Post

Somhairle MacGill-Eain (Sorley MacLean) – one of the greatest European poets of the 20th century – was born #OTD, 26 Oct A 🎂🧵 Watch “Sorley MacLean’s Island” via @natlibscot.bsky.social – Sorley MacLean in conversation with fellow writer Iain Crichton Smith #poetry movingimage.nls.uk/film/3141

“Our way of life is besieged by the forces of international big business, our country’s beggared by bad communication, the iniquities of land ownership, the failures and unconcern of central government…” —Sorley MacLean, from the film “Sorley MacLean’s Island” ☝️ #Gaelic #history

“In this poem, MacLean, as a Gael, stands firmly at the centre of his world, &, consciously, close to the end of his world. As a poet, he shows us that the particular horizon & times that happen to encircle him, encircle us all.” ‍—Seamus Heaney #poetry www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/hallaig/

A poetry reading by Somhairle MacGill-Eain in #Gaelic & English, given at @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social’s School of Scottish Studies in 1986 & recorded by Alexander Hutchison #poem #poetry www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mi9...

Thar na sìorraidheachd, thar a sneachda, chì mi mo dhàin neo-dheachdte, chì mi lorgan an spòg a’ breacadh gile shuaimhneach an t-sneachda: calg air bhoile, teanga fala, gadhair chaola ’s madaidhean-allaidh… —Somhairle MacGill-Eain, “Coin is Madaidhean-allaidh” (“Dogs & Wolves”) #Gaelic #poetry

“A poem which – in a single Neruda-esque sweep – takes in the beauties of the country & the sufferings of its poor & then sets both against a vastly wider historic background … A triumph.” —The Scotsman AN CUILITHIONN 1939, ed. by Christopher Whyte #poem #poetry asls.org.uk/publications...

The Poetry of Sorley MacLean Dr Emma Dymock discusses the poetry of Somhairle MacGill-Eain / Sorley MacLean at our 2014 Schools Conference #poem #poetry www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsfK...