Maggie Macdonald

Maggie Macdonald (née Michie; 17 November 1952 – 26 July 2016) was a Scottish Gaelic singer and primary school teacher. She was a Mòd gold medallist and sang with the Gaelic super-group, Cliar. She was part of The Campbells Of Greepe, along with other family members.

Maggie Macdonald
Born(1952-11-17)17 November 1952
Glasgow, Scotland
Died26 July 2016(2016-07-26) (aged 63)
GenresFolk
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1993–2016
LabelsMacmeanmna

Early life

She was born on 17 November 1952 in Glasgow, Scotland. She was the daughter of Alasdair Michie, a senior police detective who had family on the Braes of Skye.[1]

Gaelic singing

She was part of the Inverness Gaelic Choir and in 1991 travelled with them to take part in a Gaelic festival in Vancouver, Canada where she won a solo singing competition.[2] She appeared in her second Mòd final in 1993 in Airdrie.[3] The following year, in Dunoon, she won gold medal in solo singing.[4] In 1998 she formed the band Cliar, along with cousin Mary Ann Kennedy, Arthur Cormack, Bruce MacGregor and others.[5] The band's eponymous first album Cliar was named Best Album in 2003 at the inaugural Scots Trad Music Awards.[1] The band were often described as a Gaelic supergroup.[6][7][8]

She was part of The Campbells of Greepe, family members from Skye with a long tradition of performing unaccompanied Gaelic song.[9] They were accomplished at puirt à beul, one of the most difficult genres of Gaelic song to perform.[10]

She also performed Gaelic Opera, Mac-Talla nan Eun, singing the last lament in a 2007 performance that was broadcast live.[11] The same year, she also appeared on Duan Nollaig, an album that was the first ever recorded collection of Christmas carols and songs in Gaelic.[12]

She was a member of the Inverness Gaelic choir.[13] She was on the board of directors of Fèis Rois, an organisation supporting Gaelic culture.[14]

She died on 26 July 2016.[1]

Discography

Cliar

  • Cliar 2000
  • Gun Tamh 2002[15]
  • Grinn Grinn (Macmeanmna) 2006[16]

The Campbells Of Greepe

  • No 2 Greepe (Watercolour) 2014[17]

Collaborations and guest appearances

  • Duan Nollaig 2007[12]

References

  1. "Obituary: Maggie Macdonald". The Scotsman. 27 July 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  2. Adams, Rob (13 August 2016). "Obit - Maggie MacDonald, Gaelic singer". The Herald. Glasgow. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  3. "Student follows in father's footsteps to make Mod history". The Herald. 22 October 1993. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  4. "Gold medal success for primary teacher". The Herald. 14 October 1994. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  5. "It's not all in the name for this band". The Scotsman. 7 January 2003.
  6. "Cliar". The Scotsman. 8 January 2003. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  7. "Cliar show language of love is universal". The Scotsman. 9 January 2003. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  8. "Live Folk review". The Scotsman. 7 October 2002.
  9. MacKenzie, Keith (15 November 2013). "'Fonn': The life and times of the Campbells of Greepe". West Highland Free Press. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  10. "The Campbells of Greepe to play Barn", STV News, 20 April 2012, retrieved 30 July 2016
  11. "Final lament to vanished community, via webcam OPERA". The Scotsman. 25 June 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  12. "Popped in again". The Scotsman. 9 November 2007. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  13. MacDonald, Isabel T (24 January 2012). "Review: An Aifreann Ghàidlig - St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Glasgow". The Herald. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  14. "Board of Directors". Fèis Rois. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  15. "Classical music. Mozart: Idomeneo Shostakovich: Symphony No 11. Jazz Jeff 'Tain' Watts: Bar Talk. Folk Cliar: Gun Tàmh". The Scotsman. 5 August 2002. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  16. "Album reviews". The Scotsman. 6 January 2006. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  17. Adams, Rob (18 May 2014). "The Campbells Of Greepe No 2 Greepe (Watercolour)". The Herald. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
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