Celebrating Outwith | Hugh MacDiarmid and the Whalsay Years
Saturday, June 20th 2026 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Shetland Museum & Archives
Hear from MacDiarmid scholars about the Grieves’ time on Whalsay, their surviving correspondence, and their lasting impact on Shetland.
We'll be joined by Colin McIlroy of NLS; Professor Patrick Crotty and Professor Alan Riach, both renowned experts on Hugh MacDiarmid; and Alex Linklater, known for his extensive biographical and critical work on MacDiarmid.
Tickets £5
Our guest speakers:
- Dr Colin McIlroy is Curator of Modern Literary Manuscripts at the National Library of Scotland and will chair the discussion. His work focuses on twentieth-century and contemporary Scottish literary archives.
- Alexander Linklater is a journalist, editor and author, and is currently writing the authorised biography of Christopher Murray Grieve, Antagonist: The Life Behind Hugh MacDiarmid.
- Professor Patrick Crotty is Emeritus Professor of Irish and Scottish Literature at the University of Aberdeen and one of the foremost authorities on the poetry of Hugh MacDiarmid. His three-volume edition of MacDiarmid's complete collected poems is forthcoming.
- Professor Alan Riach is Professor of Scottish Literature and an acclaimed scholar of twentieth-century literature, with an international career spanning Scotland and New Zealand.
This event is part of a series of three taking place on Saturday 20 June to celebrate the Outwith exhibition. Book all three events and receive 25% off — the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.
Category: Lectures, Community Events, Gallery Talks, Exhibitions
