Tales Fae the East

This episode is a brief investigation into perceptions on Gaelic in the East End of Glasgow.  Everyone who we spoke to for the podcast was asked about their perception of Gaelic in the city.  Here are some of their responses and a short piece in return from Mairi Morrison, Gaelic singer, actor and playwright who lives in Glasgow.  This episode was created as part of GUIR! from Glasgow Life.  With thanks to Rona MacDonald.  

This episode is a conversation with Lewa Thomas.  Lewa was born in Glasgow, where she's lived all of her life. I first met Lewa at Akara, the wonderful bakery and café she runs on Duke St.    We talk about growing up as a Nigerian Scot in Glasgow, the nature of hailing from another culture and living in Scotland, her journey to opening up Akara, coming to live in the East End of the city and what the area means to her. We finish up by contrasting her cousin's experience of coming from another culture and living in Kent compared to Lewa's own experience in Glasgow.    Episode links and more can be found on our website at tales-fae-the-east.com Thanks for listening!  

This episode is a chat with Babs Nicgriogair.  Originally from Stornoway Babs has lived in Glasgow since the mid 80's.    Babs has worked at Green City in East End since the Millennium. Green City is a Wholesaler of ethically sourced food and drink based in the East End and is also a worker's coop.        We talk about Babs' younger years in Stornoway, leaving Lewis to study in Glasgow, her time in Canada, her love of language and theatre, how she's seen the East End change over the last 20 years and we go into the nature of Green City's working practices and much more! We have a Tales Fae the East Exhibition opening up at Dennistoun Library on Saturday the 2nd of April, where you will be able to see the portraits of the participants that Tim Morozzo has taken throughout the project. Do drop in for a look around if you're about. Links for this episode and lots more can be found on our website.  Thank you for listening! 

This episode features a chat between Irene McInnes of Reidvale Housing Association and sociologist, historian and author Seán Damer.    In each of the 15 episodes that we've released so far for Tale Fae the East, the notion of community, home and housing seems to be an implicit part of the picture we're building of the East End.    When we talked for episode 14 Mandy McIntosh mentioned Seán Damer's book Scheming  I read the book and was was very taken with it.  This lead me to seek Seán out to see if he'd be willing to talk with for the podcast about the nature of housing in Glasgow and the East End.  Irene McInnes is one of the founders of Reidvale Housing Association.  Irene spoke to me for episode one of this podcast series.  Her perspective on life in the East End and her involvement in social housing and community made her the ideal person to speak with Sean and myself. I'm incredibly grateful for the time that they gave to speak for the podcast.  They offer a series of very interesting perspectives that help to step towards a take on the East End that Tales Fae the East is looking to build over the course of its episodes. I'm hoping to do another episode on the nature of the high flats in Sighthill with other participants soon.  More on that when it happens. Keep an eye out for Seán's new book, too:  Those Tyrannising Landlords For episode links and more, please visit Tales Fae the East. Thank you so much for listening.    

In this episode I talk with Jane and James Torrens, formerly of St Rollox Church in Sighthill. Both Jane and James have quite remarkable professional medical backgrounds. James left medicine to enter the church as a minister.  St Rollox became his parish. It was during their time at St Rollox that refugees came to settle in the area.    We talk about both Jane and James' lives before Sighthill, their medical practices and much more beyond, when then talk about St Rollox and the arrival of the refugees.   I was out and about talking to folk along Duke St one day and a contact with Nigerian roots said to Tim and I that ‘if you were to be a refugee anywhere, Glasgow would be the city you'd want to be a refugee'.  The conversation that we have in this episode is a great testimony to this.   Just a wee trigger warning, at a certain point in the episode we talk about diseases including leprosy.          Many thanks to Elaine MacKenzie Ellis for putting us all in contact!  Episode links and more can be found at tales-fae-the-east.com Thanks for listening!  

In this episode I talk with the artist Mandy McIntosh. Mandy grew up in Glasgow and in South Africa.  She has lived in different parts of the city, but in this episode we pay particular attention to her time in Sighthill.   We talk about her life growing up both here and away and what her experience of Sighthill was.  We then talk about her studies and travels, taking in Paris, Ireland and Australia.  Our conversation also goes into the nature of social housing and community, then we talk about Scots lingustic identity.  We also celebrate the impact that Mrs Winters, Mandy's art teacher had on her life. For links and more, please go to our website here: Tales Fae the East Thanks for listening!

In this episode I talk with Tommy McInnes of Dennistoun.   Tommy was born and has lived in the East End all of his life. We talk about growing up in the Gallowgate, his Mum and Dad, the joy of playing football at every opportunity, the cinemas in the area, school life, working life and how he met his wife, Irene McInnes, who we spoke to in the first episode of this series.   This is the last episode of the current series of Tales Fae the East, so I thought it a nice way to book end things by speaking to Tommy after having spoken to Irene at the start.   Tales Fae the East is an artist in residence project from Glasgow Life.   For more info and links, please visit our site here. Photo of Tommy by Tim Morozzo Thank you for listening!

In this episode I talk with Sophie Kindreich of Haghill / Dennistoun.   Amongst a broad portfolio of skills, including DJing,  Sophie is involved with Migrant Rights issues including No Evictions, who were the group that successfully put a halt on the eviction of residents of Kenmure St earlier in the summer.    We talk about Sophie's life growing up in Alloa and how Glasgow always appealed to her first through its music and then through its politics.  We then talk about the nature of DJing, the politics of anarchy and migrant rights and what people can do to support migrants in their communities.  Tales Fae the East is an artist in residence project from Glasgow Life.  I share the position with Tim Morozzo who will be taking photo portraits of the participants.   For more info and links, please visit our site here. Photo of Sophie by Tim Morozzo Thank you for listening!

In this episode I talk with Mark Chambers, the radio coordinator of Bolt FM.   Bolt FM are based in the East End of Glasgow and make radio for young people by young people.  They've been serving their community for 20 years now and making all sorts of difference to young people's lives.    Mark talks about Bolt FM's work in the East End, and how they've made contact with communities in Zambia, where they have an exchange programme which takes young Scots to Zambia and young Zambians to Scotland.  Our conversation covers loads of ground, taking in Scots linguistic identity and broadcast culture, amongst many other topics.   Tales Fae the East is an artist in residence project from Glasgow Life.  I share the position with Tim Morozzo who will be taking photo portraits of the participants.   For more info and links, please visit our site here. Photo of Mark by Tim Morozzo Thank you for listening!

This episode is a conversation with Jackie Shearer of Dennistoun about her life and work.   Jackie was brought up in Glasgow and East Kilbride and has had a long and fascinating career in the arts sphere.   We talk about growing up in East Kilbride, the role of a good 80's jumble sale, the thriving music scene of the 80's, how Tom Leonard and Alasdair Gray's work really connected with her as a young person, then how she stepped into working in the arts.  We also talk about comparisons between the East End in the past and the present.  Tales Fae the East is an artist in residence project from Glasgow Life.  I share the position with Tim Morozzo who will be taking photo portraits of the participants.   For more info and links, please visit our site here. Thank you for listening!

This episode is a conversation with film and TV producer Barbara Orton about her life and work and how she came to live in Dennistoun. We talk about growing up in Newcastle, her first steps into community work, the setting up of a community video company in Pilton in Edinburgh, how the City of Culture 1990 brought her west to Glasgow and then how she stepped into film and tv production.  We also talk about the change in the community that she's seen since first moving to Dennistoun.    Barbara's production company is the Bafta award winning True TV. There are so many more tales to be told, so if you know someone who knows tales of Dennistoun, Sighthill or Haghill and you think they'd be willing to talk to us for the podcast, we'd love to hear from them!  I'm particularly keen to speak to folk from Haghill as we've not spoken to anyone there yet.  I'd also love to speak to anyone from the diverse immigrant communities in the area, so please do drop us a line on info@tales-fae-the-east.com with any contacts you think would be willing to talk.  Episode links and more can be found on tales-fae-the-east.com Thank you for listening!

This episode is a conversation about the life and adventures of leading rally driver Andy Neil, with her children Candy and Donald.   Andy, also known as Annie and her sister Chrissie, also known as KiKi were born and brought up in the pig farm at Tollcross.   Andy never sat a driving test, yet she drove trucks for the pig farm and competed in rallies including the Monte Carlo rally.  We talk about her life, her rallying career, the pig farm, her family, memories of Tollcross, the politics of land ownership in Glasgow, a firearms armistice amongst many other topics This episode of TFtE is presented in association with another artist in residence in Glasgow, Rebecca Fraser's Today Museum, whose project LIFE explores and archives what life is like in 2021 for the people of Shettleston through their stories and objects.  For more information on Rebecca's work please visit: https://www.todaymuseumparkhead.com/   Thank you so much to Ann Dundas, Donald's wife, who rang me up to see if we'd be interested in these tales.  Thanks Ann, that was a brilliant suggestion!    For images and more please visit our website Tales Fae the East Thank you for listening!   

This episode is a conversation with Rose Ruane. Rose first settled in the East End with a flat in Haghill, then eventually moved into Dennistoun where she's been a resident for many years.  Rose is an author and so much more, her first book, This is Yesterday was published in 2019.  Rose is also studying for her doctorate at present, which we talk about towards the end of the episode. Our conversation goes into Rose's life in the area, her work and her thoughts on the changes to Dennistoun over the last years. A special thank you to Helen Cassidy, who put Rose in contact with the podcast.   If you know someone who knows tales of Dennistoun, Sighthill or Haghill and you think they'd be willing to talk to us for the podcast, we'd love to hear from them!  I'd also love to speak to anyone from the diverse immigrant communities in the area, so please do drop us a line on info@tales-fae-the-east.com with any contacts you think would be willing to talk.   One of the subjects we're particularly interested in investigating is the role of Gaelic in the community.  If you're a Gaelic speaker in the area and would like to talk to us, we'd love to have a natter.  If you know of any interesting Gaelic related stories or facts about the area, we'd also love to hear about them!  Bhiodh sin dìreach gasta!   Photo of Rose by Tim Morozzo Links and more can be found on https://tales-fae-the-east.com/ Thanks for listening!  

This episode is a conversation with Robert Macaulay of Robert's Hair Design of Duke St, Dennistoun.  Robert was born and brought up in Sword St and knows Dennistoun intimately.    Our conversation goes into life in the area in Robert's youth, how he started his working life at the age of 9, his memories of cinemas in the area, childhood holidays, the Dennistoun Palais in its roller disco days, roller hockey, the music scene in Glasgow of his younger days, his professional life and lots more besides.      As we recorded this conversation over Zoom there are occasional odd noises and pinging sounds, I've tried to edit them out where possible, but you will hear the whistle and echo for which I apologise.   Thank you to Gail and Alison at Florresters on Duke St, and Mairi Binnie for putting me in contact with Robert.  There are so many more tales to be told, so if you know someone who knows tales of Dennistoun, Sighthill or Haghill and you think they'd be willing to talk to us for the podcast, we'd love to hear from them!  I'm particularly keen to speak to folk from Haghill as we've not spoken to anyone there yet.  I'd also love to speak to anyone from the diverse immigrant communities in the area, so please do drop us a line on info@tales-fae-the-east.com with any contacts you think would be willing to talk.  Episode links and more can be found on tales-fae-the-east.com Photo of Robert by Tim Morozzo Thank you for listening!

In this episode I speak with Alis Le May of Dennistoun. Alis is a bespoke tailor, whose practice includes both suits and dresses, and the sharing of knowledge through community out reach with Decent Projects, a company she runs with her partner Calum.  We talk about her path from Norfolk to Dennistoun, taking in her studies and how she continued to develop her craft.  We also go into the history of tailoring in the area, too and how much the area means to her.  Episode links and more can be found here. alislemay.com Photo of Alis by Tim Morozzo Thank you for listening!    

In this episode I speak with Stuart Cosgrove of Dennistoun.  Stuart is a writer, broadcaster, television executive and so much more.    A resident of Dennistoun for many years, Stuart originally comes from Letham in Perth. Our conversation covers a huge amount of ground, we go from life in Dennistoun, his youth in Perth, his studies in Hull and America, then on to Stuart's working life.  We also talk about the importance of soul music, we touch on the life and skills of late Mary Wilson of the Supremes and then we round off with a reflection of Gaelic in the community.   Stuart also goes into the nature of poverty, what it means, and how important it is for us as a society to invest in the creative talents of young people. There's also two naughty words which pop later on in the episode, please feel free to add a  beeping sound at your own discretion.       As we recorded this conversation over Zoom there are occasional odd noises and pinging sounds, I've tried to edit them out where possible, but you will hear the odd pop and growl for which I apologise.   If you want to drop us a line you can reach us on info@tales-fae-the-east.com We're also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Episode links and more can be found here. The photo of Stuart is by Tim Morozzo. Thanks for listening!  

In this episode I speak with Elaine MacKenzie Ellis of Sighthill. Elaine is an actor with an enviable list of credits to her name including Rab C Nesbitt, Still Game, Dear Frankie, Sunshine on Leith and many others.   In this conversation we don't talk too much about Elaine's career, but focus in on her connections to the high flats in Sighthill.  We talk about the community in the area, how that has changed over the years, what growing up in a high flat was like and we go into the campaign to save the high flats. Our conversation goes all over the place, at one point taking in a little talked about uprising in 1820 that took place near by.      As we recorded this conversation over Zoom there are occasional odd noises and ghostly echoes, I've tried to edit them out where possible, but you will hear the odd pop and growl for which I apologise. Special thanks to Mandy McIntosh for suggesting that I talk to Elaine! Episode links and more can be found here.   Thank you for listening!    

In this episode I speak with Mitch Miller of Dennistoun. Mitch is an artist who works with an approach which he calls the Dialectogram, offering a pigeons eye view of spaces.  Spaces as seen from above, but with the pigeon's knowledge of where all the dropped chips from Friday night lie. Mitch comes from a long line of travelling show folk.  It's so interesting to hear him talk about this heritage and how it has influenced both his life and work.   Our conversation touches on his family's story, how he first came to Dennistoun, his studies, his work outside of the art world and how his art practice has grown and developed over the years, tied into community and place.    One thing that comes across so strongly from our conversation is Mitch's love for and commitment to the area.  Mitch's website can be found here.   Tales Fae the East is an artist in residence project from Glasgow Life.  I share the position with my mate Tim Morozzo who will be taking photo portraits of the people we speak to when Covid restrictions lift. There are many more tales to be told, so if you know someone, like Mitch or Irene, who knows tales of Dennistoun, Sighthill or Haghill and you think they'd be willing to talk to us for the podcast, we'd love to hear from them!  You can reach us on info@tales-fae-the-east.com We're also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  Our website https://tales-fae-the-east.com gives you some more info about the project an intro to Tim and I, and provides links to subjects covered in the episodes.   With this residency we're going to be offering photography and podcasting workshops, so please do feel free to drop us a line to say if you'd like to join us.  We'll advertise these more as we go along so you know where to go online.  The likelihood is that they'll be on Zoom for the foreseeable future.   Episode links, photos and more can be found here. Thanks so much for listening!  

In the first episode of Tales Fae the East we speak with Irene McInnes of Dennistoun.  Irene grew up in the East End, and came to settle in Dennistoun in her 20's. She's been one of the key figures in Reidvale Housing Association, a pioneering community housing association who put their tenants at centre of their operations, since the very beginning.   We talk about Irene's family as she was growing up, her father's service during the second world war, characters from the community, memories of dancing at the Palais de Dance, going to see bands in the 60's, the correct type of sausage to have in a roll and so much more.  Towards the end of the episode we talk about Reidvale, how it grew and what its role in the community is.    Tales Fae the East is an artist in residence project from Glasgow Life.  My friend and colleague Tim Morrozo shares the residency with me.  Tim is a photographer and will be visiting each of the people we speak to take a portrait of them to accompany the podcast and be shown as part of an exhibition once Covid restrictions ease. We're going to be offering podcasting and photography workshops as part of this project. If you'd like to see the links for this episode and find out more about the project, please visit the episode page on our website. Thanks for listening!