Donald's play becomes classroom text
A translation of Sequamur in an anthology of Gaelic drama has led to Donald S Murray's first foray as a playwright now being taught in several secondary schools in North Lanarkshire.
Sequamur - set in First World War Stornoway - is being enjoyed by a new audience after it featured in Michelle Macleod's book, Dràma na Gàidhlig: Ceud Bliadhna air an Àrd-ùrlar: A Century of Gaelic Drama.
The book was published in April 2021 by the Association for Scottish Literary Studies and is a celebration of the often-overlooked genre of Gaelic theatre. The book features Sequamur and seven other plays spanning the early 20th Century to the present day, along with English translations.
Role reversal as writer takes to the 'stage'
Donald S. Murray will be leaving his keyboard behind soon to 'tread the boards' after being cast in Eerie Isles, a new digital play by Lewis actor and playwright Kenny Boyle.
The new production will have a distinct Lewis flavour as Donald as Aether joins fellow writer and actor Miriam Donaghey from Stornoway, who is to play a character called Teine.
Kenny Boyle has cast himself as Gaoth while another Lewis native, Rachel Kennedy, takes on the role of Talamh.
Celebrating George Mackay Brown
A book celebrating the centenary year of influential Scottish poet and writer George Mackay Brown has hit the bookshelves.
Beyond the Swelkie is a collection of poetry and prose in English, Scots and Gaelic celebrating the centenary of George Mackay Brown.
It includes contributions from Donald S Murray and other talented poets and writers, including Morag Anderson, Hugh Macmillan, Leela Soma, Neil Young, and Erin Farley, among others.
The foreword was written by Asif Khan, Director of the Scottish Poetry Library. The book is published by Tipper Muir Books.
Poetry book wins design award
Island writers were involved in two major literary awards in Scotland on Saturday November 27.
Winner of the 2021 Saltire Society Scottish 'First Book of the Year award' was the head of visual arts and literature at Stornoway's An Lanntair arts centre, Roddy Murray with his debut work 'Bleak'.
The other major Island-related award went to Roncadora Press for its product Achanalt by Donald S. Murray – this won the Callum MacDonald Memorial Award.
Established in 2001, the award was created to encourage, recognise and reward the publication of poetry in pamphlet form. Administered by the Scottish Poetry Library, it is awarded to the publisher of the pamphlet.
The win was for a book of poems which had stood out for the judges even at the shortlisting stage when they stated:
Book Week Scotland's Ullaverse
(Photograph: Lorraine Thomson)
Donald has pitched in with his poem, Sea Scarf, for the Book Week Scotland poetry event in Ullapool.
The Lewis-born poet and frequent visitor to the Wester Ross village, thanks to the Stornoway-Ullapool ferry service, was delighted to be chosen to participate in Ullaverse.
Ullapool's celebration of Book Week Scotland involves poets contributing their work to be displayed in windows throughout the village, from chippy to church, as a poetry trail.
'In a Veil of Mist' longlisted for Highland Book Prize
Donald's full house at Write Highland Hoolie
Donald on stage at COP26
Afternoon tea with Douglas Stuart