2015: The Year in Review

IT WAS a great honour for me to take over the Glasgow Letter at the beginning of 2015.

I have thoroughly enjoyed writing the column thus far although, when I am away with the Skipinnish boys, meeting the deadline can sometimes prove tricky.

I cannot help but raise a smile when I look back at some of the situations and locations in which I have put the articles together: from the library at Glasgow University, hours before an exam, to a hotel room in Jura while a party raged downstairs, or to a croft house in Tiree with the music festival in full swing along the road.

I have written it on a plane journey returning from a gig in Spain and, if you think that is exotic, I have even scribbled notes on a bouncy rib journey from Barra.

Probably the only reason I have always managed to finish it in those challenging circumstances is because it is usually such an exciting column to write.

In my first year writing it, I have been able to cover some of the best events I have ever been to in my life.

I wrote fairly extensively about Celtic Connections last January.

Concerts like ‘ The Crew of the Puffer Present Para Handy’ in St Andrews in the Square, Skerryvore and Dàimh-mòr in The Old Fruitmarket and ‘ The Music of Pipe Major Donald MacLeod MBE’ in the Mitchell Library proved to be massive highlights of the year for me.

In April, I was privileged to attend the Glasgow Skye Association’s 150th anniversary civic dinner in Glasgow City Chambers - an historic and unforgettable evening.