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.

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.

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.

Munro was elected as Rector of the University of Edinburgh in 1991, a position he held until 1994.

In 1996 he gave the Sabhal Mòr Lecture.

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.

His political aspirations necessitated his leaving the band, which he did in 1997.

His reasons for departure occasioned lengthy private discussion over a two-year period but were not made public.

He contested the UK Parliamentary seat of Ross, Skye and Inverness West for Labour in the 1997 General Election but was defeated by Charles Kennedy (Liberal Democrat).

In 1998 Munro was elected as the first rector of the UHI Millennium Institute, a post that lasted 3 years.

He then contested the Scottish Parliament seat of Ross, Skye and Inverness West for Labour at the 1999 Scottish Parliament election but was defeated narrowly by John Farquhar Munro, also of the Liberal Democrats, in what was traditionally a Liberal Democrat stronghold.

Munro was said to have rejected the offer of a 'safe' Labour seat in Central Scotland in the 1999 election as he had already been adopted as a candidate for his native Highland constituency.

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.