Biography

Alick MacLennan, Ailigean 'ain Fhilip, Ailig Iain Fhionnlaigh Alasdair, was born in Garenin in April 1927, and his mother was Peggy Choinnich 'ain Choinnich. He attended primary school in Carloway and then the Nicolson Institute. Alick had two brothers, Donald Murdo and Finlay, and one sister, Katy Mary, who lived in Ardersier. Sadly, no one from his family is alive today.

After he finished school, Alick worked for a few years in the aluminium factory in Fort William before returning home and working for many years in a shop in Carloway, the shop of Dòmhnall a’ Bhrasaich. Alick then worked for the postal service until he retired, at which point he and his brother Donald lived together and worked on the family croft.

Alick and Finlay were good singers and would often attend ceilidhs and dances in Lewis. They came from a family good singers, as their neighbour Donald Roddy MacLeod recalled. Donald Roddy spoke of how good their father, Iain Fhionnlaigh Alasdair, was at singing and how he was still singing in his old age, sitting by his front door, a grandchild on his knee.

Alick sadly passed away on the 18th of August 2004, in Stornoway Hospital.

We are grateful to Christine MacLennan from Bragar, Finlay's widow and neighbour of Donald Roddy, for this information.