Legendary Irish rockers The Saw Doctors have been announced as the first headliners for the 2026 Hebridean Celtic Festival, set to take place from the 15th to the 18th of July. The band will top the bill on the Saturday night in Stornoway, with the appearance marking their 40th anniversary. Tickets for the multi-award-winning festival are scheduled to go on sale this Friday, 21st November, available from hebceltfest.com.
The announcement marks a celebrated return for The Saw Doctors, who last played unforgettable shows on Lews Castle Green in 2004 and 2008. Following recently sold-out performances at Glasgow’s Barrowland, the band is expected to be a major draw for the island festival. Frontman Leo Moran said: “It’s been a while but our show at HebCelt in 2008 was The Saw Doctors’ gig of the year. So if it comes anywhere close to that this Summer coming, we’ll be more than delighted. And sure why wouldn’t it. It’s great to be going back.”
A diverse first wave of performers has been announced alongside the headliners. Joining The Saw Doctors are Celtic fusion pioneers the Peatbog Faeries, who were inducted into the HebCelt Hall of Fame in 2010. The line-up also includes Scots Singer of the Year nominee Jarad Rowan, the genre-defying quartet Mec Lir, and the award-winning singer and harpist Chloe Matharu.
The initial billing continues with Kirsten Adamson and The Tanagers, whose frontwoman is the daughter of late Big Country star Stuart Adamson, alongside broadcaster and singer Michelle McManus and The Flaming Blackhearts, all-female sextet HEISK, and the Siobhan Miller Band. Scottish Jazz Awards nominee Niamh Corkey, 2024 Gaelic Singer of the Year Emma Scalpay, and Danny Kyle Award winners Dàna will also perform. Former Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus expressed her excitement, stating, “I’m absolutely thrilled to be coming to play at HebCelt for the very first time with my band! I’ve heard so many wonderful things about the festival – the incredible atmosphere, the stunning setting, and especially the warm, welcoming audience.”
Local acts are well-represented, with The Tumbling Souls, Sean Harrison and Band, and the Uist six-piece Beinn Lee all confirmed. Canadian singer-songwriter Old Man Luedecke and Glasgow folk artist Michael McGovern and Band complete the first announcement. Willie Campbell, lead vocalist for The Tumbling Souls, said: “We’re absolutely over the moon to be performing at HebCelt again next year. There’s something truly unique about playing on home soil… The HebCelt atmosphere is second to none, it spreads out into the town and right across the island.”
Artist programmer Michelle Shields, recently nominated for Industry Person of the Year at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards, revealed The Saw Doctors were a dream booking. She said, “To have The Saw Doctors back at HebCelt is a dream booking, and we are so honoured they have chosen to mark 40 years on the road by performing in Stornoway. ‘Legends’ is a term that can often be overused, but not in this case.” Shields also confirmed that the festival’s next headliner will be revealed before Christmas.
Organisers are building on the success of last year’s event, which introduced tap-and-go payments and new site features, by promising further upgrades. For the first time, fan-friendly payment plans will be available ahead of the ticket release this Friday. The festival, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2027, is supported by partners including Creative Scotland, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, and NHS Eileanan Siar.
HebCelt continues to gain recognition for its commitment to sustainability, having won the 2025 Climate Hebrides Award. The festival is also currently nominated for further accolades at the UK Festival Awards, the BBC Alba Scots Trad Music Awards, and the Outer Hebrides ‘Our Tourism Community Awards’. In addition to the main arena events, long-term festival partner An Lanntair will announce its own line-up in the coming months, with shows also returning to venues in Breasclete, Harris, and Stornoway Town Hall.
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