Donnie Munro
Encyclopedia
Donnie Munro (born 2 August 1953, Uig
, Isle of Skye, Inverness-shire
, Scotland
) is a Scottish musician
, and former lead singer of the band Runrig
.
A native speaker of Scottish Gaelic, much of his work is in that language.
in Aberdeen
and earned a postgraduate degree in teaching at Moray House in Edinburgh
.
Munro left Runrig in 1997 to pursue a career in politics. His final performance was a farewell concert at Stirling Castle
on the 29th August.
Munro now enjoys a successful solo career. His most recent album
, Heart of America, done in collaboration with fellow Skye songwriters Blair Douglas and Richard Macintyre, won Album of the Year in the Scottish TradMusic Awards 2006. He continues to work as the Director of Development at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
, Scotland's National Centre for the Gaelic Language and Culture on Skye.
Munro completed a series of acclaimed live shows
titled 'An Turas - The Journey', with a forty piece ensemble and is preparing for the release of a live album
, recorded at the Royal Concert Hall
in Glasgow
, during Celtic Connections 2008.
seat of Ross, Skye and Inverness West
at the 1999 election for Labour
, but was defeated by Liberal Democrat John Farquhar Munro
. This necessitated leaving the band, which he did in 1997. His reasons for departure were a matter for lengthy private discussion over a two year period but were never the subject of public discourse.
Munro was alleged to have given up the offer of a 'safe' Labour seat in Central Scotland as he had already agreed and been adopted as a candidate to contest his own native Highland constituency, coming close to winning this hitherto safe Liberal Democrat seat in the 1999 Scottish election.
.
In 1998 Munro was elected as the first rector of the UHI Millennium Institute
, a post that lasted 3 years.
Uig, Skye
The village of Uig lies at the head of the sheltered inlet of Uig Bay on the west coast of the Trotternish peninsula on the Isle of Skye, Scotland. Uig is situated partly on the raised beach around the head of the bay and partly on the steep slopes behind it...
, Isle of Skye, Inverness-shire
Inverness-shire
The County of Inverness or Inverness-shire was a general purpose county of Scotland, with the burgh of Inverness as the county town, until 1975, when, under the Local Government Act 1973, the county area was divided between the two-tier Highland region and the unitary Western Isles. The Highland...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
) is a Scottish musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, and former lead singer of the band Runrig
Runrig
Runrig are a Scottish Celtic rock group formed in Skye, in 1973 under the name 'The Run Rig Dance Band'. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included songwriters Rory Macdonald and Calum Macdonald. The current line-up also includes longtime members Malcolm Jones, Iain Bayne, and more...
.
A native speaker of Scottish Gaelic, much of his work is in that language.
Early life
He attended Gray's School of ArtGray's School of Art
Gray's School of Art is an integral part of the Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen that is one of the oldest established fine art institutions in Scotland...
in Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
and earned a postgraduate degree in teaching at Moray House in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
Music career
He first saw Runrig play in 1973 and was approached one year later to become a member of the band. As lead singer of Runrig, Munro became established as the leading Gaelic popular music performer of the 1980s and 1990s.Munro left Runrig in 1997 to pursue a career in politics. His final performance was a farewell concert at Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
on the 29th August.
Munro now enjoys a successful solo career. His most recent album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Heart of America, done in collaboration with fellow Skye songwriters Blair Douglas and Richard Macintyre, won Album of the Year in the Scottish TradMusic Awards 2006. He continues to work as the Director of Development at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is a Scottish Gaelic medium college located about north of Armadale on the Sleat peninsula of the island of Skye in northwestern Scotland. It is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands and also has a campus on Islay known as Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle.The college was...
, Scotland's National Centre for the Gaelic Language and Culture on Skye.
Munro completed a series of acclaimed live shows
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
titled 'An Turas - The Journey', with a forty piece ensemble and is preparing for the release of a live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
, recorded at the Royal Concert Hall
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Glasgow Royal Concert Hall is an arts venue, in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is operated by Glasgow Life, an agency of Glasgow City Council, which also runs Glasgow’s City Halls and Old Fruitmarket venue...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, during Celtic Connections 2008.
Politics
Munro was elected as Rector of the University of Edinburgh in 1991, a position he held until 1994. He contested the Scottish ParliamentScottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
seat of Ross, Skye and Inverness West
Ross, Skye and Inverness West (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Ross, Skye and Inverness West is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
at the 1999 election for Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, but was defeated by Liberal Democrat John Farquhar Munro
John Farquhar Munro
John Farquhar Munro is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician, and was the MSP for Ross, Skye and Inverness West from 1999 until his retirement in 2011....
. This necessitated leaving the band, which he did in 1997. His reasons for departure were a matter for lengthy private discussion over a two year period but were never the subject of public discourse.
Munro was alleged to have given up the offer of a 'safe' Labour seat in Central Scotland as he had already agreed and been adopted as a candidate to contest his own native Highland constituency, coming close to winning this hitherto safe Liberal Democrat seat in the 1999 Scottish election.
Honours
In 1996 he gave the prestigious Sabhal Mòr LectureSabhal Mòr Lectures
The Sabhal Mòr Lectures are a series of annual televised lectures held at the college Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on Skye, Scotland. The lectures are held in English, but focus on topics related to the Scottish Gaelic language, often with emphasis on related economic or cultural issues...
.
In 1998 Munro was elected as the first rector of the UHI Millennium Institute
UHI Millennium Institute
The University of the Highlands and Islands is a federation of 13 colleges and research institutions in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland delivering higher education. Its executive office is in Inverness.-History:...
, a post that lasted 3 years.
Studio albums
- On The West SideOn the West SideOn The West Side is the debut solo album by the Scottish folk rock artist Donnie Munro, former lead singer of the band, Runrig. It was released in 1999.-Track listing:# "On The West Side" – 4:44...
(1999) - Across The City And The World (2002)
- Gaelic Heart (2003)
- Heart Of America (Across The Great Divide) (2006)
Live albums
- Donnie Munro Live (2000)
- Donnie Munro And Friends (2006)
- An Turas (2008)
With Runrig
- Play GaelicPlay GaelicPlay Gaelic is the first album by the Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig. It was released in 1978.-Album Style:The band's sound on the album is half way between traditional ceilidh music and pastoral folk as opposed to the harder rock edge which woud characterise the next album the Highland Connection...
(1978) - The Highland ConnectionThe Highland ConnectionThe Highland Connection is the second album by Celtic rock band Runrig. It was released in 1979.-Track listing:# "Gamhna Gealla" - 3:38# "Màiri" - 2:56# "What Time?" - 2:30...
(1979) - RecoveryRecovery (Runrig album)Recovery is the third album by Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig, released in 1981. The album deals with the social history of the Scottish Gàidhealtachd, mirroring a renewed sense of cultural and political identity within the Gaelic community....
(1981) - HeartlandHeartland (Runrig album)Heartland is the fourth album by Celtic rock band Runrig. It was released in 1985, and was their first output in which English songs exceeded the number of Gaelic ones.-Track listing:# "O Cho Meallt" - 3:04...
(1985) - The Cutter And The ClanThe Cutter and the ClanThe Cutter and the Clan is the fifth album by Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig. It was the band's breakthrough album, taking them from cottage industry to the international stage. Originally recorded on the band’s own Ridge label, it was taken on board by Chrysalis Records as part of a 1987 major...
(1987) - SearchlightSearchlight (album)Searchlight is a 1989 album, the sixth by Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig.-Track listing:# "News from Heaven" - 3:36# "Every River" - 4:46# "City of Lights" - 4:25# "Èirinn" - 4:55# "Tìr a' Mhurain" - 3:54...
(1989) - The Big WheelThe Big Wheel (album)The Big Wheel is a 1991 album, the seventh by Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig.-Track listing:# "Headlights" - 5:10# "Healer in Your Heart" - 5:34# "Abhainn an t-Sluaigh" - 5:19# "Always the Winner" - 5:43...
(1991) - Amazing ThingsAmazing ThingsAmazing Things is a 1993 album, the eighth by Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig.Amazing Things was ranked the #3 best album of the 1990s in the music review column The War Against Silence by Glenn McDonald: "The most life-affirming album ever made...
(1993) - MaraMara (album)Mara is the ninth album by Scottish Celtic rock group Runrig, released in 1995. The title means 'of the sea' in Scots Gaelic.-Track listing:# "Day in a Boat" - 2:56# "Nothing but the Sun" - 7:15# "The Mighty Atlantic" / "Mara Theme" - 6:43...
(1995)