#361: Natural History Poems #1 - Hallaig by Sorley MacLean

The first of a series of posts suggesting poems that students could be asked to engage with

Hallaig is a poem by the late Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean or more correctly Somhairle MacGill-Eain.

You can find out more about his life at this website, which has been around for a long time. He has a long career and was influential on the Isle of Skye and beyond.

I had the great pleasure of meeting him briefly while walking through the village where he lived, and close to which a friend was living at the time.

The poem was set to music by the late musician Martyn Bennett (one of my favourite musicians).

#248: Skye and The Cuillins

The Isle of Skye is a place which has a special place in my heart after repeated trips there in my 20s and 30s to climb and explore the island with friends.

Simon Ingram's book explores the key mountain range in the south of the island: the Black Cuillin Hills. it is available as a chunky paperback which looks rather fine on a shelf. The majority of the book is more about the geology and sense of place of the hills and their exploration by early climbers.

Chapter 12 is entitled 'Treasure'.

This chapter considers the natural history of the mountain range. It is well worth a listen if you have a chance. 

There's a few cultural references too, which I would try to bring in, including the poetry of Sorley MacLean and the music of the much-missed Martyn Bennett.