Eynhallow: Island of Legend and Enchantment

Eynhallow sits in the middle of Eynhallow Sound

The tiny heart-shaped island of Eynhallow off the mainland of Orkney, was in olden times believed to be the summer home of The Finfolk, a race of amphibious sorcerers, who had power over storm and sea, were skilled with boats and able to shapeshift at will. In those days, the island was called Hildaland, and was one of Orkney’s two magical disappearing islands, vanishing behind the mists and waves, then reappearing.

One day, the wife of a farmer known as the Goodman of Thorodale was abducted by The Finfolk and taken to their island. Under the guidance of the wise woman of Hoy, he went nine times on his knees around the Odin Stone of Stenness, at the full moon.

For nine moons, at midnight when the moon was full, he went nine times on his bare knees around the great Odin Stone of Stenness. He also looked through the hole in the stone, wishing for the power to see Hildaland.

One morning, the farmer saw an island has appeared in the middle of Eynhallow Sound. He set off in his boat with his three sons and scattered nine rings of holy salt around the shores of the island and the farmer cut nine crosses into the turf. The farmer had his revenge, the Finfolk were banished from the island and Hildaland was cleared of all enchantment, becoming permanently fixed in the mortal world. It became known as Eynhallow – the Holy Isle – and a church was raised there in about the twelfth century.

Tapestry at the Orkney Library, Kirkwall. Eynhallow (Land of the Finn Man) by Leila Thomson.

Over time, all traces of the church were lost and only four families lived on Eynhallow until in 1851 they fell ill with typhoid, probably because their water supply was drawn from an old midden. The families were evacuated and their huts were to be destroyed so nobody was tempted to return. When the roof was pulled off one of the huts, the remains of the medieval church were revealed.

The ruined medieval church on Eynhallow

Today, Eynhallow is uninhabited and can only be visited by private boat or on one special day each year, which has given rise to another story. In 1990, an outing, organised by the Orkney Heritage Society and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, landed a number of ferry passengers on the uninhabited island for a short visit. As usual, the crew counted the number of passengers upon disembarking. Eighty-eight visitors left the boat. Only eighty-six returned. There was a massive air and sea search, but no trace of the missing tourists was ever found. Many locals believe they were Finfolk returning to their ancient home.

Island of Eynhallow

It is difficult to travel to Eynhallow as it is surrounded by the ferocious tides known as "roosts" that are immortalised in the Orcadian children's rhyme:

Eynhallow fair, Eynhallow Free
Eynhallow stands in the middle of the sea
With a roaring roost on either side
Eynhallow stands in the middle of the tide.