Glasgow Letter
Glasgow bands steal the show at Oban Live
THE SUN shone all the way up the A82 on Friday as a throng of Glasgow Highlanders headed up the road to Oban Live.
It was a cracking weekend – the music and craic were superb and the weather behaved itself impeccably.
There were a number of familiar acts for those travelling up the road from Glasgow: some of which are based in Glasgow, and some of which are known to us from their performances at Celtic Connections – such as We Banjo 3, the group from Ireland, who endeared themselves to the Oban crowd with a high energy performance that equalled their superb gig in the Old Fruitmarket during this year’s Celtic Connections.
Well done to the Skerryvore boys for organising such a wonderful festival.
Happy birthday, Chalky Langley
While Oban bounced to the sounds of KT Tunstall and co at the weekend, Glasgow had its own highly anticipated event – Tiree man Chalky Langley’s 50th birthday party!
Chalky lives these days in Exmouth, Devon, but returned to Scotland at the weekend to spend the last night of his forties and the first of his fifties at the Park Bar – where else!
On returning from Oban Live, I popped my head into the Park and I am so glad I did – the place was mobbed with a big Tiree contingent, party banners up on the wall and the Trail West boys in fine form despite their wild exploits in Oban the night before. I also had a wee blether with Chalky’s mother, Ann, which is always a pleasure.
After the weekend, Chalky wrote on Facebook about how much he had enjoyed ‘spending the first evening of my fifties in a place that has been with me through the decades … and listening to a great Tiree band’.
It was a memorable evening for everyone in the Park Bar.
Happy birthday, Chalky!
Catriona Chalum Aoghnais is 100
It’s not every week that my Glasgow Letter includes congratulations to a gentleman reaching a half-century, and also to a lady becoming a centenarian.
Happy birthday to Catherine Wilson (nee Paterson), known as Catriona Chalum Aoghnais, formerly of North Boisdale, South Uist, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends in Almond View, Glasgow.
The highlight of her day was receiving a special delivery of a card from Her Majesty the Queen.
What’s on
Saturday May 21: Gaels Le Chèile: Cois Tine/ Taigh- Cèilidh/ House Cèilidh in Sutherland’s Bar, Argyll Hotel.
Thursday May 26: Glasgow Uist and Barra Association AGM in Lourdes Secondary School. Wednesday June 1: Glasgow Skye Association AGM in Partick Burgh Hall. Wednesday June 1: Mull and Iona Association AGM An Leanag, Mansfield Street, 7.30pm. Friday June 3: Glasgow Skye Association end of session social in Redhurst Hotel, Giffnock.
Pub scene
Park Bar. Friday May 20: Deoch’n’ Dorus. Saturday: Gunna Sound. Sunday: Martainn Skene Islay Inn. Friday 20: The Raggaels. Saturday 21: Crooked Reel. Wednesday 25: Quiz Night.