The prizes for the 2007 Neil Gunn Writing Competition were awarded on 2nd October at the Strathpeffer Pavilion. The competition is run every second year, and is organised by Highland Libraries in partnership with the Neil Gunn Memorial Trust. The theme this year was "Highland Spaces". The prizewinners are listed below. Follow the links below or in the Current Documents section on the right to read some of the winning entries. We hope to have all of them available shortly. Please note that the work remains the copyright of the writers.
Adult prose section
In recognition of the high quality of entries in the adult prose section, the organisers awarded third prizes in addition to the advertised first and second prizes.
Winner: Anne Morrison, Lairg "Out West"
Runner-up: Douglas Thompson, Glasgow "Finding Coinneach Odhar"
Third Equal:
Kathleen Irvine, Inverness "Living Space"
Donald Mackenzie, Inverness "Cula"
Highly Commended:
Alison Napier, Lairg "Stac Jenny"
Vivien Samet, Strathpeffer "Russian Dolls"
Ian McDonough, Edinburgh "A Sighting"
Adult poetry section:
No first or second prizes were awarded in the adult poetry section but six of the entries were judged to be of equal merit and were marked Highly Commended.
Highly commended:
Christian Gudgeon, Gairloch Trying to get a grip
Moira Duncan, Inverness A guide to the environment for the complete beginner
Morag Morrison MacIver, Brora Full circle
Jane Verburg, Cromarty Cromarty to the Pentland Firth
Ian McDonough, Edinburgh Listening to my sisters sing
Paul Heinowski, Inverness Highland haibun
Secondary school (S2-S4)
Winner: Alistair Coghill, Thurso High Going concave
2nd equal:
Ailsa Quirie, Thurso High Highland Space Ltd
Beth Appleby, Millburn Academy Down and out in Inverness
Highly Commended:
Dominic Crofts, Thurso High Walk to work
Ailsa Hosie, Kilchuimen Academy The predator
On reviewing the secondary school entries, it became apparent that in addition to having three individual prize winners, Thurso High School had also provided a number of other particularly well written entries. In recognition of this consistency, the Neil Gunn Trust has made a Special Award of some of Neil Gunn’s books to the school.
Primary school (P5-P7)
Winner: Jessica Young, Teanassie Primary Highland spaces
Runner-up: Peter Dymond, Canisbay Primary (now at Wick High School) "Sanic Beich"
Highly Commended:
Katie-Rose MacDonald, Canisbay Primary "Eh Canisbay Kirk"
Christy MacRae, Kyle Primary The view from my swing
All scripts were submitted anonymously to the judging panels of Senior Judge Margaret Elphinstone who judged the adult prose along with Ann Yule Convenor for the Neil Gunn Memorial Trust. West Coast poet Ian Blake and Rhoda Michael editor of Northwords, judged the adult poetry. The senior schools section was judged by Colin Ferguson of the Neil Gunn Trust and Stephanie Hoyle, Principal Schools Librarian. Marilyn Ferguson (no relation to Colin) judged the primary schools section along with Elizabeth Parker, Senior Librarian, Children and Young Families.