Niall Iain MacDonald ( gd, Niall Iain Dòmhnallach) is a

Scottish Gaelic 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 ...

-language radio and television producer for BBC Scotland, and presenter of the popular

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

and

indie music Independent music (also commonly known as indie music or simply indie) is music that is produced independently from commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, a process that may include an autonomous, do-it-yourself approach to recording a ...

program,

Rapal ''Rapal'' is a BBC Alba music television programme and radio show on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal recorded at BBC Scotland's Pacific Quay HQ. ''Rapal'' broadcast its first programme on the radio on 28 May 2001, presented by Niall Iain McDonald. It ...

, for BBC Radio nan Gàidheal.

Early life

He was born in

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

and educated at

Millburn Academy Millburn Academy ( Gaelic: ''Acadamaidh Allt a' Mhuilinn'') is a six-year secondary school in Inverness, Scotland. It serves the portion of Inverness east of the River Ness along with rural areas to the south of the city's reach, with a catc ...

in Inverness.

Media career

He joined BBC Scotland in 1998. He was the 2005 winner of the Radio Personality of the Year at the

Celtic Film and Television Festival Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language * Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Fo ...

Personal life

A missing persons search for MacDonald began on 17 May 2007. He had been seen leaving Stornoway but hadn't been in contact with relatives or colleagues. He had spent some time alone on the hills. After two weeks he returned home. To raise awareness of mental health issues, MacDonald undertook a solo

row Row or ROW may refer to: Exercise *Rowing, or a form of aquatic movement using oars *Row (weight-lifting), a form of weight-lifting exercise Math *Row vector, a 1 × ''n'' matrix in linear algebra. *Row (database), a single, implicitly structured ...

the Minch The Minch ( gd, An Cuan Sgitheanach, ', ', '), also called North Minch, is a strait in north-west Scotland, separating the north-west Highlands and the northern Inner Hebrides from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides. It was known as ("Sco ...

between Stornoway and

Ullapool Ullapool (; gd, Ulapul ) is a village and port located in Northern Scotland. Ullapool has a population of around 1,500 inhabitants. It is located around northwest of Inverness in Ross and Cromarty, Scottish Highlands. Despite its modest size, ...

on 16 July 2008 and completed the 43-mile row in 26 hours. In November 2011 he was rescued half-way through a 100-mile row from Barra to Lewis after an oar snapped. In June 2014 he embarked upon a solo row from New York to Stornoway in a 24-foot rowing boat that was expected to take three months. He was forced to abandon the attempt after nine days, having sustained injuries in stormy conditions. The boat was later salvaged and he appealed for help with the cost of this. MacDonald was also a shinty player and was signed for Lewis Camanachd in

Lewis Lewis may refer to: Names * Lewis (given name), including a list of people with the given name * Lewis (surname), including a list of people with the surname Music * Lewis (musician), Canadian singer * "Lewis (Mistreated)", a song by Radiohead ...

. He is now retired but retains an interest in the sport, presenting the trophy at the

Hebridean Celtic Festival The Hebridean Celtic Festival (Scottish Gaelic: Fèis Cheilteach Innse Gall) or HebCelt is an international Scottish music festival, which takes place annually in Stornoway on Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Headliners to date inclu ...

Cup in 2009.

References

External links

Rapal
Scottish radio presenters Shinty players People from Stornoway People educated at Millburn Academy Year of birth missing (living people) Living people {{Scotland-bio-stub