Celtic Place-names in Orkney

Abstract

In Orkney, as is seen in Shetland, in spite of the lapse of over a thousand years and the total extinction of the Celtic vernacular, a considerable number of the old place-names still survive, corrupted at times, but often preserving their old Celtic form unchanged. It is suggested that for a couple of centuries before the great Viking age prior to AD 800, intercourse had been taking place between Scandinavia and these northern isles, and that Norsemen had gradually secured a footing, and made settlements, both in Orkney and Shetland. It would be difficult to explain the adoption of these loan-words otherwise. The words discussed include those for hill pasture, hill, cliff and church. In addition, a few words seem to commemorate the names of some early Celtic saints.