Munro, Neil (1864–1930)

Scottish novelist, poet, and journalist. He wrote The Lost Pibroch 1896, a collection of Celtic tales, followed by a number of historical novels, including John Splendid 1898, Gilian the Dreamer 1899, Doom Castle 1901, and Children of the Tempest 1903. Of his humorous dialect stories, the ‘Para Handy’ series, beginning with The Vital Spark 1906, were the most famous.

Others are Erchie 1904, The Daft Days 1907, Fancy Farm 1910, Ayrshire Idylls 1912, and Jaunty Jock 1918. Books of verse are Bagpipe Ballads 1917 and The Poetry of Neil Munro 1931. The Clyde: River and Firth 1907 is descriptive.

Munro was born in Inveraray, Argyllshire. He worked in a law office, then went into journalism, and eventually became editor of the Glasgow Evening News 1918–27. Later he lived at Craigendoran on the Firth of Clyde.