CELTIC Connections is celebrating its most successful year to date, with attendance figures topping 110,000.

Ticket sales for the festival - which finished at the weekend - were more than £1.15million, say organisers.

During 18 days in January and February 2000 artists from around the globe descended on Glasgow.

Highlights included gigs by Del Amitiri and the International Burns Night, taking place at the SSE Hydro.

Music fans attended approximately 300 concerts, ceilidhs, talks, free events, late-night sessions and workshops, which took place in nearly 20 venues across Glasgow.

On Friday January 24, 14,500 people attended shows, with 10,500 attending an event the following day - this tallies to a record 25,000 attendances within 48 hours.

Donald Shaw, Celtic Connections artistic director, said: "Celtic Connections 2014 really has been the biggest and best yet.

"It was really exciting to showcase the festival at the SSE Hydro and attendances have once again been fantastic, topping 110,000 for the first year ever.

"I would like to say a special thanks to the amazing artists who travelled all the way from Australia and India to be part of the festival - they definitely added an extra special element this year."

Councillor Archie Graham, chairman of Glasgow Life, said: "Celtic Connections has brought some of the world's finest musicians to the city of Glasgow over the past 18 days.

"Glasgow Life and Celtic Connections brought a taste of the festival to thousands of school-children with an impressive education and outreach programme.

"Celtic Connections is of immense value to Glasgow, economically and culturally, and we are proud to say 2014 has been the most successful year yet."

linzi.watson@eveningtimes.co.uk