Alumni
The influence of the School does not cease beyond its gates or indeed with the passing of time
About US
Alumni
Kirkcudbright Academy is a unique and special place and the bonds formed whilst at the School are extremely enduring. The influence of the School does not cease beyond its gates or indeed with the passing of time. The Academy is proud of the achievements of its former students and feels it is important to both remember and celebrate those who have succeeded at the highest level of their chosen path.
The Academy are keen to highlight the successes of its former students. If you have any information on individuals who should be included in this section please contact us with the details.
Half of all the Scottish racing drivers who have ever won a Formula One race attended Kirkcudbright Academy
Quarter of all the Scots who have ever captained the British and Irish Lions attended Kirkcudbright Academy
Elaine Monaghan - Journalist and Writer
Elaine Monaghan, (born 18 January 1968), is a journalist and writer. Since moving to London in 1993 to join Reuters’ international news agency, she has lived, studied or worked in Belarus, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and the United States, and followed secretaries of state Madeleine Albright and Colin Powell around the world. She led Reuters’ coverage of Northern Ireland’s 1998 peace deal, and as Washington correspondent for The Times of London, covered the US invasion of Iraq. Elaine joined the faculty of The Media School at Indiana University Bloomington as a professor of journalism and public relations in 2014.
Born in Dundee, Elaine moved to Castle Douglas in 1972 and to Twynholm in 1978 — where she lived next door to David Coulthard — until moving to Knox Academy, Haddington for her sixth year. She holds a Master’s in German and Russian language and literature from the University of Glasgow and is completing an MFA in Creative Writing at Mississippi University for Women.
James Wolffe - Former Lord Advocate for Scotland
In May 2016, the First Minister nominated James to be Lord Advocate, and, following approval of that nomination by the Scottish Parliament, he was appointed by the Queen. As Lord Advocate for Scotland. James retired from the post in August 2021.
James was born in 1962 and spent his childhood in Gatehouse-
David Coulthard - Formula 1 Racing Driver & TV Presenter
David Marshall Coulthard, MBE (born 27 March 1971), known as DC, is a British former Formula One racing driver, and current commentator and journalist. He was runner-
David grew up in Twynholm where his father was partner of the haulage firm Coulthard/Hayton. He was educated in Kirkcudbright Academy where, in-
Innes Ireland - Formula 1 Racing Driver
Robert MacGregor Innes Ireland was born in Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire on 12th June 1930, the younger son of a Scottish veterinary surgeon William Alexander Ireland and his wife Mary Margaret Ireland.
He attended Kirkudbright Academy where he and his brother Allan excelled at sports. Innes Represented Scotland twice in Air Training Corps Rugby Internationals against England, and once in athletics, a sport in which he continued to compete into the early 1950s.
Innes Ireland, who drove in 50 grands prix, died at the age of 63.
Arthur Smith - Scotland and the British Lions Rugby
Arthur Robert Smith
(23 January 1933 –
Originally from Castle Douglas, Arthur graduated in mathematics at Glasgow University and then gained a PhD at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University. He represented Cambridge in four Varsity Matches from 1954 to 1957 inclusive. It was at Cambridge that he came to flourish as a player.
He captained both Scotland and the British Lions. He won 33 caps for Scotland and was never dropped until his retirement in 1962, although he did miss the odd match due to injury.
Arthur Smith was Dux of the Academy in 1950.
Edward Telfair (1735 – September 17, 1807) was the Governor of the state of Georgia between 1786 and 1787, and again from 1790 through 1793. He was a member of the Continental Congress, and a signer of the Articles of Confederation.
Telfair was born in 1735 on his family’s ancestral estate in western Scotland. He graduated from the Kirkcudbright Grammar School, before acquiring commercial training. He immigrated to America in 1758 as an agent of a commission house, settling in Virginia. Telfair subsequently moved to Halifax, North Carolina, and finally to Savannah, Georgia, where he established his own commission house. He arrived in Georgia in 1766, joining his brother, William, who had emigrated earlier. Together with Basil Cowper, Telfair built the commission house, and it was an overnight success.
James Alexander Malcolm Caldwell (Dux of the Academy 1949)
James Alexander Malcolm Caldwell (27 September 1931 – 23 December 1978) was a British academic and a prolific Marxist writer. He was a consistent critic of American foreign policy, a campaigner for Asian communist and socialist movements, and a supporter of the Khmer Rouge. Malcolm Caldwell was murdered, under mysterious circumstances, a few hours after meeting Pol Pot in Cambodia.
Malcolm Caldwell was born in Scotland, the son of a coal miner. He obtained degrees from University of Nottingham and University of Edinburgh. He completed two years’ national service in the British army, becoming a sergeant in the Army Education Corps. In 1959 he joined the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London as a Research Fellow. Although he met with conservative opposition within the School, he remained on its faculty throughout his life. As well as being an academic, he was an energetic and committed radical political activist. He was dedicated to criticising Western foreign policy and capitalist economics, paying particular attention to American policy. He was a founding editor of the Journal of Contemporary Asia, a journal concerned with revolutionary movements in Asia.
David MacMyn was born on 18 February 1903 at Kirkcudbright the son of a doctor. He was educated at Kirkcudbright Academy, then Fettes College from 1916 where he was assigned to Glencorse House.He then went up to Pembroke College, Cambridge where his rugby ability developed at Fettes won him his blue as a fresher at Cambridge. He took the BA with honours in 1924 before studying medicine at King’s College Hospital, London.
MacMyn made his international debut on 24 January 1925 at Inverleith in the Scotland vs France match. Of the 11 matches he played for his national side, he was on the winning side on 10 occasions. In 1927, he was chosen to captain the British Isles tour to Argentina which was won by four Tests to nil. He played his final match for Scotland on 2 January 1928 at Colombes in the France vs Scotland match. His club career had seen him play for London Scottish FC and King’s College Hospital RFC.
After his playing career he remained involved in rugby and from 1958 to 1959 served as president of the Scottish Rugby Union. For many years he was also a Scottish selector
William Mouncey (born in Kirkcudbright in 1852, died 1901) was one of the founding artists of the Kirkcudbright Artists’ Colony. He exhibited numerous works at the Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh, the Royal Glasgow Institute, Whitechapel Art Gallery, Carnegie Institute (Philadelphia), and in Dresden. In the last years of his life, his work was exhibited at Messrs James Connell & Sons Glasgow, and this helped to bring his work to the wide attention of the public.
