Finstown

Finstown in the parish of Firth on Mainland, Orkney is the third largest settlement on the island.

It has a post office, Firth Primary School, two pubs (one closed at present), two shops and a garage. Most of these buildings are situated on the main Stromness to Kirkwall road.

Formerly called "Toon o' Firth", the origin of the name is thought to come from an Irishman named David Phin who came to the area in 1811. A soldier with the 9th Royal Veteran Battalion, he married a Kirkwall girl in 1813. In 1820 he opened an ale house which was called the 'Toddy Hole' by arrangement with John Miller of Millquoy. Four years later they quarrelled and Phin left for Aberdeen, but his name remained. Today the hostelry is called the Pomona Inn, after an old name for Mainland Orkney. [ [http://www.buyorkney.com/information/orkney_guide_book/32_firth/ BuyOrkney - Firth] Retrieved 3 August 2007.]

References