Donald S. Murray

The Poetry of Empty Spaces

OAP Hall, Church Street, Huntly • Wednesday 19 March 2014 • 7.30pm

Admission free — donations welcome • Refreshments

Donald S. Murray will read from his new book The Guga Stone, allowing a discussion of how prose and poetry can allow us to repopulate lost and forgotten communities such as Upper Cabrach and other places around Huntly, and examine their myths. Much of this work is light-hearted.

Described as having "one of the most original and innovative voices in contemporary Scottish literature", Donald S. Murray was raised in Ness, Isle of Lewis. A weaver's son, he went to the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway, later returning there as a teacher before moving to both Benbecula and Shetland to follow this profession there.

Throughout this period, he has also written; his work widely published both in newspapers and literary magazines. A Gaelic speaker, he can also sometimes be heard and seen on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal and BBC Alba. He has also appeared on national TV and radio.

He is best known for his creative writing. His first book of short stories, Special Deliverance, was shortlisted for a Saltire Award while his non-fiction work The Guga Hunters was widely praised, including by the critic Will Self. Similar plaudits have been given to his later works, such as And On This Rock, Weaving Songs and Small Expectations. Recently his new book, The Guga Stone; Lies, Legends and Lunacies of St Kilda was shortlisted by the Guardian as one of the best nature books of 2013.

Over the past few years, he has also been awarded the Robert Louis Stevenson Fellowship and Jessie Kesson Fellowship for his work. Continually experimenting and developing his writing, he has just completed a play to commemorate the centenary of World War One and was appointed as Writer in Residence for Stornoway Harbour for its 150th anniversary in 2013. He has also spoken at various venues including New Networks for Nature in Stamford, Lincolnshire, University of Reykjavik in Iceland and on BBC 4's Bird Britannica, alongside David Attenborough!