Sorley MacLean (Somhairle MacGill-Eain) was born on the island of Raasay in 1911. In his family Gaeli traditions, especially of song, survived. He took a first-class degree in English at Edinburgh. He served in North Africa in World War II and was wounded three times. He was instrumental in preserving the teaching of Gaelic in Scottish schools. He died in 1996.