Episode #15 - Martin Rowe

For this episode of Glasgow Sessions, Richard sits down with poet and stand‑up Martin Rowe, better known on stage as Martin from Dumbarton. A nursery worker by day and performer by night, Martin brings together working‑class graft, childcare, Wetherspoons toilets, Still Game, wrestling and trading card games into a voice that’s funny, heartfelt and quietly subversive. Across the conversation, they dig into Martin’s route through jobs like Costa and Tenpin into finding his calling in childcare, and what it actually feels like to be a man working in a nursery in 2026. Martin talks through poems including his Wetherspoons trilogy, “Default Dad”, “The Bottom Line”, “Being Different is Cool”, and “Just Thanks” — a piece written by his papa about alcoholism and recovery that Martin now performs with permission and pride. Along the way, they explore class, fandom, family, masculinity, and why embracing your inner nerd can be a source of strength rather than shame. If you enjoy the episode, you can connect with Martin on Instagram at @martinfromdumbarton and follow the show at @glasgowsessions on Instagram for updates, clips and upcoming guests. Support Glasgow Sessions and help keep the conversations going at: patreon.com/GlasgowSessions