Abstrakt
In this paper, I will look at Derick Thomson's lifelong concern with Irish literature, culture, and politics, which manifested itself in his editorials, essays, and reviews for the quarterly Gairm and also in is academic work, translations, and poetry. I will mention how efforts to promote the Irish language inspired Thomson's own conception of Scottish Gaelic revitalization efforts, both in terms of adopting good practices in Scotland and avoiding policies and initiatives which did not prove productive in Ireland.
In terms of engagement with Irish writers, I will discuss Thomson's long-standing interest in W. B.
Yeats, who, in the context of Scottish Gaelic poetry, tends to be associated chiefly with Sorley MacLean.