Sorley MacLean was born on 26 October 1911 in island of Raasay, off Skye. His father, Malcolm MacLean, had a tailoring business; his mother Christina’s family were the Nicolsons of Skye, and they had seven children, of whom Sorley was the second eldest son. Both families were notable for their knowledge and practice of Gaelic song and music. Sorley MacLean was one of the most significant Scottish poets of the 20th century. He attended the University of Edinburgh and was an avid shinty player for the university team. After earning a First class degree, he returned to the Highland and Island community to teach. He was instrumental in preserving the teaching of Gaelic in Scottish schools.

His early poetry was in English, but after writing his first Gaelic poem, A' Chorra-ghritheach ("The Heron"), he decided that it was far better than his English work, and resolved to continue using his native language. By the mid-1930s he was well known as a writer in this tongue. In November 1943, his first individual collection of poems was published: Dàin do Eimhir agus Dàin Eile. It became one of the most important books published in Gaelic in the 20th century. In 1990, he has been awarded the Queen's Medal for Poetry. He died on 24 November 1996, aged 85 from natural causes, in Scotland.