New writer 2024: Iain Cumming

Iain is a Gaelic teacher in Wester Ross and the history, culture, people and landscape of the area provide a rich source of inspiration for him in his writing. His stories are often centred around moments of crisis. In the last few years he has won several prizes at the National Mod for short stories and non-fiction articles and in the FilmG competition for script writing.

One of his stories was published with an English translation in the magazine Southlight last year. Iain is very much looking forward to the opportunity and challenge that the New Writers Award will provide and writing on a more focussed, consistent basis.

Writing sample

‘An taobh sin’, chagair Tormod. ‘A-steach leinn dhan choille’.

Thionndaidh sinn, faochadh oirnn gun robh fasgadh mu dheireadh far comhair. Fasgadh bho ar nàimhdean a bha air a bhith gar sealg rè na h-oidhch’. Furtachd dhar cuirp chlaoidhte. Ach mus d’ fhuair sinn air ceum a ghabhail, chuir guth fuar, cruaidh goireasachadh oirnn. Faclan gràineil a thuig sinn a dh’aindeoin a’ chànain choimhich. Binn a’ bhàis nan cois.

‘Halt! Hände hoch!’

Bha dithis shaighdear ann an deiseachan glasa a’ greasad gar n-ionnsaigh. Air an aghaidhean bha gàire acrach agus iad a-nise nan seasamh am meadhan an fhrith-rathaid a bha mar coinneimh. A’ chreach romhpa mu dheireadh thall. Am miann gu bhith air a shàsachadh. Na dagaichean aca gar comharrachadh. 

Cha robh dol às againn. Bha fhios againn uile dè thachradh dha prìosanaich-cogaidh a theich nan deigheadh an glacadh. Thug mi sùil ghràdhach air Tormod ’s Alasdair. Bràithrean Màiri. Treun nam beatha. Gun dìon a-nise ’s am bàs a’ greimeachadh orra. Nach iomadh spòrs a bha againn ’s sinn a’ fàs suas ann an saorsa baile beag ar n-àraich. Nach iomadh oillt a dh’fhiosraich sinn còmhla bhon uair sin anns a’ chogadh ghràineil seo. Sinn air ar snìomh le chèile nar beatha mar aon. 

‘Dich zuerst, dreh dich um, also runter auf die Knie.’ arsa am fear a bu lugha de na saighdearan. Bha a ghuth nimheil ’s e a’ smèideadh ri Tormod le ghunna. B’ iomadh turas a theannaich am bàs ri Tormod, ach cha robh e riamh cho dlùth ri seo. Ach ’s ann a bha a shùilean ciùin, gun eagal sam bith annta. Mar gum faiceadh e seachad air na bha gus tachairt dha.

from Sùilean

Iain says:

'It is a real honour to receive a New Writers Award and I am grateful to Comhairle nan Leabhraichean and Scottish Book Trust for this opportunity. I am very much looking forward to working with a mentor, to having time dedicated to writing and to seeing how my work evolves over the course of the year and beyond. I have gained so much from Gaelic literature and hope that I will be able to make my own small contribution to it.'