64887: Malcolm Maclennan

Malcolm was born 1862 in Valtos, son of Angus Maclennan and Ann Buchanan. The family moved to 11 Kneep.  Malcolm went to Canada as a young man and studied at McGill University in Montreal. He worked for some years as a minister in Canada before returning to Scotland and St Columba’s in Edinburgh, where he remained for 34 years.

Reverend Malcolm was a staunch supporter of the Gaelic cause. He was a member of the executive of An Comunn Gaidhealach, worked towards the Gaelic clause in the Education Act of 1918 and compulsory Gaelic education and represented the United Free Church on a deputation to Parliament. He edited a Gaelic Reader, the Gaelic Bible for the National Bible Society and the Gaelic New Testament; and produced a revised edition of MacAlpine’s Gaelic dictionary in 1925, re-issued by Acair and Mercat in 1979.

He championed the cause of the Reef Raiders in 1913 and played a role in securing their early release from prison. In 1929, he welcomed TB Macaulay to Uig and gave the speech that begins “A Dhaoin’ Uaisil Uig!“.