Biography

Reverend George Lewis Murray (Seòras Dhòmhnaill Sheoc) was born at 24 South Dell, Ness, on 24 March 1896. At his birth, the midwife, Bean Chràisgein, said to his mother: "I'm giving you a boy, and he will spread the Gospel."

He was the son of Annabel MacDonald and Donald Murray, and one of seven children – two girls and five boys.

After leaving Cross School, George worked for Ailig Mhurchaidh 'ic Fhearchair, who owned the land and mill in Dell. He stayed there a short time before taking a job in a shop in Stornoway. When war broke out in 1914, he joined the army and spent most of his service in France with the Seaforth Highlanders. Although he survived the war, tragedy struck the family in 1918 when his brother Calum died at sea after contracting influenza on his return journey from Canada.

George became a Christian during the mass awakening in Ness in 1921, under the ministry of Reverend Roderick MacLeod.

The profound losses of the First World War, together with the Iolaire disaster, left a deep mark on the island communities. Poverty was widespread, and hundreds left Lewis seeking a new life overseas – many sailing on the Metagama in 1923 and the Marloch in 1924 to Canada. Among those emigrating was George, two of his brothers, and his sister Isabel.

The four settled in Trail, British Columbia, where they soon found work and established themselves. Gaelic services were held in the local church, and George often preached. Eventually, the First Presbyterian Church of Trail was founded, and George became an elder.

He attended night classes, and in 1927 he enrolled at McGill University before continuing to a ministry college in Montreal. It was during his time at McGill that he began using the name Lewis, as another George Murray was in his class.

After receiving his ministerial certificate, George went to Scotstoun, Quebec, a town with a large population of emigrants from Lewis. There he met Edith MacLeod, who originally came from Uig, Lewis. They married in 1935 and had two children, George Lewis and Ora-Annabel.

That same year, George was called to the United Presbyterian Church in Boston, where he served until 1956. Under his ministry the congregation grew significantly, and he became known as a scholar and writer, publishing works such as The Music of the Golden Bells (1942), Songs in the Night (1945), and Millennium Studies (1948).

In 1948, the congregation gifted him tickets to go on holiday to Lewis, for the first time since he had emigrated. In Cuairt do Leòdhas, he wrote:

Ràinig is fhuair mi na cnocan 's na cruachan
Na feadanan luatha 's na fuar-bheannaibh mòr;
Na lochan, na cluaintean, 's na glinn a bha snuadhmhor
Far am bu tric bha mi buachailleachd uain mun a' chrò.
Ach shir mi a' mhuinntir bha dlùth ann an dàimh dhomh
'S a thaisbean dhomh coibhneas nam naoidhean gun treòir
Cha robh iad rim faighinn a-nis anns a' bhaile
Bha 'n àiteachan falamh air talamh nam beò.

In 1956, George moved to the United Presbyterian Mayfair Church in Philadelphia. He had been there only eight months when he passed away at the age of 60. He was laid to rest in Boston on the 12th of December 1956.

Although George Murray never visited St Kilda, he wrote Tuireadh nan Hiortach for a friend who had gone there and asked him to express the thoughts of those who were forced to leave.

List of compositions

Mar Mhiannaichinn
Tuireadh nan Hiortach