Angus Peter Campbell

Angus Peter Campbell (Scottish Gaelic: Aonghas P(h)àdraig Caimbeul; born 1952) is a Scottish award-winning poet, novelist, journalist, broadcaster and actor.

Early life

After attending Gearradh na Monadh school, Campbell left Uist for secondary school in Oban, where he developed a keen interest in literature under the expert guidance and encouragement of his English teacher, the late Iain Crichton Smith. The University of Edinburgh beckoned, where he obtained an Honours degree in History and Politics, and continued his literary education through the encouragement of the late Sorley MacLean, who was writer-in-residence in Edinburgh at the time.[1]

Career

Born and brought up in South Uist he spent his teenage years in the Oban area where he was taught by Iain Crichton Smith at Oban High School.[2]

He graduated with Double Honours in Politics and History from Edinburgh University, after which he worked in the media. In 2001 he was awarded the Bardic Crown for Gaelic poetry and a Creative Scotland Award. The following year he was given a Creative Scotland Award for Literature. His novel, An Oidhche Mus do Sheòl Sinn, published by CLÀR, was voted by the public into the Top Ten of the 100 Best-Ever Books from Scotland in the Orange/List Awards. Sorley MacLean said of Campbell:

“I have no doubts that Angus Peter Campbell is one of the few really significant living poets in Scotland, writing in any language.” Sorley MacLean (West Highland Free Press, October 1992)[3]

His first English language work of fiction, Invisible Islands (ISBN 0-9552283-0-1), was published in 2006. It was inspired by Italo Calvino and Jorge Luis Borges. The book consists of twenty-one chapters, each illuminating a specific island in the mythic Invisible Islands archipelago. The work draws heavily on Gaelic culture and history, magic realism and a number of other influences.[4] He also wrote a short English language novel 'Archie and The North Wind' (Luath Press; 2010).

In 2006, Campbell expanded his acting career, starring in the Scottish Gaelic feature film Seachd: The Inaccessible Pinnacle.[5] His latest work is a collection of poetry, Aibisidh, published Polygon (Edinburgh) in 2011. It is nominated as the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust's Scottish Book of the Year 2012, having won in the poetry category.[6]

Personal life

He lives on the Isle of Skye with his wife and six children, and is now a full-time writer, journalist, broadcaster, actor. He is the father of piper Brìghde Chaimbeul.

References
  1. "Details of Alumnus of the Year award recipients prior to 2000". University of Edinburgh Alumni Services. University of Edinburgh. 21 April 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  2. "The SRB Interview: Angus Peter Campbell". Scottish Review of Books. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  3. Official website
  4. "University of Glasgow : Creative Conversations - Writer and actor Angus Peter Campbell". gla.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  5. Official website Archived 27 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Scottish Book Awards Archived 22 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine
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