Marcas Mac an Tuairneir writes poetry, prose, drama and journalism, in Gaelic and English, and splits his time between Edinburgh and his hometown of York. He was educated at the University of Aberdeen, graduating with MA Hons Gaelic and Hispanic Studies in 2008 and MLitt Irish and Scottish Literature in 2010. He later completed his MA Television Fiction Writing in 2012 at Glasgow Caledonian University.
One of the contemporary era’s foremost advocates of the literatures of Scotland and Ireland, Marcas’ works are shaped by his fascination with feminism, postcolonial and queer theory. Marcas is Chair of the Scottish Writers’ Centre Board. He contributes to committees hosted by The Scottish Book Trust and The Saltire Society and is the Gaelic Co-ordinator for the Federation of Writers (Scotland). He is an active member of the Scottish arts collective, the Heretics.
Marcas’ poetry has been published in a wealth of journals and short-listed for several poetry prizes including ‘Duais Filíochta Dhúbhglas de hÍde’, 'Comórtas Filíochta an Chornéil Eoghain Uí Néill' and 'Off the Stanza'. In 2014, he was awarded the Highland Literary Salon prize for poetry and first place in the 'The Baker Prize' for Gaelic Literature. In 2015, he was a runner up in the national William Blake Poetry Prize, for his poetry in English. In the same year he was the winner of the Scottish Association of Writers' ‘Write Up North!’ poetry competition. He was runner up in the Wigtown Gaelic poetry competition, in 2015, 2016 and 2019 and was named outright winner in 2017.
Marcas is an award-winning Gaelic-language playwright having won An Comunn Gàidhealach's 'Stornoway Gazette Trophy' for new Gaelic plays, two years running, in 2016 and 2017. His songs have been co-written with and recorded by the likes of Mary Ann Kennedy and Rachel Walker and he was the recipient of the prize for new songwiritng at the Royal National Mòd in 2018 and 2020. He was named Comhairle nan Leabhraichean and Playwright's Studio Scotland’s New Gaelic Playwright in 2016.
He is a regular contributor to ‘Dàna’, ‘Cothrom Ùr’ and ‘Bella Caledonia’ and is the Gaelic Editor of one of Scotland's most exciting poetry periodicals, ‘The Poet's Republic.’