Hamish Henderson: a critical appreciation

HAMISH HENDERSON (1919-2002), poet, folklorist, song writer and activist, struggled to get his work recognised during his lifetime, but in recent years, following the publication of a massive two-volume biography and a new edition of his collected poems and songs, he has achieved something of a cult status in Scottish cultural life. His birthday is the occasion of an annual festival and the hundredth anniversary of his birth in 2019 was marked by a plethora of events and tributes.

Ian Spring knew and worked with Hamish Henderson from the 1970s onwards. In this new introduction to his work he attempts to summarise his achievement and place Henderson’s work and ideas in a contemporary context.