Celtic legend Packie Bonner joined Glasgwegians for a special event.

The former footballer met people whose families hail from Donegal as they shared memories of working in Scotland for an exhibition. 

About 200 people with links to the Irish city turned up at the council chambers last week to pass on photographs and discuss the experiences of men and women who held jobs between 1940 and 1990.

Donegal County Council is planning to open a major exhibition capturing the working lives of people who left the northwest county to work in Scotland.

Last week’s event helped gather mementos for the display with photographs of teenage tunnellers and women working in factories among historical records of daily lives captured.

It is understood the exhibition will take place in Letterkenny in the County Museum next year from April to October. 

Ireland and Celtic goalkeeper Packie, who is Donegal’s County Ambassador made an “inspiring” speech about his role in engaging with the diaspora of his homeplace, giving ideas on how wider communities could promote their heritage, culture and contribution to the city.

(Image: Packie Bonner at the event) READ NEXT: Anger over council plan to axe vital noise complaint service

Joe Gallagher, County Donegal Heritage Officer said: “There are few families in County Donegal that have not been affected by emigration or participated in seasonal migration and Scotland, particularly Glasgow, was the destination for many.

"With the passage of time, the opportunities to record first-hand accounts of the experiences of Donegal people working in Scotland are disappearing.”

He added: “We were overwhelmed by the number of people who shared their stories, photographs, and documents. Whether through memories or photographs or the Lord Provost, Jacqueline McLaren sharing that her DNA was 37 per cent Irish, the response from people in the city was wonderful.

"We are really excited to collaborate further with Glasgow to see how the project informs its 850th birthday celebrations in 2025.”

Bailie Annette Christie, some of whose family comes from Donegal, said: “The turnout for this heritage event demonstrates the appetite for Glaswegians to engage with heritage wherever they hail.

"Supporting the Donegal project is particularly important as the contribution of ordinary people from the Irish community who built Glasgow has often been overlooked or considered too ordinary to be recorded.

"It complements the award from our 850 festival fund for an Irish Roots project by the Govanhill Baths Community Trust.”

She added: “The visit is an important milestone in the run-up to celebrating our 850th birthday next year.

"The visit follows on closely from discussions with Dublin and Belfast about links between our cities and the Donegal team visit further enhances these bonds. I’m looking forward to the exhibition coming to Glasgow in the future.”

Experiences in a variety of industries and workplaces will be researched for the exhibition including farms, buses, building sites, shipbuilding, domestic service and factories among others. 

People can still add contributions to the exhibition. Objects relating to work in Scotland can include boat or bus tickets, hand tools, work cards, uniforms, letters, suitcases and their contents. People willing to lend them for the exhibition are asked to contact the County Museum at (074) 912 4613 or by e-mail at museum@donegalcoco.ie.