Biography

Archie MacLean was born in 1918 in Fort William but was raised in Inchlaggan, a small village on the north shore of Loch Garry, about eight miles west of Invergarry.

Before the Second World War he was in London, studying music and conducting, but when war was declared he joined the Royal Navy as a radio operative. When the Germans crossed the Norwegian border, Archie was on the warship that took the Norwegian Royal Family to Britain. He was forevermore warmly welcomed as a hero in Norway, and he and his wife Mary often went there on holidays. They had three children: Calum, Màiri and Sìne, who lived in Norway.

Unfortunately, the shellfire damaged his hearing so much that he could not return to professional music. He spent time working for the Ministry of Defence and also at An Comunn Gàidhealach, teaching music in various schools in the Highlands and Islands.

Archie was a very musical person. He was an excellent fiddler and rarely went anywhere without his fiddle, especially on his trips to Norway where he greatly enjoyed playing with the local fiddlers. He was always willing to help other singers and musicians, and he enjoyed nothing more than a good evening with good company, Gaelic songs and fiddle music.

He won the Gold Medal in 1958 in Glasgow. Although he had competed at mods in Aberdeen and Perth before this, this was his first time in the final. Archie led the Stirling Gaelic Choir and was central to starting the Young Gaelic Choir of Stirling. He also spent some time leading the Govan Gaelic Choir.

Archie died suddenly on the 3rd of October 2007.

We are very grateful to Seumas Campbell for assisting us with this information.