Norman MacLeod, known in Gaelic as Caraid nan Gàidheal ("friend of the Gael"), was a Church of Scotland minister, poet, and writer.
He was an enormously influential writer of Gaelic prose, founding and editing two of the earliest Gaelic periodicals, An Teachdaire Gaelach (The Highland Messenger) (1829–32) and Cuairtear nan Gleann (The Traveller of the Glens) (1840–43), as well as later contributing to Fear-Tathaich nam Beann (The Mountaineer) (1848) edited by his son in law, the Rev.
This, the periodicals, and a further collection of writings published in 1834 as Leabhar nan Cnoc (The Book of the Hills subtitled 'things old and new for the education and improvement of the Gael') covered a very wide range of material, from discussion of Chartists, Luddites and electoral reform to volcanoes and the natural world, encompassing subjects as diverse as politics, religion, current affairs, popular science, emigration, animal husbandry, technological developments and city life.
Shortly after his death, a collection of his Gaelic prose writings was edited by his son in law, Archibald Clerk, with a biographical sketch by Norman MacLeod jnr., first published as Caraid nan Gaidheal in 1867, reprinted in 1899 and 1910.
Dr. Norman MacLeod, 1812–72, also a Moderator of the General Assembly (in 1869), and author of Morvern, a Highland Parish (first published 1867) and of the song "Farewell to Fiunary".
He can also be seen, this time greeting Queen Victoria, in a relief on her statue in George Square on the occasion of her visit to the Cathedral.
His greatest renown is for his tireless work on behalf of the huge population of what was then perhaps the poorest slum parish in the city, promoting education and welfare schemes, building schools and mission churches, a penny savings bank, and temperance refreshment rooms.