About Me - Ian McNeish

A rationalist with a dream

I was born in 1946 directly after World War ll. A ‘Bulge Baby’ as such infants were called in Scotland. My dad had been a prisoner of war. I was brought up in small industrial towns across central Scotland as my parents moved about following employment opportunities.

I had a few jobs when leaving school, from working in an iron foundry to building electronic parts for the Kestrel Jump jet and the legendary Concorde aircraft. I headed to Harlow in Essex when I was nineteen years of age and worked for an electronics company. After four years there I headed north to Aberdeen, working for the County Council. At the age of twenty-seven I joined Ross and Sutherland police and headed further north. On retiring, after thirty years, I got involved with a large community based drug and alcohol charity and became Chairman of the Board.

I finally retired, well nearly, in 2016. I have and still do lead an active life. I played rugby until my mid thirties, when I caught the mountain bug. I have mountaineered since these days and was lucky enough to ascend Mont Blanc. I was in Mountain Rescue for a few years. I continue to meander into mountains, even if a tad more sedately. I am a keen photographer. I play and coach curling. I am also a keen cyclist.

I am married, have three sons and six grandchildren and I reside in Stirling, Scotland. One of my grandsons plays rugby and another is in the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland . Oh, must not forget to mention, Fruin my wee Border Terrier.

In terms of writing, I have always maintained an interest in writing and apart from the occasional short story, I wrote two blogs. It was through the latter activity that the door into the writing world, I am now privileged to occupy, opened.

I write fiction and non fiction and because of my tendency to ‘think in pictures’, can be influenced by images. In terms of Medium, I just hope to have an opportunity to tell some stories and write about some of my more adventurous days, both in the physical and perhaps the metaphysical and if time allows, a couple of poems.

Nearly four years ago the owner of Extremis Publishing Limited, a small independent publisher in Scotland, contacted me and asked me to write three books. I was uncertain. What he said next rocked me back on my heels. ‘I have read all you’re blogs, I know you can write a book.’

My first book, ‘The Fearn Bobby’, about my police experiences, was published in 2018

My second book, ‘From Dumyat to Mont Blanc — being alive with mountains’, a meandering tale of my life changing mountain experiences, motivations and more, went on sale on 29 June 2020.

September of 2022 my third book, The Bannock Burn ( written in partnership with Dr Murray Cook, Archeologist ) was published.

In 2019 I was received into the Royal Society of the Arts as a Fellow. However, about eighteen months ago I resigned from that organisation after they expelled a member for having a differing opinion to them on a subject. I thought one of the cornerstones of our civilisation was free speech and that, of all organisations, the RSA would be a bastion of that principle.

I would love the privilege of being allowed to submit articles to your publication.

Thank you, ian. @ianmcneish

PS I am not unique, just a person.

www.extremispublishing.com will take you to my books and to some interviews about myself, including the Five Books that most influenced my life and why.