Donald MacKinnon (Celtic scholar)

Donald MacKinnon
portrait of Donald MacKinnon[1]
Born(1839-04-18)18 April 1839[2]
Kilchattan, Colonsay, Argyll, Scotland[3]
Died25 December 1914(1914-12-25) (aged 75)[4]
Balnahard, Colonsay, Argyll, Scotland[3]
OccupationProfessor of celtic
Known forCeltic Studies
Spouse
Catherine MacPhee MacKinnon
​
​
(m. 1873)​
(1842–1917)
Children5[5]

Donald MacKinnon (1839–1914), born on Colonsay, an island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, was a Celtic scholar, the first elected Professor of Celtic languages, literature, history and antiquities at Edinburgh University, a chair he occupied from 1882[6] to the year of his death in 1914.[7] He is known particularly for his edition and translation of the so-called Glenmasan manuscript, and also catalogued the manuscripts in the Advocates Library collection.

  1. ^ Lamont (1915), p. 97.
  2. ^ Archives Hub (2010); citing The Gambolier, 25 November 1914, pp.64–66
  3. ^ a b Archives Hub (2010)
  4. ^ Celtic Review 10, p.1 (Title page) "Since this number was printed we have learned.. of Professor MacKinnon's death, which occurred in the Isle of Colonsay on Christmas Day." see Maclean (1914).
  5. ^ Lamb (2011b) webpage genealogy
  6. ^ "Chairs and Professors of Universities in the United Kingdom". Who's Who Year-book for 1908. 1908. p. 132.
  7. ^ MacKinnon1956, Preface, p. xvi. "He occupied the Celtic Chair for 32 years, retiring in June 1914 at the age of 75. On Christmas Day of the same year he died in his native island of Colonsay"