Govanhill – Simon Murphy (Foyer Gallery)

Glasgow-based photographer Simon Murphy presents collection of work that offers a deep and intimate portrait of a diverse neighbourhood in the Southside of Glasgow, capturing the spirit, resilience, and humanity of its people. Murphy’s long-term documentary project is rooted in Govanhill’s unique cultural mix, a place of arrival and transition for generations of immigrants, including many from Donegal.

This exhibition carries particular resonance in Donegal. Govanhill, along with the neighbouring Gorbals, became known as ‘Little Donegal’ due to the high concentration of emigrants from West Donegal, many of whom were native Irish speakers. These communities maintained strong ties to their homeland, fostering a vibrant cultural life and a constant exchange between Glasgow and Donegal. In presenting this work in Letterkenny, we acknowledge the shared histories of migration, resilience, and community that link these two places across the Irish Sea.

Exhibition is curated by Martha McCulloch.