Caledonian MacBrayne celebrate Celtic Connections

16 January 2003

Ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne’s connections with its west coast communities over the last 150 years will come under the microscope as part of the celebration of Celtic Connections’ tenth birthday celebrations.

Iain McCrorie, the company’s official historian, will be presenting one of the University of Strathclyde Talks at the festival, which opened in Glasgow last night (Wednesday, January 16). The talk, to which admission is free, will take place in the Clyde Foyer of Glasgow’s Concert Hall at 6pm on Monday, January 27.

Caledonian MacBrayne is also delighted to support the Concerts by Candlelight at Celtic Connections in Glasgow Cathedral for the second successive year and congratulates the festival on its tenth birthday celebrations. A full list of these events is appended to this news release.

Kevin Hayes, Caledonian MacBrayne’s Commercial Director, said: “We share common interests and are delighted to be able to work together on such a wide range of events, giving our customers the chance to share in this exciting and challenging series. The addition of a talk on Caledonian MacBrayne this year will give Festival-goers a chance to see something of what is behind our operation as providers of lifeline services to islands and remote areas of the Clyde and the Hebrides. Last night’s opening event with the Scottish Women was a stunning success and we are sure that Aly Bain’s efforts in the first of the Candlelight concerts tonight will give the festival added impetus.”

Celtic Connections is now one of Scotland's premier cultural events and its record of growth in the last ten years has been wonderful. It presents a fantastic showcase of all that it best in Celtic entertainment and Caledonian MacBrayne’s support should help enable it to go from strength to strength.