Donnie Munro

Donnie Munro (Scottish Gaelic: Donaidh Rothach /dɔnɪ rɔhəx/) (born 2 August 1953) is a Scottish musician and the former lead singer of the band Runrig.
As a native speaker of Scots Gaelic, much of his work is performed in that language.
Early life
Munro was born in Uig, Isle of Skye, in the Inner Hebrides. He attended Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen and obtained a postgraduate degree in teaching from Moray House in Edinburgh.
Music career
He first witnessed Runrig's performance in 1973 and was approached a year later to join the band. As the lead singer of Runrig, Munro gained recognition as a prominent Gaelic music performer in the 1980s and 1990s.
In 1997, Munro left Runrig to pursue a career in politics. His farewell concert took place at Stirling Castle on 29 August, marking his final performance with the band.
Munro released a solo album titled Heart of America, in collaboration with fellow Skye songwriters Blair Douglas and Richard Macintyre. The album won Album of the Year at the Scottish Trad Music Awards in 2006. Currently, Munro holds the position of Director of Development at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Scotland's National Centre for the Gaelic Language and Culture, located on the Isle of Skye.
Munro completed a series of live shows titled 'An Turas - The Journey', featuring a forty-piece ensemble. Additionally, he is preparing for the release of a live album recorded at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow during Celtic Connections 2008.
For Runrig's 40th anniversary at the Black Isle show ground at Muir of Ord on 10 August 2013, Munro appeared as a special guest and performed three songs. For Runrig's farewell concert, "The Last Dance" in City Park, Stirling, on 18 August 2018, Munro appeared as a special guest, performing two songs.
Politics
Munro was elected as Rector of the University of Edinburgh in 1991, a position he held until 1994. He contested the UK Parliamentary seat of Ross, Skye and Inverness West in the 1997 General Election but was defeated by Charles Kennedy (Liberal Democrat). He then contested the Scottish Parliament seat of Ross, Skye and Inverness West at the 1999 Scottish Parliament election for Labour, but was defeated by Liberal Democrat John Farquhar Munro. These necessitated his leaving the band, which he did in 1997. His reasons for departure were a matter for lengthy private discussion over a two-year period but were never the subject of public discourse.
Munro was alleged to have given up the offer of a 'safe' Labour seat in Central Scotland as he had already agreed and been adopted as a candidate to contest his own native Highland constituency, coming close to winning this hitherto safe Liberal Democrat seat in the 1999 Scottish election.
Honours
In 1996 he gave the Sabhal Mòr Lecture.
In 1998 Munro was elected as the first rector of the UHI Millennium Institute, a post that lasted 3 years.
Solo discography
Studio albums
On The West Side (1999)
Across The City And The World (2002)
Gaelic Heart (2003)
Heart Of America (Across The Great Divide) (2006)
Live albums
Donnie Munro Live (2000)
Donnie Munro And Friends (2006)
Donnie Munro Live - An Turas (2008)
Sweet Surrender - Live Acoustic (2015)
Compilation albums
Fields Of The Young (2004)
Donnie Munro - Best Of (2005)
References
External links
Official Website
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Website
1953 births
Living people
Labour Party (UK) parliamentary candidates
University of the Highlands and Islands
20th-century Scottish male singers
Alumni of the University of Edinburgh
Alumni of Robert Gordon University
People from the Isle of Skye
Rectors of the University of Edinburgh
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
Runrig members
Scottish rock musicians
Scottish Gaelic singers
21st-century Scottish male singers
People educated at Portree High School
Alumni of Gray's School of Art