President Catherine Connolly has met members of the Donegal diaspora in Glasgow at an exhibition honouring generations of Irish people who moved to Scotland for work. The visit brought together emigrants, their descendants and well-known Donegal-born figures, including former Republic of Ireland and Celtic goalkeeper Packie Bonner.
President Catherine Connolly hears stories of Donegal emigrants
During her visit to Glasgow’s Mitchell Library, President Connolly met Winnie McHugh, who left County Donegal around 75 years ago in search of employment. Now aged 92, McHugh spoke to the President in Irish, recalling both the hardship of leaving home and the enduring importance of returning to see family.
McHugh was born in Tully, Dungloe, in the Rosses, and was the eldest of 13 siblings. All of the family worked in Scotland for a period, reflecting the economic pressures that drove many people from Donegal to leave Ireland during the 20th century.
For many emigrants, earning money abroad was not simply a personal decision. Workers often sent money home to support relatives and help families cope with poverty and limited employment opportunities.
‘Working Over By’ exhibition celebrates Donegal’s Scottish links
The exhibition, titled Working Over By, explores the lives of Donegal men and women who travelled to Scotland to earn a living. The phrase was commonly used to describe people who had left Donegal for Scotland, where they found work in construction, infrastructure and other sectors.
Rather than focusing only on famous individuals, the exhibition highlights the ordinary working lives of migrants whose labour helped shape communities across Scotland. It also records the emotional cost of emigration, including separation from parents, children, siblings and wider family networks.
- The exhibition is being held at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow.
- It focuses on Donegal people who moved to Scotland for work.
- President Catherine Connolly visited the exhibition and met members of the diaspora.
- The display includes stories of labourers, families and community figures, including Packie Bonner.
The Tunnel Tigers of Donegal
Among those remembered are the “Tunnel Tigers”, a nickname for Donegal labourers who worked on underground sections of British road and rail projects. Many left Ireland while still very young and took on physically demanding and dangerous employment.
Mairi Boyle and Anne Doherty, whose fathers came from Donegal, spoke about their family connections to the tunnelling industry. Doherty recalled how her father, Jim McLaughlin, emigrated at 16 and returned to construction work after suffering a serious accident in which he fell into a trench.
Boyle also pointed to a 1955 photograph showing her father-in-law, John Boyle, who came from Árainn Mhór. The image captures him smiling alongside colleagues during a break from tunnelling work.
The stories underline the risks faced by migrant workers, as well as the resilience and contribution of the Irish communities that grew around them.
Explore more Irish history, culture and community stories at DailyDigest.ie.
Packie Bonner reflects on Donegal’s impact in Scotland
Packie Bonner was also present at the Mitchell Library, standing beside photographs from his football career with Celtic. The former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper spent his entire club career with the Glasgow side and remains a prominent link between Donegal, Ireland and Scotland.
Bonner said people from Donegal had made a significant impact in Scotland over many decades. His comments pointed to the two-way nature of the relationship: Scotland provided employment and opportunity, while Donegal migrants contributed their labour, skills and culture to Scottish society.
His presence added a sporting dimension to an exhibition that is primarily focused on working lives. It also demonstrated how the Donegal-Scotland connection extends across generations and reaches beyond the workplaces where earlier migrants earned their living.
Why the Donegal diaspora story still matters
The exhibition offers a reminder that Irish emigration was shaped by economic necessity as much as by individual ambition. Families often endured long periods apart, with Christmas visits and letters becoming important ways of maintaining links with home.
For descendants, these memories remain part of their identity. The Irish language, family names, photographs and stories preserve connections that continued even after emigrants settled permanently in Scotland.
Donegal’s relationship with Scotland is especially strong because of the scale and continuity of migration between the two places. The exhibition documents that history through personal experiences rather than broad statistics alone, making the social impact of emigration easier to understand.
What happens next for the exhibition and diaspora links?
The display at the Mitchell Library is part of a wider effort to preserve the history of Donegal people who worked and settled in Scotland. Donegal County Council heritage officer Joseph Gallagher said the exhibition showed how strong ties had survived across multiple generations.
Those connections continue through family visits, cultural events, sport, language and community organisations. The stories gathered for Working Over By also provide an important historical record for younger members of the diaspora who may know the broad outline of their family’s journey but not the detail.
Frequently asked questions
What did President Catherine Connolly visit in Glasgow?
President Connolly visited the Working Over By exhibition at Glasgow’s Mitchell Library, which celebrates Donegal people who emigrated to Scotland for employment.
Who is Winnie McHugh?
Winnie McHugh is a 92-year-old Donegal emigrant who left Tully, Dungloe, for Scotland about 75 years ago. She met the President and spoke with her in Irish.
What does “Tunnel Tigers” mean?
“Tunnel Tigers” was a nickname for Donegal labourers who worked on underground sections of British road and rail infrastructure.
Why was Packie Bonner at the exhibition?
Packie Bonner attended because he is a prominent Donegal-born figure with a longstanding connection to Scotland through his career with Celtic.
Conclusion
President Catherine Connolly’s visit has brought fresh attention to the enduring relationship between Donegal and Scotland. From workers who sent money home to families who preserved their language and traditions, the exhibition shows how emigration shaped lives on both sides of the Irish Sea. For readers following Breaking News Ireland, the story is also a reminder that Ireland’s history is often best understood through the personal experiences of its diaspora.
