Biography

Calum MacDonald was born in Lochmaddy, North Uist, in 1953. He first attended Lochmaddy Primary School and then Portree High School when the family moved to the Isle of Skye. He left Skye in 1971 to study Physical Education teaching at Jordanhill College in Glasgow, and then taught full-time for three years at Lasswade High School, Midlothian.

Calum, his brother Rory [5480], and Blair Douglas started Runrig [11355] in Glasgow in 1973, though they could not be involved full-time in the band until 1983. Runrig have without doubt done more than any other band over the years to bring Gaelic music to the attention of international audiences. Runrig disbanded in 2018 but their legacy lives on in their songs, which are sung by many singers, bands, and choirs – songs such as An Ubhal as Àirde, Cearcall a' Chuain, Tìr an Airm, The Old Boys, Dance Called America, and many others.

Though Calum played drums and other instruments in Runrig, he was mostly interested in songwriting. The song Ruaraidh Iain Thàilleir was first heard in 1981 when the BBC's Gaelic Department held a competition to select a new song for the Pan Celtic Festival held annually in Ireland. Ruaraidh Iain Thàilleir was the grandfather of Calum and Rory; he suffered a serious shrapnel wound in the First World War and witnessed his own brother being killed fighting side by side in the same battle. It was believed by many of that generation that they were fighting a war that would end all wars, but it was soon clear that this would prove to be false.

Calum is married with three children and lives in the Ross-shire area. His family, Gaelic, and sports are the most important things in his life.

List of compositions

An Ubhal as Àirde
Cearcall a' Chuain
Chi Mi 'n Geamhradh
Ruaraidh Iain Thàilleir
Tìr an Airm