Fionn MacColla

Fionn MacColla (Tom MacDonald) born Thomas Douglas MacDonald was a Scottish novelist closely connected to the Scottish Renaissance. Although he wrote in English, he was very interested in Scottish Gaelic language and culture and campaigned for it to return to, what he perceived to be, its rightful place in the Scottish mainstream. He was a good personal friend of Hugh MacDiarmid and Helen Cruickshank.

His best known novels are "The Albannach" and "And the Cock crew". "And the Cock crew" takes its title from the gospel story of Peter the disciple who ended up denying and thus betraying Jesus. The protagonist is a minister in a Highland parish, Sachari, whose congregation is being cleared. "The Albannach" has a modern (20th century) setting, and makes wry comments on contemporary Gaelic, and general Scottish attitudes. Fionn MacColla is commemorated in Makars' Court, outside The Writers' Museum, Lawnmarket, Edinburgh.

Selections for Makars' Court are made by The Writers' Museum; The Saltire Society; The Scottish Poetry Library.

Bibliography

* "The Albannach"
* "And the Cock crew"
* "Mein Bumph" - autobiography and non-fiction. "Bumph" is a Scottish word referring to screeds of paper or useless possessions and is a satirical pun on Hitler's autobiography.

Some of his articles and other works can be found in contemporary magazines of Scotland such as "Catalyst".