Celtic Connections 2025: Ross Ainslie & The Sanctuary Band and Leonard Barry Trio

Highlighting concerts at Celtic Connections 2025 featuring bagpipes or piping-related music. 

The Celtic Connection website says about the concert: Widely regarded as one of Scotland’s finest traditional musicians and composers, Ross Ainslie gets together with collaborators The Sanctuary Band to perform tracks from the brand-new album, Pool — the last of Ross’s trio of “Journey Albums.” The band will also play tracks from the first two albums, Sanctuary (2017) and Vana (2020).

The Sanctuary Band features Ross on Pipes, Whistles and Cittern, Greg Lawson on Fiddle, Paul Towndrow on Sax, Steve Byrnes on Guitar, Hamish Napier on Keys, James Lindsay on Bass, James Mackintosh on Drums and Percussion and new recruit Paul Jennings on Congas and Drums.

“Scotland’s most sought-after piper.” – The Scotsman

Leonard, Andy Morrow and Seamie O’Dowd have known each other for over 20 years, meeting at various festivals in Ireland and striking up a friendship and musical bond that has seen them perform at nationally and internationally.