attends Blessed John Ogilvie Preparatory School, then St Aloysius’ College, Garnethill, Glasgow

graduates in English from Pembroke College, Cambridge: there follows a year in Rome and six months in London teaching English, then a summer washing dishes and practising Gaelic in Skye and a year teaching at Bari University in Puglia, Italy

settles in Rome, first Campo de’ Fiori and then, for six years, Monte Sacro Alto

translations into Gaelic of poems by Cavafy published

returns to Glasgow to start a Ph.D. on Gaelic poet Uilleam MacDhùnleibhe/ William Livingston of Islay (1808-1870)

first original poems in Gaelic, the cycle ‘An sgoilear a’ sealltainn air ais’ (‘The scholar looks back’), published

after 3 years in the English Department at Edinburgh University, appointed to a permanent post in the Scottish Literature Department at Glasgow University

first poetry collection Uirsgeul / Myth joint winner of a Saltire Award

debut novel Euphemia MacFarrigle and the Laughing Virgin appears, provoking widespread hilarity and not a little indignation

3 months living in the Raval, Barcelona: regular further visits follow, mainly to a friend in Sant Gervasi

another Saltire award, for work on the love poetry of Gaelic poet Somhairle MacGill-Eain/ Sorley MacLean (1911-1996)

three months in Transylvania researching the circumstances and status of Hungarian writing

leaves post as Reader at Glasgow University and moves to the Újlipótváros, Budapest, Hungary to write full time.