Vivienne Margaret 'Meg' Bateman (born 1959) is a Scottish

academic An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems ( oral or wri ...

and

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

writer. She is best known for her works written in Scottish Gaelic; however, she has also published work in the English language.

Education and career

Bateman was born in

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

and grew up in the New Town area of the city. She studied Celtic at the

University of Aberdeen , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

and completed a PhD in medieval

Scottish Gaelic language Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...

religious poetry. She taught Scottish Gaelic at the

between 1991 and 1998 before moving to Isle of Skye to teach at the Gaelic college,

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig () (Great Barn of Ostaig) is a public higher education college situated in the Sleat peninsula in the south of the Isle of Skye, with an associate campus at Bowmore on the island of Islay, Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle (the ...

. She has also taught Scottish Gaelic at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

and is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

. Bateman's first collection of poems, ''Òrain Ghaoil'' (''Love Songs'') was published in 1990 and her second, ''Aotromachd agus dàin eile'' (''Lightness'') was published in 1997. Both her first and second collections focus on human relationships and the idealised idea of love. Her third collection, ''Soirbheas'' (''Air Wind'') was published in 2007. In 2011, Bateman's first published Scottish Gaelic short story, entitled ''Chanadh gun d'chur i às dha'', appeared in the short story collection Saorsa published by

CLÀR CLÀR is a Scottish Gaelic publisher. Established in 1996, the company is run on a voluntary, independent basis and based in Inverness, Scotland. It was the publisher for the Ùr-sgeul project, specialising in new Gaelic fiction. Publishing Poli ...

. Her collection ''Transparencies'' was published in 2013 and featured her first published work to have both Scottish Gaelic and English poems. Her Scottish Gaelic poetry has appeared in several anthologies, including ''Other Tongues'' (1990) and ''Twenty of the Best'' (1990). She has also translated poems from Gaelic into English for ''An Anthology of Scottish Women Poets'' (1991) and ''The Harp's Cry'' (1993).

References

External links

BBC Bio - Làrach nam BàrdMeg Bateman
at Scottish Poetry Library

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bateman, Meg 1959 births Academics of the University of Edinburgh Academics of the University of St Andrews Living people Scottish women poets Scottish women writers Scottish women academics Alumni of the University of Aberdeen Sabhal Mòr Ostaig 21st-century Scottish Gaelic poets Scottish Gaelic women poets Scottish Gaelic poets Translators from Scottish Gaelic