m Canadian. Enjoy C-Z.

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  13. I’m intrigued by Maggie McIver…such a successful woman in a time when few women were! I bet she had an interesting life.

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    • She did. Since I started volunteering as a tour guide with Glasgow Women’s Library’s women’s history walks I’ve learned so much about so many gallus Glasgow women.

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  15. I do love the walkway with performances/performers listed – reminds me of a lonnnnng shelf of CDs (showing my age, eh?)

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  18. Looks like a cool spot and definitely adding it to my Places to See List when we get to Scotland eventually! I love places with history like this- and the artwork is awesome! Looking forward to following along 🙂

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    • Thanks! Although I think the artwork might be moved to another location eventually. Seems daft to me, as the current location is perfect. I’ll check out your blog too but I might be a while. Only have intermittent connection at the moment, so apologies.

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