Kirkwaa

**Kirkwaa** is the lairgest toun an caipital of the Orkney Islands, aff the north coast o Great Breetain. The toun is first mentioned in *[[Orkneyinga saga]]* in the year 1046 when it is recordit as the residence o Rögnvald Brusason the Earl o Orkney, who wis killed bi his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty. In 1486, King James III o Scotland elevatit Kirkwaa tae the status o ryal burgh; modren roadsigns still indicate "The City and Royal Burgh of Kirkwall".

The name Kirkwaa comae frae the Norse name *Kirkjuvagr* (*Kirk Bay*), which later chyngit tae *Kirkvoe*, *Kirkwaa* an *Kirkwall*.

## Owerview

Situatit on the northren coast o Mainland Orkney an wi a population o aboot 9,000, Kirkwall is a port wi ferry services tae Aiberdeen an Lerwick, as well as the principal north islands in the group. At the hert o the toun staunds St. Magnus Cathedral, which wis foondit in memory o Saunt Magnus Erlendsson, Yerl o Orkney 1108–1117 bi Yerl (later Saint) Rögnvald Kali. Next tae the Cathedral are the ruins o the umwhile Bishop's Palace an Earl's Palace. The toun haes twa museums, the lairger bein Tankerness House Museum, which conteens items o local historical interest athin ane o Scotland's best-preservit saxteent century toun-hooses. The prehistoric, Pictish an Viking collections are o internaitional importance. The ither museum is the Orkney Wireless Museum, dealin wi the history o radio an recordit soond.

Apairt frae the main historical biggins mentioned abuin, Kirkwall haes mony 17t–18t-century hooses an ither structurs in the local vernacular style. The 'Kirk' o Kirkwaa wis no the Cathedral (which wis oreeginally at Birsay), but the 11t-century kirk o Saunt Olaf o Norawa. Ane late medieval doorwey survives frae this kirk, an a aumbry frae the oreeginal kirk survives athin the late 19t Century structur o the present-day Saunt Olaf's Kirk (Episcopal) in the toun's Dundas Crescent. Kirkwaa forbye ance haed a medieval castle, which wis destroyed in the 17t century.

On the wast edge o the toun, surroondit bi Hatston Industrial Estate, is a prehistoric auncient monument, Grain Earth House (Historic Scotland), a short law stane-wawed passage deep unnergrund leadin tae a smaw pillared chamber.  This is the fuirm o yird hoose or souterrain characteristic o the Northren Isles (awtho Grain is unuisually deep belaw grund). It wis oreeginally connectit tae a surface dwellin, which haes syne disappeared, an the oreeginal purpose o these Airn Age structurs remains unkent. Further wast towards Grimbister is the similar Rennibister Earth House.

Ane o the major annual events in the toun is the Ba Gemme, held each Christenmas Day an New Year's Day atween the Uppies an the Doonies, each team representin ane hauf o the toun. Kirkwall forbye haes the maist northerly o the warld's Carnegie libraries, which wis opened bi Andrew Carnegie an his wife in 1909. The biggin survives, awtho the librar itsel haes syne muivit tae a lairger biggin on Junction Road.

## Climate

As wi the rest o Scotland, Kirkwall experiences a maritime climate wi ceul simmers, mild winters, aften strang winds, plentiful rainfaw, frequently owercast lift an spairse amunts o sunshine.

## Pairlamentar burgh

Kirkwaa wis a pairlamentar burgh, combined wi Dingwal, Dornach, Tain an Weik in the Northern Burghs constituency o the House o Commons o the Pairlament o Great Breetain frae 1708 tae 1801 an o the Pairlament o the Unitit Kinrick frae 1801 tae 1918. Cromarty wis addit tae the list in 1832. The constituency wis a destrict o burghs kent an aw as the Tain Burghs till 1832, an then as the Wick Burghs. It wis representit bi ane Member o Pairlament till 1918, when the constituency wis abolished an the Kirkwall component wis mergit intae the coonty constituency o Orkney and Shetland.

## Eddication an cultur
The Orkney Library and Archive is locatit in Kirkwall.

### Media an the airts
The composer Peter Maxwell Davies wis amang a group which foondit the annual St Magnus International Festival which is centred on Kirkwaa each midsimmer.

Kirkwall Harbour can be seen in *The Highlands and Islands – A Royal Tour*, a 1973 documentar aboot Prince Charles' visit tae the Hielands an Islands, directit bi Oscar Marzaroli.
Scots film-maker Margaret Tait wis born in Kirkwall, an mony o her films (in pairticular the *Aspects Of Kirkwall* series) are set thare.

*[[The Simpsons]]* character Groundskeeper Willie is said to be frae Kirkwaa.

## References

## Freemit airtins

*Orkneyjar – The Royal Burgh of Kirkwall 
*Listen to recordings of a speaker of Kirkwall Scots
*Virtual Orkney: A directory of Orkney