A’ve jist sent back the Hugh MacDiarmid Tassie - at me an Donald Adamson jyntly won in last year’s Sangschaw - for it tae be engraved wi the name o the 2026 winner, David Bleiman. As A’ve no been able tae fin a leet o winners online, A took a note o the names on the tassie afore A happed it up an teuk it tae the Post Office.
The tassie’s been gien oot 36 times atween 1986 and 2025, wi nae award in 1999, 2004, 2006 an 2014. There’s been 29 unique winners in that time, assumin David Purdie (1997) an David C Purdie (2005) are the same bodie - 30 if they’re no. Fower fowk hae won the prize mair than yince: Douglas Kynloch five times; Sheena Blackhall fower times; an Elaine Morton an David (C) Purdie twice. David Bleiman noo jynes that nummer. 2025 wis the ainly time twa fowk hae been gien the tassie.
| Date | Name |
|---|---|
| 1986 | W. A. Armstrong |
| 1987 | K. A. Armstrong |
| 1988 | William S Milne |
| 1989 | E. M. Buchanan |
| 1990 | Sheena Blackhall |
| 1991 | Jean Massie |
| 1992 | Lydia Robb |
| 1993 | George Philip |
| 1994 | William McCoubrey |
| 1995 | Tom Wilson |
| 1996 | Christian S. Tait |
| 1997 | David Purdie |
| 1998 | Elaine Morton |
| 1999 | nae award |
| 2000 | Sheena Blackhall |
| 2001 | Sheena Blackhall |
| 2002 | Elaine Morton |
| 2003 | Alistair McDonald |
| 2004 | nae award |
| 2005 | David C Purdie |
| 2006 | nae award |
| 2007 | David Purves |
| 2008 | Peter Cameron |
| 2009 | Sam Gilliland |
| 2010 | Sheena Blackhall |
| 2011 | Charles P. Connor |
| 2012 | Frances Robson |
| 2013 | Douglas Kynoch |
| 2014 | nae award |
| 2015 | Douglas Kynoch |
| 2016 | Douglas Kynoch |
| 2017 | Douglas Kynoch |
| 2018 | Douglas Kynoch |
| 2019 | Irene Howat |
| 2020 | David Bleiman |
| 2021 | Alan Miller |
| 2022 | Jamie Purves |
| 2023 | Finola Scott |
| 2024 | Craig Aitchison |
| 2025 | Colin Mackenzie; Donald Adamson |
It’d be guid tae hae a leet o the poems as weel but that’s for anither day.