The Barras is a major street and indoor weekend market in the East End of Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

. The term "barra" is Glaswegian dialect

Dialect

The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...

 for "barrow", relating to the market's early years, where traders sold their wares from handcarts. Barrowland is sometimes used to describe the district itself where the market is located, which is actually officially known as Calton

Calton, Glasgow

Calton is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. The name Calton is derived from the Gaelic "coillduin", which means "wood on the hill". It is situated north of the River Clyde, and just to the east of the city centre...

.

History

One of Glasgow's most famous institutions, The Barras was founded by James and Margaret McIver in the interwar years. Several of the smaller 1921-era market halls still bear the McIver name, although the main Barrowland Ballroom

Barrowland Ballroom

The Barrowlands is a major dance hall and concert venue in Glasgow, Scotland.-History of Barrowland Ballroom:The original building opened in 1934 in a mercantile area east of Glasgow's city centre...

 building was rebuilt after a fire in 1958, reopening in 1960. The ballroom has become a world famous musical venue (see main article

Barrowland Ballroom

The Barrowlands is a major dance hall and concert venue in Glasgow, Scotland.-History of Barrowland Ballroom:The original building opened in 1934 in a mercantile area east of Glasgow's city centre...

). There was a 'barra's queen.'

The original building opened in 1934 in a mercantile area east of Glasgow's city centre. The Barrowland building includes large street-level halls used for the weekend markets, with a sizeable weatherproof dance hall above. The front of the building is decorated with a distinctive animated neon sign.

Location

Because of its location on Gallowgate - the main thoroughfare from the city centre to Parkhead

Parkhead

Parkhead is a district in the East End of Glasgow. Its name comes from a small weaving hamlet at the meeting place of the Great Eastern Road and Westmuir Street. Duke Street and Springfield Road also meet there, to form a turreted Edwardian five-way junction at Parkhead Cross...

 and Celtic Park

Celtic Park

Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...

, Barrowlands is also notable for its large concentration of public houses and shops devoted to fans of Celtic Football Club. Baird's Bar is one of the best known Celtic-oriented pubs, literally next door to the Barrowland Ballroom building. Glasgow Antiques and Collectable Market, the Cartwheel and the Square Yard can all be found next to the Squirrel Bar.

Things to do

There are a large number of indoor covered markets, and plenty of stalls in the street markets as well. Wares range from, for example fresh fruit and veg, boots and kilts to antiques and collectables. One may also visit St. Alphonsus RC Church - also known as the Church at the Barras.