Success for Acair author in the 2014 Donald Meek Award

Acair author, Norma Macleod was announced as this year’s winner of the prestigious
Donald Meek Award at an event in Charlotte Square Gardens on Friday afternoon as
part of the Edinburgh International Book Festival.
The novel, An Dosan, is to be published as part of the new Gaelic fiction series, Aiteal.
After winning the award for book of the year, Norma commented, “I am delighted to
have been chosen to receive the Donald Meek award for my novel ‘An Dosan’.
Professor Meek is well recognised for his contribution to Gaelic scholarship, and to
receive such an award in his name adds, for me, to the pleasure of receiving it.”
The award has previously been awarded to Martin MacIntyre in 2013 for A’ Challaig Seo,
Chall Ò and to Moray Watson in 2012 for Bàrdachd Iain Mac a’ Ghobhainn.
Three other Acair writers, Martin MacIntyre, Alison Lang and Norman Campbell, were
also named on this year’s shortlist as well as Norma. These books will also be published as
part of the Aiteal series and Martin MacIntyre’s new collection of short stories, Cala
Bendita ‘s a Bheannachdan will be launched at an event as part of the Edinburgh
International Book Festival later this week. Acair manager, Agnes Rennie, commented, “Acair is delighted that norma macleod has
won this prize. Many will associate Norma’s name with the children’s books she has
versioned into Gaelic. This new novel confirms Norma’s place as a first class writer of
fiction.”
The Donald Meek Award was established by the Gaelic Books Council in 2010 with
support from Creative Scotland and Bòrd na Gàidhlig in order to support and encourage
new and already established writers in Gaelic.

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