Glasgow Gallivanting: January 2025
Long term readers might remember that January in Glasgow is never quiet. Almost as soon as Christmas and New Year are over the winter music festival, Celtic Connections, begins. As usual, we had tickets for several gigs and enjoyed them all – a flavour below. The standout for us this year was KT Tunstall who was celebrating the 20th anniversary of her first album Eye to the telescope. Her personality is as big as her voice. Unfortunately, one concert has been postponed because it fell on the day that Storm Éowyn closed the whole city down.
Yes, on Friday 24th January we had a red weather alert with the message not to travel because of 100mph winds. It certainly was rough! Fortunately, we suffered no damage but some people lost chimney pots, fences, and walls, and the council reported almost 500 trees came down in the city. We certainly spotted a few in our walks around our area, some very close by.
The penguins also found it blustery, and they have visitors. I’m not sure where exactly orange penguins come from …
It hasn’t always been windy. I haven’t seen many swans on the canal recently, but I did spot a pair at Ruchill on a calm day, and on an even calmer, sunny day I enjoyed this canal boat reflected in the water at Applecross.
The graffiti artists have been busy on the Kelvin Walkway again. The googly eyes on the bridge pillar are quite alarming!
The cyclist’s conditions have ranged from icy …
… to warm sunshine! As he did last year, John spent a winter week in Lanzarote with some of his cycling friends. I envy the scenery and the weather, if not the need to get on a bike every day.
The women’s history walks haven’t started again – we’ll need warmer weather for that – but I’ve given two talks and am busy preparing for an exhibition at Maryhill Halls on Suffragette Jessie Stephen. Some of the exhibits will come from Jessie’s great-niece, Sheana, and I was very excited when she sent a photograph of the material she proposes to lend. Highlights include a handwritten chapter of Jessie’s unpublished autobiography and a picture of her with Harold Wilson in the 1964 General Election in which Jessie stood in Weston-super-Mare. The Labour Party won, and Wilson started his first term as Prime Minister, but unfortunately Jessie lost. This was the fifth and final time she tried to become an MP and it’s sad she never succeeded. From what I’ve learned about her she would have been great: always unafraid to stand up for what she believed in.
And that’s it for January – I hope February is shaping up well for you so far. And that we have no more storms!
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
I’m sure I told you how much I love Su-a Lee’s Dialogues. I’m so jealous of the times you’ve seen her lay. I don’t think she and her mates ever lave Scotland, although they certainly tour a lot. (I follow her on Facebook!) Thank you so much for introducing me to her music!
LikeLike
That’s lovely – I’m so glad to have found her a new fan!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Celtic Connections festival looks fantastic. That is one severe storm you had there with so much damage to trees and properties. I’m glad to see calm days that you captured at the canal. I hope you have a wonderful February.
LikeLike
Celtic Connections is always fantastic! A highlight of our year. A much calmer February so far, weather-wise.
LikeLike
Quite an eventful month!
LikeLike
It was! Some events, such as storms, we could do without.
LikeLike
I don’t know how I missed this. It looks like you had some substantial tree damage round your way during that storm. With the exception of a large tree coming down across a main road we thankfully didn’t have much round here. I like the view of the frozen canal and those penguins look like they’ve been Tangoed😄
LikeLike
We did – they are starting to be cleared now, but it will take a while. As long as the penguins are no relation to the orange-skinned one in the White House!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another busy month you had. It is always sad to see the trees down like that after storms.
LikeLike
It is. they are slowly being cleared away now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad to hear you didn’t have any damage from the storm, that’s an awful lot of toppled trees! I’m intrigued by the orange penguins, I wonder if they’ll be back or if they’re just making a one-off appearance… Jessie Stephens sounds like a fascinating woman and it looks as though you have some great material for your exhibition. Hope it comes together well, I look forward to reading more about it.
LikeLike
I think it will take a long time to clear all the trees. I suspect the orange penguins are an “amateur” plant and not by the original artist. Yes, Jessie is amazing – i have been fascinated by her for about 8 years now!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Always like the penguins. I counted 50 toppled trees after the storm in my own small district alone so Scotland and Ireland wide it must run into thousands of trees. Bob. BSS.
LikeLike
It must be- we keep coming across more. It will take months to clear them all, so I hope there are no more storms in the meantime.
LikeLike
I like living in a quiet backwater but I do feel envious when Celtic Connections is on. It always seems to have many concerts that I would like to attend. I have admired the cyclist’s ability to go out in icy conditions and not to fall off.
LikeLike
You will have to book a little holiday in Glasgow when Celtic Connections is on! Although the wether is not always conducive to travel …
LikeLike
Hi Anabel – the Celtic Connections looks to be a huge of amount of fun – very talented musicians. Gosh lots of trees down … we got away lightly down here. The cyclist chose a good time of year to pop down to Lanzarote; those orange penguins … I wonder too – good luck with finishing the talk Jessie sounds a fascinating woman – cheers Hilary
LikeLike
Celtic Connections is always a great time of year! I’m sure there will be a lot more of Jessie to come, she certainly is fascinating.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you had fun at all the concerts. About the only live music I can do now is the symphony. I’ll be doing that in a couple weeks. That was some storm! Too bad about all the tree loss.
I think the orange penguins are sunburned from climate change!
LikeLike
I like your theory about the penguins! We go to symphony concerts too but they are spread out over the year. Celtic Connections is our Big Musical Moment!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi, Anabel! Your Celtic Connections experiences sound wonderful! Glad to hear you weathered Storm Éowyn safely, though 100mph winds sound terrifying. Looking forward to hearing more about the Jessie Stephen exhibition. Stay warm and storm-free in February. ❤
LikeLike
Thanks Donna. I’m certainly hoping for storm free!
LikeLiked by 1 person
500 trees is a big loss in a city. Otherwise it looks like you had a nice month. I wouldn’t feel at all comfortable riding a bike on an icy road though.
LikeLike
I think even he recognised that road was not a good idea! Keep coming across more trees downed – I don’t know how long it will take the council to clear them all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A fun packed January indeed! The great photos all tell the stories of the winter concert, the winter storm and a winter holiday! How wonderful to have all that memorabilia from Jessie’s great niece…she sounds like a great lady.
LikeLike
She was a great lady. I am excited about the exhibition but a bit apprehensive too, as I have never done this sort of thing before. However, Aurora at the Halls seems confident so I am putting my trust in her!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think I have that K T Tundtall cd somewhere. Great photos of the acts by the way at Celtic connections. Looks a fab month apart from the storms. Glad the penguins survived, perhaps their brolly didn’t!
LikeLike
It’s a great CD! When I saw the penguins in the storm on social media there was another one whose umbrella had seemingly lifted him off the ground. By the time I got there, he had disappeared. Blown away? Or pinched? 🤔
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let’s say, blown away….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love those orange penguins. How cheerful is that? Great music options too. We have Scottish friends who regularly come back to Glasgow or Edinburgh to visit family. They usually have ok weather (for Scotland) but that Friday they were marooned in Wetherspoons most of the day because everywhere else was closed!
LikeLike
The orange penguins are very cheerful, but maybe not entirely authentic! I suppose I’m not surprised Wetherspoons stayed open.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That storm really was the worst, so many trees down. Makes me nervous driving along tree – lined roads. My OH would love those concerts.
LikeLike
I was so glad we had had some trees behind our house chopped down last year! I guess January is not the best time to travel all the way up to Glasgow, but I’m sure your OH would be in his element.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it’s a shame it’s so far away and that the Transatlantic Sessions don’t come anywhere near Cornwall.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Goodness. You did have it bad. I’m not sorry we were safely swanning around in Spain!
LikeLike
It was quite wild! You were better off where you were, though I don’t envy you your journeys which also sounded a bit on the wild side.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Character building, it’s called.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Happy to hear you escaped catastrophic damage, Anabel. Thanks for sharing the photos of those less-lucky. Are such storms less-likely in the fall (asking for a friend). 😉 Please continue to keep us posted on where & when your talks happen. Fingers crossed one coincides with my visit.
LikeLike
We are getting a lot more of these storms these days it seems – thanks climate change! They do tend to be more in the winter months though.
LikeLike
My son listened to Inverary as part of Celtic Connections – and loved it! I was very glad that he could work at home on the day of those very strong winds. He sent me a video of the trees bending this way and that outside his window.
LikeLike
I wondered if your son a) liked Celtic Connections and b) got through the storm ok. Now I know yes to both!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That sounds – and looks – like a crazy storm, Anabel. Poor trees. I love how the penguin scenes resemble actuality so much. Cute, funny, informative. And, how did you take such crisp photos of the concerts in the evening?
LikeLike
It was wild! The concert photos were all taken with John’s iPhone, which has a better camera than mine. It helps that I book really early and we often get seats near the front.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So sorry about your crazy windstorm. I’m glad you didn’t suffer damage. It seems you really enjoyed all the music this month at Celtic Connections. What a way to enliven January. 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks, yes, we were very glad to avoid damage. I always love January in Glasgow! Apart from the weather obviously.
LikeLike
I’m glad you came through Storm Éowyn unscathed. We were fortunate to escape the worst of it down here but it sounded pretty awful, and looks it from your shots. Love the penguins as always!
LikeLike
I’m still noticing new places with trees down – it will take ages to clear them all. The penguins are always cute! I think the orange ones have been placed by an interloper.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi. Have you ever had winds like that before? 100mph is really something. You heard some real good music. I saw Campbell/Williams at the Philadelphia Folk Festival about 8 years ago.
LikeLike
We’ve had storms most years recently, but this was the worst. Apparently the last time we had a red warning was 2012 but I don’t remember it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lovely mix. I really will have to time one of my hikes to stop over in Glasgow during Celtic Connections. The Transatlantic Sesssion would fit well with my love of Americana. I even picked up the banjo recently. 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks Tony! There is always something for (almost) everyone in Celtic Connections.
LikeLike