William Neill (poet)


William Neill was an Ayrshire-born poet who wrote in Scottish and Irish Gaelic, Scots and English. He was a major contributing voice to the Scottish Renaissance.

Early life

Neill was born in Prestwick, Ayrshire and educated at Ayr Academy. After service in the RAF, he studied at the University of Edinburgh and graduated with an Honours degree in Celtic studies. He was a frequent contributor to Catalyst and Gairm magazines and subsequently became the second editor of Catalyst. As a young writer, he studied the poets of the Scottish Renaissance, and viewed 'modern assertions that "Scots was dying in the time of Burns" as the assertions of dyed-in-the-wool townies.

Career

Neill lived in Crossmichael in Kirkcudbrightshire, Galloway and taught English at Castle Douglas High School; his wife taught at the primary school. Occasionally he would sicken of teaching English and conduct lessons in Scots instead.

Awards

Neill took the National Mod's bardic crown at Aviemore in 1969. Awards for poetry have included The Grierson Verse Prize, Sloan Prize and a Scottish Arts Council Book Award.

Works

He died in Munches Park Residential Home in Dalbeattie on 5 April 2010.