Mary Beith

I enjoy writing about most things, having worked as a journalist for some years. After local and national newspaper staff jobs, I freelanced on a variety of subjects, mainly archaeology, history, the environment, arts and contemporary matters affecting the Highland & Islands. Since 1989, I have written a fortnightly column for the West Highland Free Press on the history of Gaelic medicine. There is a tendency, however, for this column to discuss all manner of things and the editor is very tolerant. My book Healing Threads:Traditional medicines of the Highlands and Islands came out in 1995 and more recently I've become interested in writing for children - An t-Ubhal Seunta (The Magic Apple)was published in Gaelic in 2009. I also contributed the main text to A'Chraobh (The Tree, which is in both English and Gaelic)in 2000, as well as essays in other books such as The Province of Strathnaver, Being Scottish,and The Oxford Companion to Scottish History. And I've blethered quite a lot by way of giving talks just about everywhere from village halls to universities throughout Scotland. I have three children (who are also tolerant)and eight grandchildren.