Mòrag Anna NicNèill
’S ann às Na Hearadh a tha Mòrag Anna NicNèill, ged a tha i an-diugh a’ fuireach ann am Barraigh. Rinn i Litreachas na Beurla agus Ceiltis ann an Oilthigh Ghlaschu, agus chuir i seachad còrr is 25 bliadhna a’ teagasg Gàidhlig aig ìre àrd-sgoile. Choisinn i Duais nan Sgrìobhadairean Ùra bho Chomhairle nan Leabhraichean is Urras Leabhraichean na h-Alba ann an 2015 agus tha i a-nis a’ sgrìobhadh làn-ùine. Tha i air grunn dhuaisean a bhuannachadh, nam measg a’ chiad duais airson bàrdachd aig a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail ann an 2017, Duais Cuimhneachaidh Chrisella Rois airson ficsean chloinne (Artair sa Chaisteal, 2021), agus an duais airson na làimhe-sgrìobhainn neo-fhoillsichte as fheàrr do chloinn aig na Duaisean Litreachais 2025 (Somhairle Nach Gabhadh Comhairle). Tha i cuideachd air grunn leabhraichean eadar-theangachadh dhan Ghàidhlig, nam measg an leabhar chloinne ainmeil Anne of Green Gables le L.M. Montgomery (Anna Ruadh, 2020). Tha Mòrag Anna an-diugh a’ fuireach ri taobh na tràighe mòire ann an Eòlaigearraidh còmhla ris an duine aice, Iain, agus a’ phiseag bheag ghlas aca, Meusaidh – a thuigeas corra abairt Ghàidhlig!
Morag Ann MacNeil
Morag Ann MacNeil is from the Hebridean island of Harris but now lives in Barra. She studied English Literature and Celtic Studies at the University of Glasgow, and was a secondary school Gaelic teacher for more than 25 years. She won a Scottish Book Trust/Gaelic Books Council New Writers Award in 2015 and now writes full time. She has won several awards for her work, including first prize for poetry at the Royal National Mod in 2017, the Chrisella Ross Memorial Prize for children’s fiction (Artair sa Chaisteal, 2021), and the best unpublished children’s manuscript at the 2025 Gaelic Literature Awards (Somhairle Nach Gabhadh Comhairle). She has also translated several books into Scottish Gaelic, including the children’s classic Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (Anna Ruadh, 2020). Morag Ann now lives beside the famous cockle-strand beach in Eoligarry with her husband, Iain, and their little grey cat, Maisie – who understands a phrase or two of Gaelic!