Glasgow and Speyside folk group The Way North won Battle Of The Folk Bands 2026 at Celtic Connections on Saturday, January 31.
The final took place at Drygate Brewery, where five finalists performed for an enthusiastic crowd. Judges awarded the title to The Way North after a set that paired traditional material with a contemporary, high-energy approach.
The band features Daisy McCormick and Jamie Clarke on fiddles, Ali MacQuarrie on guitar, and Gregor Niven on accordion. Members met on the BA Applied Music course at UHI, then formed after a week of playing together in Stornoway. Their sound is rooted in Glasgow’s session scene and the Gaelic melodies of South Uist.
Battle Of The Folk Bands is a Hands Up For Trad project that supports emerging Scottish traditional music acts.
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central