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The geology consists of a dark breccia of gabbros and dolerites intruding Archaean gneiss.

There are two possible landing places for boats visiting to the east and west, although this may be hazardous given the regular heavy swells. or Bothain Chlann ‘ic Phaill.

alt=A view of all the islands.|thumb|A view of all the islands.

It is not entirely clear to which St Flannan the chapel pays honours. It is likely that the honoree was either the 7th-century Abbot of Killaloe, County Clare, Ireland, or alternatively, the half brother of the eighth century St Ronan, who gave his name to the nearby island of North Rona. There was also a certain Flann, son of an Abbot of Iona, called Maol-duine, who died in 890 and may also have lent his name to these isolated isles. Martin Martin (1703) lists a number of unusual customs associated with regular pilgrimages to Eilean Mòr, such as removing one's hat and making a sunwise turn when reaching the plateau.

Wildlife

The isles provide nesting for a population of seabirds, including Atlantic puffins, northern fulmars, European storm-petrels, Leach's petrels, common shag, and black-legged kittiwakes. There is a gannetry on Roaireim. and crofters from Bernera graze sheep on the most fertile islands.

The archipelago has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports breeding populations of several species of seabirds.

Lighthouse crew disappearance

In December 1900, all three lighthouse keepers vanished in mysterious circumstances. An official inquiry concluded that the three men had probably been swept away and lost at sea in rough weather while attending some equipment near the cliff edge.

In fiction

The Flannan Isles are the main setting in Robert W. Sneddons's short story On the Isle of Blue Men which was first published in Ghost Stories magazine in April 1927. The Scottish-American author's "atmospheric, Lovecraftian thriller" was reissued by Charles G. Waugh with an alternate ending based on an older story by Sneddon in the Lighthouse Horrors anthology in 1993. Neil Gunn's epic novel The Silver Darlings published in 1941 describes a visit to the islands. Eilean Mòr in particular also features prominently as the location of a murder central to the plot of Coffin Road, a 2016 novel by Peter May.

The Vanishing, a 2019 film starring Gerard Butler and Peter Mullan, is set on the isles and inspired by the infamous disappearances.

The game Reverse: 1999 has a character named Marcus whose story revolves around writing novels about the three men’s disappearance while they communicate as ghosts.

See also

  • List of islands of Scotland

References

  • McCloskey, Keith. (1 July 2014) "The Lighthouse: The Mystery of the Eilean Mor Lighthouse Keepers", Stroud, the History Press.
  • Elliott, Angela J (1 April 2005)"Some Strange Scent of Death", Dunbeath, Whittles Publishing.
  • Bathhurst, Bella. (2000) The Lighthouse Stevensons. London. Flamingo.
  • Harvie-Brown, J. A. & Buckley, T. E. (1889), A Vertebrate Fauna of the Outer Hebrides. Edinburgh. David Douglas.
  • Martin, Martin (1703) A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland including A Voyage to St. Kilda Retrieved 8 October 2008.
  • Murray, W.H. (1973) The Islands of Western Scotland. London. Eyre Methuen. SBN 413303802
  • Munro, R.W. (1979) Scottish Lighthouses. Stornoway. Thule Press.
  • Nicholson, Christopher. (1995) Rock Lighthouses of Britain: The End of an Era? Caithness. Whittles.
  • Perrot, D. et al. (1995) The Outer Hebrides Handbook and Guide. Machynlleth. Kittiwake.

Notes

  • Northern Lighthouse Board information about Flannan Isles lighthouse
  • Northern Lighthouse Board information about the disappearance of the keepers
  • The Vanishing Lighthousemen of Eilean Mór Investigative paper based on primary sources