Huge Irish music and culture festival at Glasgow Green cancelled amid 'geopolitical turmoil'
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A music festival dubbed “The Biggest Irish Festival in the UK” in promotional materials will no longer take place
The GlasGael music festival was set to take place next week (2-3 May) at Glasgow Green and feature music performances, Irish dancing, instrument lessons, storytelling and more including bars, food vendors and carnival rides.
A number of bands had already been announced - including the High Kings and Paddy Gunning. It dubbed itself.
However, in a statement posted online, organisers blamed ‘geopolitical turmoil, increased costs in the industry, and the ongoing cost of living crisis’ for the cancellation of the two-day event.
Organisers said they anticipated the festival now taking place in 2027.
A spokesperson said: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the postponement of GlasGael 2026 until next year, 2027.
“Since we launched GlasGael, the global landscape has shifted in ways that have fundamentally impacted our financial model. The combination of current geopolitical turmoil, increased costs in the industry, and the ongoing cost of living crisis has created unprecedented challenges.
“Over the past few weeks, several of our long-term contractors and suppliers have been forced to increase their rates. We fully understand their situation, but these cumulative costs mean we can no longer deliver the event at the scale and quality you deserve in 2026.
“Our ticketing team are refunding all tickets immediately. Your full refund including booking fees should appear in the bank account / card account from which you purchased your tickets within ten working days.
“We are deeply sorry for the disappointment this causes and thank you for your incredible support. We are now focusing our efforts on making GlasGael 2027 a celebration worth the wait.”
Organisers have now also taken down the festival’s social media presence.
There were concerns after it was announced that the second day of the festival would take place on the same day as a loyalist march in the city - which was expected to finish at Glasgow Green. Police Scotland said it had a “proportionate policing plan” in place for the events.