HE was one of Glasgow’s most weel-kent figures, a gravelly-voiced folk singer and raconteur who many people considered to be the soul of the city on the Clyde.
Yet there is only one memorial to Matt McGinn, who would have been 90 this week had he not died in a fire at his home on January 5, 1977, aged just 49.
That statue has pride of place in the foyer of the People’s Palace on Glasgow Green, but now a group of fans of the man who influenced Bob Dylan among others have decided to try to create a memorial in McGinn’s home area of the Calton, specifically on Ross Street.
Campaign organiser James Scott has set up a Facebook and gofundme.com page and has set a target of £1000 to pay for a statue or similar memorial on Ross Street where McGinn was born, one of nine children.
From poverty and brief period at an approved school, McGinn became a teacher and political agitator before becoming a major figure in the 1960s folk revival.
A communist and staunch republican, his unique Glaswegian humour and his folk songs that included The Red Yo-Yo and The Ballad of Q4 and many others saw him lionised as the authentic voice of Glasgow.
More than 40 years after his death he is still fondly remembered and a generation that did not know him when he was alive are now preserving his memory as he has attracted a new following among the young.
On the fundraising website page it states: “Matt McGinn the Legendary Scottish Folk Singer was born in Ross Street at the corner of The Gallowgate in Glasgow on 17th January 1928.
“He was one of Scotland’s greatest folk singers and writer of hundreds of songs. We want to raise funds to build a memorial to Matt McGinn to be erected in Ross Street. Please help if you can.”
James Scott told The National: “We know about the statue in the People’s Palace but we want a memorial put in the street where he was born. He was always Matt McGinn of the Calton and we feel that should be recognised.
“We had an event to remember Matt last Sunday in McGinn’s Bar in Hope Street which is owned by one of his nephews, and it was great to hear the four folk singers singing Matt’s songs.
“The idea for the memorial was discussed there and I decided to go ahead with it. I am 62 now, and have been a lifelong fan.
“I have all of Matt’s records, cassettes and CDs and listen to them often.”
Scott is a founder of both the Dead Scotland Society and the Scottish Resistance and frequently organises memorial events, but conceded the idea of a statue or commemorative plaque for Matt on Ross Street is ambitious.
He explained: “We try to remember people from Scotland’s history, whether that’s the recent past or much further back and have held a number of events to acknowledge our Scottish heroes.
“We have set a target of £1000 for the memorial for Matt and we just hope all those people who love him will contribute.”
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