Brother Isle

Infobox Scottish island


latitude=60.52
longitude=-1.22
GridReference=HU425815
celtic name=
norse name=breiðare øy
meaning of name=broad beach island
area= 40 ha (99 acres)
area rank= 212=
highest elevation=25 m (82 ft)
Population=0
population rank=
main settlement=
island group=Shetland
local authority=Shetland Islands
references= [2001 UK Census per List of islands of Scotland] Haswell-Smith] cite map| url=http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/getamap/| title=Get-a-map| publisher=Ordnance Survey] :"There is also a Brother Island in El Nido, Palawan in the Philippines."

Brother Isle (from the Old Norse "breiðare øy" meaning broad beach island) is a small, uninhabited island in Shetland, Scotland. It lies between the islands of Yell and Shetland Mainland. It is about 40 ha in size.

Geography and geology

The island's rock is "undifferentiated moine gneiss and quartzite."

History

It is sometimes assumed that the "Brother" in the name refers to Culdees/"papar" who were frequent inhabitants of the smaller islands, however, in this case there is no apparent evidence for this claim, and it would appear to be merely folk etymology.

At only 40 hectares in size (about 1/6 of a sq. mile) and surrounded by tidal rips which make landing difficult, it would seem unlikely that the island has ever been inhabited. However, Brother Isle was inhabited until the 1820s, latterly by brothers with the surname Tulloch. This led to the mistaken assumption that the island's name referred to them.

In 2004, a lighthouse was built on the island.

References