Biography

Donnie Murdo MacLeod was raised in Stornoway with Gaelic as his first language, something not so common among young people in Stornoway at the time. Today he lives in Aberdeen, although his work as an education specialist takes him all over the country and abroad.

When he was at university in Aberdeen, singers such as Joan MacKenzie [3468], Flora MacNeil [1760], and the Rev. William Matheson [482] had a profound influence on him.

He won the Traditional Gold Medal at the Royal National Mòd in 1996, and an award for psalm singing at another Mòd. He often appears at concerts, on the radio and on television, singing songs, psalms, and hymns.

The tune to which Donnie Murdo sings Òran an t-Saighdeir came from Kate Nicolson (Ceit Phàdraig) [2277] from South Uist.