The competitions are held in The Westcliffe Hotel on Saturday morning with Gordon Potter as host. All entries are very welcome!
Traditional Songwriting Competition
Saturday 4th May – 11:00am
The Westcliffe Hotel
Entries are invited for the Traditional Songwriting Competition.
To enter, please show up in good time at the start of the competition ready to sing your song (or bring someone who can!).
Looking for some inspiration?
Take a listen to this selection of archival recordings of the Traditional Songwriting Competition made by Dr Margaret Bennett and Dr Peter Cooke hosted on Tobar an Dualchais/Kist o Riches.
Anne Neilson sings Ian Davison’s My Love of You in 1989
Angus Russell’s comic Cheers for those with a Beard Today won 2nd prize in 1979
Unknown contributor to the 1989 Songwriting Competition
Norman Stewart sings his own song, The Shores of Loch Duich
Traditional Singing Competition
Saturday 4th May – 12:00am (follows on directly after Songwriting Competition)
The Westcliffe Hotel
Entries are invited to the Traditional Singing Competition.
A singing competition has been a part of Girvan Festival since our very first Festival in 1975.
The singing will follow on directly from the songwriting and so may start before 12. To enter, please be in good time for the start of the competition.
Norman Stewart sings the The Iolaire at the 1989 ‘Songs of the Sea’ singing competition
What do we mean by ‘traditional’ song?
We strongly encourage entries to the competitions. We will not exclude songs e.g. from the singing competition on the basis of the fact that we know who wrote it (as some other competitions may do!). However, as with many things in life, the judges’ decision is final!!!
Archival recordings embedded on this site by kind permission of Tobar an Dualchais.