An otherwise unremarkable small island in the Orkneys has a
sinister tale to tell, if you believe that sort of thing!
Eynhallow
This is a small island, less than a third of a square mile
in area, that sits in the narrow channel between two much larger Orcadian
islands, namely Mainland and Rousay. It only rises a few feet above the level
of the sea and has a generally flat landscape.
The name Eynhallow means “holy island”, which probably comes
from having been the site of a monastery many centuries ago. The ruined church,
of 12th century origin, is all that is left of the monastery. The
only other buildings on the island are a few crofts that are used by
researchers who study the birdlife; otherwise the island is uninhabited.
The Fin Folk
The island’s reputation for mystery begins with its
traditional ability to disappear and reappear. Whether this has anything to do
with how much whisky has been consumed by the person reporting this event is
not on record!
However, according to Orcadian folklore Eynhallow was once
the summer home of the mysterious Fin Folk. This was, apparently, a race of
amphibious shapeshifting sorcerers who spent the winter under the sea in the
legendary city of Finfolkaheem but came ashore in summer to the island of
Hildaland, which was renamed Eynhallow after they were sent packing by a farmer
from the Orkney Mainland.
The Fin Folk had a nasty habit of abducting mortals. Young
men and women would be spirited away to become husbands and wives of Fin Folk,
and their offspring would be mermaids. Female Fin Folk took mortal husbands as
protection against turning old and ugly.
However, various versions of the stories have been told, and
the relationships between Fin Folk, mermaids and mortals vary depending on
which account you choose to read or listen to.
The return of the Fin Folk?
An incident in 1990 gave rise to speculation in some
quarters as to whether the Fin Folk had disappeared after all. The island of
Eynhallow has for many years been a bird sanctuary, being open to public visits
only once a year by an expedition organised by the RSPB (Royal Society for the
Protection of Birds) and the Orkney Heritage Society.
During the 1990 visit, 88 people were taken to the island,
but only 86 came back. A huge search was organised for the two missing people
(both men) but no sign of them was ever found.
The story soon got about that the two men were actually Fin Folk who had
made their way back to Hildaland after centuries of exile. An alternative tale
was that they had been abducted by Finwives.
Of course, there is always the possibility that somebody got
the count wrong and actually nobody went missing at all!
© John Welford
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