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Papay ranger - Jonathan Ford @papayranger.bsky.social · 14d

A backlit St Boniface, while the clouds are drawn in the blue.

The old kirk this evening, Papay, island of the Papar.

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Corinna @shroomgirl.bsky.social · 16d

Having a lovely time in #Eday! First oral history interview today re places & their names. So nice to be invited into people's homes with such a warm welcome! Today, I focussed on the district of Westside/Seal Skerry tunship! #Orkney #PlaceNames

Colour photo of a turquoise blue bay with a white sandy beach. Seal Skerry is visible on the left.

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Papay ranger - Jonathan Ford @papayranger.bsky.social · 16d

Our SurvØY show is up at Glasgow School of Arts Reid gallery until the 1st of November. Islands in time, space and fragments of flint.. SurvØY is a Papay based artist collaboration between Jonathan Ford and Saoirse Higgins.

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Judith Jesch @judithjesch.bsky.social · 17d

Not to mention the birds! @fairislebirdobs.bsky.social 🐧🕊🦅🦆🦢🦉🦤

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Corinna @shroomgirl.bsky.social · 17d

Gairsay, home of Sveinn Ásleifarson in the #Saga of the Earls of #Orkney!... Will we see the caves in which he hid from Earl Haraldr as we pass Greenholm!? open.substack.com/pub/uonengli...

Colour photo of the isle of Gairsay viewed from the Varagen ro-ro, across a choppy deep green-blue sea and heavy cloud tinged with yellow, and pale blue sky in places.

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Ragna's Islands @ragnasislands.bsky.social · 18d

Wonderful Open Country episode re Fair Isle! We remember Marie's knitting studio, Eileen's fantastic baking and lovely times in the Community Hall talking #placenames and #sagas! www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Open Country - Fair Isle - BBC Sounds

Martha Kearney is on one of Britain's most isolated islands, famous for knitting and birds

www.bbc.co.uk

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Corinna @shroomgirl.bsky.social · 19d

We've just been to the preview of this wonderful exhibition by @papayranger.bsky.social and Saiorse Higgins, a must-see if you're in Glasgow, in fact a reason to go! #Papay #Orkney
gsaexhibitions.co.uk/exhibition/s...

Saoirse Higgins and Jonathan Ford – SurvØY | The Glasgow School of Art Exhibitions Department

gsaexhibitions.co.uk

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Judith Jesch @judithjesch.bsky.social · 22d

Should you happen to be in Kirkwall on Saturday the 25th of October, do come and say hello in the Orcadian Bookshop!

Poster advertising a book signing by Judith Jesch of The Saga of the Earls of Orkney, taking place in the Orcadian Bookshop in Kirkwall on Saturday 25 October 2025, 12-2 pm

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Ragna's Islands @ragnasislands.bsky.social · 23d

Hi Jonathan, send me an email: [email protected]

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Rebecca Tyson @tyguson.bsky.social · 23d

Congratulations Matthew, Corinna, and Judith. I’m so pleased to see that your brilliant project has a lasting legacy in these publications and the forthcoming website. I am really looking forward to reading Judith’s new translation and exploring the places on the map!

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Judith Jesch @judithjesch.bsky.social · 23d

Really pleased to see these gorgeous fruits of the @ragnasislands.bsky.social project along with core team members @shroomgirl.bsky.social and @matthew-blake.bsky.social

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Corinna @shroomgirl.bsky.social · 23d

This was fun! We're so pleased with how they turned out!

Colour photo of the three booklets produced by the Ragna's Islands Project, including Viking Fair Isle, Viking Papay, and Viking North Ronaldsay. Each island has stock should you wish to get hold of a copy!

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Ragna's Islands @ragnasislands.bsky.social · 23d

The Ragna's Islands Project has come to an end... but it lives on!... in these beautiful booklets (one for Fair Isle, one for North Ronaldsay, & one for Papay)... which judithjesch.bsky.social unboxed today! #Orkney #PlaceNames #OrkneyingaSaga

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Corinna @shroomgirl.bsky.social · Sep 6

ON dys occurs in many #Orkney #PlaceNames incl. Disher (N. Ronaldsay) where it appears in the plural, Geo of Dishan (Egilsay) where the ending appears to retain the ON definite article & Milly-dissan & The Disses o’ the Holm (both Holm of Papay) the first applying to a fishing mark! (Marwick)

Colour photo of the Holm of Papay emerging from a gleaming sea.

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Judith Jesch @judithjesch.bsky.social · Aug 28

Delighted yesterday to meet another #Ragna in a #runic inscription (Sm 169) set in the outside wall of the church at Ljungby, Småland, Sweden. @ragnasislands.bsky.social 🧵1/4

Detail of a Swedish Viking Age runic insription that says 'rakn'

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Judith Jesch @judithjesch.bsky.social · Aug 2

And it all started when the Icelander Hallr rocked up in #NorthRonaldsay... Ragna, of @ragnasislands.bsky.social's fame, got him the introduction to Rǫgnvaldr's court. See #SagaoftheEarlsofOrkney ch. 81.

Skaldic Project @skaldic.org · Aug 2

Hjaldrkyndill beit hildar
— harðr brandr es þat — garða;
ljós varð hǫggs í hausum
— hjǫr kallak svá — gjalla.
Hart skar hildar kerti
— hjalms grand es þat — randir,
þvít benlogi brynju
beit; nefnik svá hneiti.
RvHbreiðm Hl 68

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Judith Jesch @judithjesch.bsky.social · Jul 25

As we near the end of @ragnasislands.bsky.social, I look back with pride on the last 18 months. Thanks in large part to the core team, @shroomgirl.bsky.social and @matthew-blake.bsky.social, we achieved what we planned and aspects of the project will live on: blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/ragnasisland...

Farewell from the Ragna's Islands project team... and some exciting news! - Ragna's Islands: A New Saga

The Ragna’s Islands project has now come to an end. The project was made possible by funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council and administrative support from the School of English, University of Nottingham. We have many people to thank for their contributions over the last year and a half. A special thank you ...

blogs.nottingham.ac.uk

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Ragna's Islands @ragnasislands.bsky.social · Jul 25

The Ragna’s Islands project has now come to an end. BUT it is not the end! Read our final blogpost for exciting news about forthcoming publications including the new translation of The Saga of the Earls of Orkney by @judithjesch.bsky.social and other resources! blogs.nottingham.ac.uk/ragnasisland...

Montage of photos of activities carried out during the project including oral history interviews, 'lost places' walks, Saga readings, and community and school activities.

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Ness of Brodgar @nessofbrodgar.bsky.social · Jun 2

A new paper on the Knap of Howar has confirmed that the two Neolithic structures are much later than once thought.
#archaeology #Orkney #Neolithic

Excavation and reassessment provides new timeline for the Knap of Howar

A new paper on the Knap of Howar has confirmed that the two Neolithic structures are much later than once thought.

www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk

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Judith Jesch @judithjesch.bsky.social · May 15

After our @ragnasislands.bsky.social research trip to Orkney in March/April, project member @shroomgirl.bsky.social stayed on to do some more #placename research for her PhD project. vsnr.org/2025/05/09/r...

Report from Corinna Rayner (Research Support Fund) - Viking Society for Northern Research

Corinna recently travelled to Orkney and Edinburgh to study place names. Read about her travels here.

vsnr.org

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Kath Page @orkat3.bsky.social · May 14

Anyone in #Orkney in June, fancy learning more about geophys? What a wonderful experience this will be 😍

Ness of Brodgar @nessofbrodgar.bsky.social · May 14

We are running two free events in June to give beginners a basic understanding of the geophysical survey process and what it can tell us.
#archaeology #geophysics #orkney #NessofBrodgar #Neolithic

Have a go at geophysical survey with two free workshops in June

We are running two free events next month to give beginners a basic understanding of the geophysical survey process and what it can tell us.

www.nessofbrodgar.co.uk

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Ragna's Islands @ragnasislands.bsky.social · May 11

She's in-person... a trip to #Orkney is in order!

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Ragna's Islands @ragnasislands.bsky.social · May 11

Well, we've been researching Ragna's Islands for over a year now... and thanks to the fab #OrkneyMuseum you can finally meet her! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

AI Viking character unveiled in Orkney museum - BBC News

It is part of a permanent exhibition to celebrate the role of the Vikings in the area's history.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Ragna's Islands @ragnasislands.bsky.social · May 10

Looking forward to this!

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Judith Jesch @judithjesch.bsky.social · May 9

That @ragnasislands.bsky.social is everywhere!

Charles West @pseudo-isidore.bsky.social · May 9

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

AI Viking character unveiled in Orkney museum - BBC News

It is part of a permanent exhibition to celebrate the role of the Vikings in the area's history.

www.bbc.co.uk

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