Catrìona NicGumaraid
Catrìona NicGumaraid (English: Catriona Montgomery; 22 March 1947 – 5 January 2024) was a Scottish Gaelic poet.
Biography
Catrìona NicGumaraid was born at Roag near Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye. She was educated on Skye and at the University of Glasgow, where she studied Celtic and Scottish history. She then attended Jordanhill College to qualify as a secondary teacher.[1][2][3] She began to write poetry both in Gaelic and English in the 1970s, and published her first collection of poems in 1974.[4][5]
Career
Teaching
After graduating, NicGumaraid taught Gaelic and Modern Studies at Penilee Secondary School in Glasgow.[6] Later in her career she taught in Dundee.
In 1973, she became the first writer in residence at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on Skye.[1]
Writing
NicGumaraid first published her poetry in 1970, in the magazine Gairm.[1]
Her poetry explored themes of love, family, religion, and land. She cited Sorley MacLean as one of her influences.[1] In 2003, An Comunn Gàidhealach awarded NicGumaraid the hundredth Bardic Crown.[2]
Acting
In the late 1970s, she appeared in the TV series Can Seo. Through the 1980s, she also appeared in other Scottish Gaelic programs.[1]
Personal life and death
NicGumaraid was married to Thomas McLaughlin and had two children.[6] She died on 5 January 2024, at the age of 76.[1][7]
Selected poems
Publications
- A' Choille Chiar (English: The Dusky Wood (1974) Glasgow: Clò-Beag – published with her sister, Mòrag NicGumaraid[8]
- Rè na h-Oidhche (English: The Length of the Night) (1994) Edinburgh: Canongate
- Àilleagan am Measg nam Flùr (English: The Beauty Amongst the Flowers) (2018) Glasgow: Comhairle nan Leabhraichean[9]
- Anthologies
- An Aghaidh na Sìorraidheachd: Ochdnar Bhàrd Gàidhlig (English: In the Face of Eternity: Eight Gaelic Poets) (1991) Edinburgh: Polygon – edited by Christopher Whyte
- An Tuil: Anthology of 20th Century Scottish Gaelic Verse (1999) Edinburgh: Polygon – edited by Ronald Black[10]
- Editorial work
- Òrain Aonghais agus an Sgiobair (English: Songs of Angus and The Skipper) (1980) – the songs of Aonghas Fleidsear (1896–1983) and Iain MacNeacail (1903–1999). Dundee: Catrìona NicGumaraid[11][12]
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Catrìona NicGumaraid: 1947–2024". Naidheachdan a' BhBC (in Scottish Gaelic). 6 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Catrìona NicGumaraid". Scottish Poetry Library. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Catrìona NicGumaraid (Catriona Montgomery), Publishing Scotland. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ "Catrìona NicGumaraid poems – National Poetry Day 2012". National Library of Scotland. Archived from the original on 2 February 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ "Writers/Poets Index". Leabhar Mor: The Great Book. Archived from the original on 23 November 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ a b "Làrach nam Bàrd 20mh – Am Bàrd: Catrìona NicGumaraid". BBC ALBA (in Scottish Gaelic). Retrieved 25 January 2024.
- ^ Catrìona (Montgomery) Nic Gumaraid
- ^ Whyte, Christopher ed (1991) An Aghaidh na Sìorraidheachd: Ochdnar Bhàrd Gàidhlig, pp. xiii–xv, 140–141. Edinburgh: Polygon. ISBN 0 7486 6091 7 (Available online at Internet Archive. Retrieved 17 January 2026.)
- ^ New Poems by Catriona Montgomery, AllSaints, Jordanhill, 31 March 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ Loughran A (2018) Modern poetry and song: the new poets and songmakers, Gaelic Literature of the Isle of Skye: an annotated bibliography. Sleat: Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ Loughran A (2018) Traditional poets and songmakers: E – G, Gaelic Literature of the Isle of Skye: an annotated bibliography. Sleat: Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Retrieved 17 January 2026.
- ^ Loughran A (2018) Traditional poets and songmakers: MacM – MacN, Gaelic Literature of the Isle of Skye: an annotated bibliography. Sleat: Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Retrieved 17 January 2026.