We are all very saddened by the news that Peigi MacKinnon, beloved mentor and friend from Vancouver, passed away early on the morning of Saturday, Dec 18. Peigi was an ardent supporter of Gaidhlig learners and a constant source of joy, knowledge and support to our Pacific Northwest community.
Those of you who were in the 2017 Mòd choir will remember that Peigi helped coach us with our Gaelic leading up to the Mòd. In addition to being a warm, congenial friend, Peigi was a wonderful storyteller, as anyone who has heard her story about the Barra Telephone Exchange or visited her ‘drive up window’ for storytelling at Fort Worden Féisen can attest.
The 2016 recipient of the Alexander MacRae Award for Outstanding Contribution to Gaelic Culture, Peigi was born and raised on the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides and is a native speaker of Gaelic. Although she left the island when she was 16 years old, she never left her Gaelic heritage behind her. Peigi had been active in Hebridean societies all her life, including The Lewis and Harris Club in London, the Gaelic Society and Choir in Vancouver, and Mòd Bhancoubhair.
She had been a supporter of Slighe nan Gaidheal since its earliest days; in fact, she was a guest instructor at one of the first Gaelic intensive days before there even was an organization in place, and continued to be a frequent teacher at our Seattle area events. She also served on the Board of Directors and hosted SnG’s first international Board meeting in her Richmond, BC home. Peigi also attended every Fèis that Slighe has hosted, with the exception of our last live event in 2019, which she had to miss due to health concerns, though she did manage to encourage us by phone that week.
We are proud to announce that we are creating a Fèis scholarship fund in Peigi’s honor which shall be known as the Barraigh Telephone Exchange Scholarship Fund.
"Let’s make certain that Gaelic has a place in the future world by teaching its future leaders to speak, sing, and celebrate this irreplaceable part of our heritage." -- Peigi MacKinnon
Gum bi fois shìorraidh aig a h-anam (may her soul have everlasting peace).