Statue sculptor to be announced at Mary Barbour Concert

The five shortlisted statues

The name of the successful sculptor chosen to create the statue of Mary Barbour will be announced from the stage of the Gala Concert scheduled for this Sunday, 21 February in Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket, the Remember Mary Barbour Association (RMBA) said today.

Maria Fyfe, Chair of the Remember Mary Barbour Association said. “This concert is a part of raising the funds to commission the statue, so it seemed only right to announce the successful candidate here. At long last there will be a new statue of a woman of achievement - achievement not for herself but for the people of Glasgow. This concert will be both a celebration of the statues and of Mary’s life and work.”

In addition to the stars already announced, prominent Scottish actress Libby McArthur has joined the guest list to add drama to the variety of the concert. She will be delivering a speech from Julia Taudevin’s play, Mrs Barbour’s Daughters.

Compering the show is comedian and presenter, Susan Morrison, and the performers will include folk legends, Sheena Wellington, and Arthur Johnstone, rising singer and musician Siobhan Miller, Scottish legends The Whistlebinkies, Gaelic singing star, Maeve Mackinnon, harmonica supremo, Fraser Speirs, and folk-rock recording artists, The Wakes. A local Govan-based community choir – the Govan Allsorts, will bring Mary’s community centre stage!

Susan Morrison

Compere, Susan Morrison said “Too often we look at history and see the word hero linked only to men who did things in wars of dubious morality The women who stood with Mary fought for something greater. They fought for fairness, for justice and for their communities. They were kitchen table heroes and that is worth celebrating, to inspire a new generation of women to continue the fight.”

In addition to the maquettes of the statues, a new portrait has been painted of Mary Barbour, by Govan artist Daniel Fitzpatrick. He has donated the powerful and striking portrait to the RMBA. The portrait depicts her steely determination but also captures her warmth and compassion, and a series of limited edition signed prints are being created for sale - hopefully in time for the concert!! 

Mary Barbour by Daniel Fitzpatrick

Mary Barbour led the successful rent strike of 1915 and went on to play a leading role in the labour movement as a Glasgow Councillor and energetic social reformer. Following an extensive campaign to have her contribution recognised, five sculptors were shortlisted to create a statue of her to be placed in her community of Govan. So far each has created a maquette of a proposed statue . These were unveiled in November and have been toured across Glasgow for people to express their opinion. See them on the Facebook page here.

Details of the Gala Concert are as follows

Remember Mary Barbour Gala Concert , Sunday 21 February, Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, 7.30pm, Tickets: £25, from the Glasgow Concert Halls box office. http://www.glasgowconcerthalls.com/Pages/home.aspx#  0141 353 8000. For further information  - www. remembermarybarbour.wordpress.com/ and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RememberMaryBarbour/

Acts announced for Mary Barbour Gala Concert

This release was featured in the Evening Times on the 19 January. It updates earlier news with some of the artists who have signed up to play in the GalaConcert. Get your tickets NOW!!

A galaxy of stars will play at the Gala Concert to raise money for a statue to Govan Rent Strike leader, Mary Barbour, it was announced today. The concert, which is scheduled for 21 February in Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket, will feature a number of great performers for a night of entertainment, song and music. 

Compereing the show is comedian and presenter, Susan Morrison, and the guest

Arthur Johnstone

list will include folk legends, Sheena Wellington, and Arthur Johnstone, rising singer and musician Siobhan Miller, Scottish legends The Whistlebinkies, Gaelic singing star, Maeve Mackinnon, harmonica supremo, Fraser Speirs, and folk-rock recording artists, The Wakes.

A local Govan-based community choir – the Govan Allsorts, led by musician Lesley Robertson - have also been called in to bring Mary’s community centre stage! Further special guests are anticipated.

Susan Morrison

Compere, Susan Morrison said “It has long been the case that the role of women activists in the struggle for decent conditions has been overlooked. Its great that we are helping an important move to redress that, and that so many wonderful artists are keen to help.”

Maria Fyfe, Chair of the Remember Mary Barbour Association said. “This concert has taken off and looks like being a superb celebration of Mary’s life and work. Isn’t this a great way to raise much-needed funds, display the huge support for this project and have a great night out?”

Mary Barbour led the successful rent strike of 1915 and went on to play a leading role in the labour movement as a Glasgow Councillor and energetic social reformer. Following an extensive campaign to have her contribution recognised, five sculptors were shortlisted to create a statue of her to be placed in her community of Govan. So far each has created a maquette of a proposed statue . These were unveiled in November and are being toured across Glasgow from then until February. See them on the Facebook page here.

Details of the Gala Concert are as follows

Remember Mary Barbour – Gala Concert , Sunday 21 February, Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, 7.30pm, Tickets: £25, from the Glasgow Concert Halls box office. http://www.glasgowconcerthalls.com/Pages/home.aspx#  0141 353 8000. For further information  - www. remembermarybarbour.wordpress.com/ and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RememberMaryBarbour/

Looking Forward (and Remembering) - A tribute to Tony

Tony Benn (photo courtesy Sunday Mail)

300 plus people squashed into Glasgow's Mitchell Theatre on Sunday to celebrate a legend. As compère Susan Morrison pointed out, the word was in danger of overuse, as artists like Fraser Speirs, James Grant and Arthur Johnstone followed one another onto the stage. But in reality one legend dominated. Tony Benn himself, was the life being celebrated - to him went the accolade

Despite the last minute absence of Roy Bailey, taken ill on his way to the concert, the bill in the two concerts was crammed with talent. The first (spoken word) concert featured the acid sharpness of Tom Leonard, the pointed humour of Elvis McGonagall and the up-front politics of Attila the Stockbroker. Held together by the stories of Bruce Morton, it was a revelation to those who possibly hadn't experienced performance poetry before.

The main bill, however, was reserved for the evening concert. Curated by singer-songwriter,

Rab Noakes (photo by Alan MacMillan)

Rab Noakes and introduced by Scottish Labour leadership candidate, Neil Findlay MSP (who had the initial idea) a positive galaxy of musicians from Scotland, augmented by guests from South of the border served up a great evening. Ably compèred by Susan Morrison, the first half was introduced by Rab and Fraser's version of Sixteen Tons. Arthur Johnstone and Stephen Wright replaced Rab to give us some Woody Guthrie (Playboys and Playgirls) and Adrian Mitchell's Victor Jara. Appropriately, that introduced some more poetry from Elvis McGonagall, whose sharp analysis and humour made the politics more pointed - and converted not a few to performance poetry!  

Emily Benn

While all the show took place under the watchful eye of Tony Benn from the big screen, his granddaughter, Emily, who read from Letters to my Grandchildren, made further family input. She thanked the organisers, and called on everyone to continue the fight for democracy, equality and peace that Tony Benn had given his life to. Rab Noakes' main set - Incorporating the ever-coruscating Spin closed the first half.

The second half rang the changes with the Qyeen of NRNXPO - probably the first time many of the audience have been exposed to rap! Attila the Stockbroker put some political meat on the bones before the double act of Alastair McDonald and Sheena Wellington brought us back to some traditional material - No, Trident No (Alastair), Mrs Barbour's Army (Sheena) and of course the song closely associated with her - A Man's a Man for a' that.

James Grant

James Grant's set moved us into the current day with dark songs of loss - My Father's Coat in particular. And the finale gave us a different take on The Red Flag. By reverting to its initial tune (The White Cockade) Rab and the ensemble breathed a new, much more jaunty, life into the song.

With the now traditional Jarama Valley/Bandiera Rosa winding up the night, the whole day was one of tradition, mixed with development. Encouraging new experiences, while celebrating old successes. Surely entirely appropriate for an evening for Tony Benn?  

Justice at Work Campaign gets entertaining boost

Is it a concert? Is it a campaign? Unite Scotland is staging an event today as part of its

Justice at Work campaign that blurs such distinctions. Headlined by anti-blacklist

Ricky Tomlinson

campaigner, Shrewsbury picket and actor, Ricky Tomlinson, the event also stars victimised INEOS stewards Stevie Deans and Mark Lyons.

Providing the music, singer-songwriter, Rab Noakes leads a stellar cast including Arthur Johnstone, moothie maestro Fraser Speirs, Stephen Wright and rap artist NRNXPO Qyeens. Unite's General Secretary, Len McCluskey will also

Rab Noakes

speak as will Stevie Deans' daughter Ailis  and the whole event is compered by comedian, Susan Morrison.

Unite's Scottish Secretary, Pat Rafferty said

“Tonight’s gig will be an unabashed celebration of working-class achievement and struggle and also a display of solidarity to argue that decent jobs and decent lives go hand-in-hand with decent employment rights and safe, secure workplaces.”

Doors for the free show open at 7PM for a 7:30PM start and a limited number of tickets are available on a first come first served basis from info@fairpley.com.

The trade union movement will be watching this innovative approach to campaigning closely. It is a welcome development in engaging a broader section of people in campaigns, like the Anti-Blacklist Campaign. Associate producers, Fair Pley, continue to work with the Labour Movement and are busy planning an event in tribute to Tony Benn taking place in Glasgow on Sunday 30 November. Their versatility knows no bounds!