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Click here to watch Emma Dymock’s talk on the Gaelic poetry of Derick Thomson plus other videos from the 2020 ASLS Schools Conference.

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Derick Thomson – Ruaraidh MacThòmais – was one of the most prolific and influential Scottish Gaelic poets of the twentieth century. His work pushed forward the boundaries of Gaelic poetry, taking it from its traditional heartlands in the Highlands and Islands to Scotland’s Lowland cities, Glasgow in particular. He was the first poet to use free verse consistently in Gaelic, and his poems, both in terms of form and content, had a profound influence on following generations of Gaelic writers.

Petra Johana Poncarová’s Scotnote examines Thomson’s life and work, and his historical, political, cultural and personal influences. It is an ideal introduction for senior school pupils and students of all ages.

CONTENTS

1. Introduction
2. Biography of Derick Thomson 
3. Derick Thomson’s Politics 
4. Derick Thomson’s Poetry
5. Gairm and Prose Writings
6. Conclusion
7. Select Bibliography