CV
Born:
Isle of Skye, 1942.
Educational Institutions Attended:
Uig Primary School 1947-1954
Portree High School 1954-1958
Glasgow University 1968-1971
Writer’s Fellowships:
The Gaelic College, Sabhal Mor Ostaig, Isle of Skye; 1977-1979
An Comunn Gaidhealach/The Gaelic Association, Argyll; 1979-1981
Ross and Cromarty District Council; 1988-1990
Glasgow University / Strathclyde University, 1993-1995
The Gaelic College, Sabhal Mor Ostaig, Isle of Skye; 1995-1998
*Brownsbank Creative Writing Fellowship (based at Hugh MacDiarmid house)
1999-2002
Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama Research Fellowship 2000-2002
Writer in Residence - Isle of Mull Tree Festival; 2005
Dumfries & Galloway Schools; 2006-2007
Work in Schools
Carluke High School; 2000 - 2006
Wester Hailes Community High School; 2005 - 2006
Inverness and Lochaber schools 2009-2010
Writer’s Bursaries:
Scottish Arts Council Writer’s Bursary; 1983
Scottish Arts Council Writer’s Bursary; 1992
Scottish Arts Council Writer’s Bursary; 2003
Prizes:
Grampian Television Poetry Award
Gaelic Books Council MS for Publication Award (An Seachnadh/The Avoiding)
Scottish Association for the Speaking of Verse Diamond Jubilee Award
An Comunn Gaidhealach/ National Mod Literary Prize (An Cathadh Mor/The Great Snowbattle)
*Stakis Scottish Writer of the Year 1997
*Shortlisted Paul Hamlyn Foundation Poets’ Award 1997
Society of Authors Travelling Scholarship 2003
Bardic Crown at National Mod 2004
Feile Filiochta, Dun Laoghaire, Republic of Ireland 2004
Shortlisted Strokestown Poetry Competition, Republic of Ireland 2005
Publications:
Poetry Quintet: Gollancz 1976: Poems In English (Anthology)
imaginary wounds: Print Studio Press 1980: Poems in English
Sireadh Bradain Sicir/ Seeking Wise Salmon: Balnain Books 1983: Poems in
Gaelic (Parallel text translations)(With illustrations by Simon Fraser)
An Cathadh Mor/ The Great Snowbattle: Balnain Books 1984: Poems in Gaelic
(Parallel text translations)(With illustrations by Simon Fraser)
An Seachnadh/ The Avoiding: Lines Review Editions 1986: Poems in Gaelic
(Parallel text translations)
Rock and Water: Polygon 1990: Poems in English
A Writers’ Ceilidh: Balnain Books 1991: (Ed) Anthology of Highland Writing)
Scotland; A Linguistic Double Helix: European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages 1995: an introduction to Scotland’s cultural heritage; co-authored
with Iseabail MacLeod (Pamphlet).
Sgathach, the Warrior Queen: Balnain Books 1993: retelling of folk tale (Ilustrated by Simon Fraser)
Oideachadh Ceart/A Proper Schooling: Polygon 1996: Poems in Gaelic
(Parallel text translations) (Scottish Writer of the Year Award 1997)
Leabhar Mor na Gaidhlig/ The Great Book of Gaelic 2002: As Consulting Editor
Laoidh an Donais Oig/ Hymn to a Young Demon. Polygon 2007: Poems in Gaelic (Parallel text translations)
Amra Choluim Chille/ Dallan's Elegy for Columba: Colmcille, Belfast 2006: Scots Gaelic translation in quadrilingual edition of the earliest datable Gaelic poem. (with illustrations by Brian Ferran and calligraphy by Donald Murray)
Out of my Mouth; New Writing from Schools in Dumfries and Galloway. CREATE (Creative Education Arts Team) 2007: (Ed) Anthology of pupils' writing from 10 schools, with selection of editor's own work.
Poster - Dol Dhachaidh/ Going Home: Gaelic Books Council 1990. Bilingual
text, with illustration by Simon Fraser
Seasonal card - A Chlach/ The Stone: Stonelines Editions 1991. Bilingual text,
with illustration by Marianna Lines
Poster - Anochd is tu bhuam/Tonight you being from me: Scottish Book Trust
1998
Card - Deanamh Ime/ Making Butter: Scottish Book Trust 1998 (National Poetry
Day)
Card - A Chubhag Tim/ The Cuckoo Time: Scottish Book Trust 2001 (Nat Poetry
Day)
Overseas Publications where work has appeared:
Pembroke Magazine (USA) 1976
International Poetry Review (USA) 1979
Poetry Australia 1977, 1985
Tijd Voor Poezie (Belgium) 1984
2 PLUS 2 (Switzerland) 1986
El Carro de la Nieve (Spain) 1988
origini (Italy) 1992
Divese linguE (Italy) 1994
Ashville Review (USA) 1995, 1998
Verse (USA) 1998
The Literary Review (USA) 2002
Poeti Della Scozia Contemporanea - Anthology: Editors, Translators - Carla Sassi & Marco Fazzini. (Italy 1992)
Sucelice vjecnosti (In the face of Eternity) - Anth: Ed., Christopher White. Trans: Tonko Maroevic & Giga Gracan. (Croatia 1993)
Jerusalem International Poets’ Festival: - Anth: Ed., Helit Yeshurun. (Israel 1995)
Writing the Wind - the New Celtic Poetry - Anth: Ed., Thomas Rain Crowe (USA ’97)
La Comete d’Halcyon; Poesie en Ecosse Aujourd’hui - Anth: Ed., John Glenday.Trans: Christine Pagnuille (Belgium ’98)
Keltische Sprachinseln - Anth: Ed., Sabine Heinz. Trans: Ulla Pritscher (Germany 2001)
Beyond Identity; New Horizons in Modern Scottish Poetry - Interviews, Attila Dosa - Hungary (Amsterdam - New York 2009)
World Poetry Almanac 2009 – Anth: Executive Editor, G. Narantsatsral. (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 2009)
Overseas Recital/lecture Tours:
Republic of Ireland:
1972 - Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway
1976 - Dublin, Claremorris, Kilkenny, Aran Islands
1984 - Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork, Kerry, Mullingar
1996 - Clonmel, Limerick, Sligo, Rathcarn, Dublin
Fed. Republic of Germany: 1985 - Cologne, Aachen, Mainz, Germersheim,
Tubingen, Munich
North America: 1987 - Seven Universities, including Harvard, Toronto, Haverford
Belgium: 1988 - European Poetry Festival, Leuven
Poland: 1990 - Warsaw, Lodz, Opole, Posnan, Torun, Gdansk
Japan: 1990 - Hokkaido: Lecture, Recital, Workshops. Tokyo: Recital
Northern Ireland: 1994 - Teacht an Earraigh, Spring Festival, Derry.
Jerusalem International Poets Festival: 1995
(Wales: 1996 - Poet-in-Residence at Aberystwyth International Poetry Festival)
(Northern Ireland: 1997 - Derry, University of Coleraine, Belfast)
Italy: 1997 - Rome International Poetry Festival.
Finland: 1998 - Helsinki, Tampere, Rovaniemi.
Republic of Ireland: 1999 (Spring) - Galway, Maynooth, Kilkenny (Butler House)
Canada: 1999 - Celtic Colours Festival, Cape Breton Island
Republic of Ireland: 1999 (Autumn) - Feille 2000, Galway
Austria: 1999 - Sprachinseln (Festival of literature from the Celtic countries) Vienna
North America: 2000 -Seattle (Feis Shiatail), Vancouver (Simon Fraser U)
Russia: 2000 - Tolstoy Estate, Tula, St Perersburg
Portugal 2001 - Lisbon
USA 2002 – Seattle (Feis Shiatail)
Republic of Ireland: 2004 -Feile Filiochta, Dun Laoghaire, Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland: 2004 - Feill an Earagail, Donegal
Germany: 2004 - Berlin International Poetry Festival (Versmuggel translate-perform)
Republic of Ireland: 2005 - Strokestown Poetry Festival
Republic of Ireland: 2006 - Strokestown Poetry Festival
USA: 2006 - New York; Peoples’ Poetry Gathering, including recitals at CUNY, Bowery Poetry Club and Dag Hammarskjold Library, UN Building
Canada, Corner Brook, Newfoundland: 2007 (Leabhar Mor Tour)
Republic of Ireland: 2008 - Feile na Greine Poetry Festival, Waterville, Kerry
Republic of Ireland: 2008 - Samhain International Poetry Festival, Gortahork, Donegal
Canada, Celtic Colours, Cape Breton Island: 2009 (Leabhar Mor Tour)
Republic of Ireland: 2009 - Cuisle Poetry Festival, Limerick
Republic of Ireland: 2010 - Strokestown Poetry Festival
Republic of Ireland: 2010 - Feile na Greine Poetry Festival, Waterville, Kerry
Theatre Work:
Monologue: I’m on a Train Again - in Long Story Short. (7.84 Theatre Company:
1989)
Minidrama for a Music/Drama Compilation: The Hielanman’s Umbrella. (Eden
Court Theatre: Commissioned 1990)
Full Length Play: Atoms of Delight. (Eden Court Theatre: 1991)
Narrative, with dance and music: The Green Lady of Balconie (Ferrindonald
Arts: 1999)
Television:
Scriptwriter: Serial Drama (Gaelic): Machair. (Scottish Television: 1992 - )
Scriptwriter: RunRig, A Gaelic Childhood - Film Sequences for Insertion in
Documentary: Ceol Mor - The Big Music. (Scottish Television: 1992)
Scriptwriter: Craobh an Eòlais (A Tree of Knowledge) 4 Part Documentary series on Gaelic culture (Scottish Television 1993)
Radio:
Monologue: Sound the Pibroch - in the Story and the Song series (BBC Scotland 1991)
Monologue: Sgathach - Short Story Series (BBC Scotland 1992)
5 Part drama: Driven West Scots on the 19th Century Cherokee “Trail of Tears”
(BBC Scotland 1993)
Monologue: Calvin’s footprints over Christmas, never on the snow - Christmas story, (BBC Scotland, 1994)
Film:
An Iobairt (The Sacrifice); short feature (subtitled): Camus Productions 1995:
(Accorded Honorable Mention at Palm Springs International Short Film Festival, 1997)
Seachd (The Inaccessible Pinnacle); Feature (sub-titled): screenplay co-writer: Young Films 2007
Collaborations:
Musical:
Ronald Stevenson - Neulag air Faire (Small Cloud on the Horizon) (Song)
William Sweeney - Salm an Fhearainn (Psalm of the Land) [Capella Nova] *
- An Seachnadh (The Avoiding) (Song Sequence)
- Gleann Fadamach (Glen Remote) [Jazz Improvisation] *
- Sireadh Bradain Sicir (Seeking Wise Salmon) [Basis
for performance piece: Moving Theatre]
- An Turus (The Journey) Libretto, Paragon Ensemble, for
Celtic Connections Festival, Glasgow, 1998
- Airc an Dualchais (Inheritance Ark) Song, to open
Museum of Scotland [Capella Nova] 1998
- Na thàinig anns a churach ud (All that came in that one
coracle) Song, to open new campus at Sabhal Mor
Ostaig, the Gaelic College, Isle of Skye. [Kirsteen Grant
and orchestra] 1999
Karen Wimhurst - Six Songs For Danton’s Death [Edinburgh International
Promotion: Communicado Theatre Production]
Donald Shaw- Breisleach (Delirium) (Song) [CaperCaillie] *
- Oran (Song) [CaperCaillie] *
- Am Fear Allabain (The Wanderer) (Song) {as co-lyricist}
[Capercaillie]*
Malcolm MacDonald- Clach Ard (Song)
Alasdair Nicolson- Sgàthach: Libretto, The Highland Festival, 1997.
Phil Cunningham- Two songs for the Highlands and Islands Suite, Celtic
Connections Festival 1997
Andy Thorburn - Tuath gu Deas (North to South): songs for 12 voices. Celtic
Connections Festival 1999*
Dee Isaacs - Gleann Calbhaidh Bàn (Glencalvie Bare) Song for an exhibition
opening of Sue Jane Taylor’s Drover Cycle: An Tuireann
Gallery, Portree,1999
Simon Thoumire - Le saorsa dhuinn mar stiùir (And freedom be our guide)
song for Suite for a new Scottish Parliament 1999*
Christine Primrose - Gaidheil Shiatail (Seattle Gaels) 2000^
Phamie Gow - Bu tusa an gaol a bh’air m’aire (You were the love on my
mind) (song) 2001
Billy Stewart - Sgt John Carmichael (song) 2001
(* Commercially recorded)
Visual:
Simon Fraser- Sireadh Bradain Sicir (Seeking Wise Salmon)Poem/Prints
Simon Fraser- An Cathadh Mor (The Great Snowbattle) Poem/Prints
Oisin Peters- An Tur Caillte (The Lost Tower) Poem/Lithograph
John Charity- Bho Thir a Tuath (From a Northern Land) Poems/Photos
Douglas Robertson- Do Choin (Your Dogs) Poem/Print
Marianna Lines- A Chlach(The Stone) Poem/Photo [Card]
Marianna Lines- Poem/Print [Card]
Kenny Munro -Tha Gàidhlig Beò (Gaelic is Alive) Installation;
The Arts Cabinet, Munich
Diane MacLean - Gleann Fadamach (Glen Remote) Installation 1998
Sue Jane Taylor - Gleann Calbhaidh Bàn (Glen Calvie, Bare) song, with
music by Dee Isaacs, performed at exhibition opening,
Drover Cycle An Tuireann, Portree, 1999+