Hallaig is the most recognized poem of Sorley MacLean, an important Scottish poet of the 20th century.[1] After writing it, MacLean rose to fame in the English-speaking world. It was originally written in Scottish Gaelic since the author was born on the island of Raasay, where Scottish Gaelic was the everyday language.[1] During the course of time the poem has been translated into both English and Lowland Scots. A recent translation (2002) was made by Seamus Heaney, an Irish Nobel Prize winner.