With Iain F Macleod, Calum L Macleod and Graham Cooper // Dùthaich Eile a th' anns an Àm a dh'Fhalbh: Ficsean Eachdraidheil le Iain F. MacLeòid, Calum L. MacLeòid agus Graham Cooper // Chair: Cathy MacDonald

Why do writers like to visit the past in their fiction? What does writing about years gone by say about our world today? A trio of excellent Gaelic writers will be diving headfirst into these questions as they join The Scottish Books Long Weekend to pull at the threads of history.

John F. Macleod’s latest, Hiort, sees a girl's body found in the Flannan Islands, though she comes from St Kilda, a nearby island whose community is fighting for survival; Calum L Macleod’s Fon Choill follows a Lewis family settling in Canada in the second half of the 1800s, offering insight into the hardships of Gaels searching for a better life at the time; and Graham Cooper transports readers back to Autumn 1513, where King James IV sees an apparition in Linlithgow and is determined to go on pilgrimage to Tain to get himself ready for the battle at Flodden.

Each tale tackles different eras and influences, and the trio join chair Cathy MacDonald to discuss what these stories mean to them.

Tickets are FREE. 

This is a pre-recorded Gaelic language event. There will be English subtitles.

All events in The Scottish Books Long Weekend will be recorded and will be uploaded to the Publishing Scotland YouTube channel with closed captions on Tuesday 15 June.

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Iain F Macleod is from the Isle of Lewis. He has published five novels, including three for CLÀR: The Klondykers (2005); The Bounty (2008) and Empire (2010). He has worked in theatre, film and radio. His plays include: Kilda (The Opera), Homers, I was a Beautiful Day, The Pearlfisher, and Somersaults. He lives in Skye, where he works at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. 

Calum L MacLeod is a journalist and writer. CLÀR published his second novel Fon Choill in 2020. His first novel was shortlisted for literary prizes by the Scottish Lottery Society. He has also written a collection of poetry. He lives in Dingwall. 

Graham Cooper was born and brought up in the North East of Scotland and attended the University of Aberdeen before embarking on a surgical career. Although most of his work was done in Scotland, he has spent time in Northern Ireland, England and Nepal. He has contributed to medical literature on a wide range subjects. Since retiring from medical work, Graham has studied Gaelic both at local night classes and independently. Between 2012 and 2016, he enrolled for distance learning at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.

Cathy Macdonald is a bilingual broadcaster from the Isle of Lewis, whose first language is Scottish Gaelic. She presents a live magazine programme on BBC Radio nan Gaidheal Monday to Friday afternoon and is one of the presenters of the BBC Radio Scotland Religion and Ethics programme, Sunday Morning . Her television work covers documentaries, feature programmes on Scottish literature, and entertainment. Her interests include theatre, fashion and reading.

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This event is part of the Scottish Books Long Weekend 10 to 13 June. For the full programme, see BooksfromScotland.com/scottish-books-long-weekend/.

Books are available to buy from our bookshop partners Bookshop.org.