Brother Isle

Brother Isle

West end of Brother Isle
Location
Map credit Brother Isle Brother Isle shown within Shetland
OS grid reference	HU425815
Coordinates	60°31′N 1°13′W / 60.52°N 1.22°W / 60.52; -1.22
Name
Name meaning	broad beach island
Old Norse name	breiðare øy
Physical geography
Island group	Shetland
Area	40 hectares (99 acres)
Area rank	220=
Highest elevation	25 metres (82 ft)
Administration
Council area	Shetland Islands
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Demographics
Population	0
References

Brother Isle (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 40 hectares (99 acres) 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.