Places_Faroe_email_Hansen_10-2-2011

EMAIL 5 April 2011 Paddy to Stefan

All Excellent Steffen---I'll make direct contact with the Harbourmaster in Kirkjubour ( if I can ).
Paddy

EMAIL 3 APRIL STEPHAN'S RESPONSES to PADDY

On 5 April 2011 00:16, Steffen Stummann Hansen <stummann@olivant.fo> wrote:

Dear Barry.
 
I have just put a few comments to your reply (see below).
 
Best wishes,
Steffen
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, April 04, 2011 10:20 PM
Subject: Re: Iomramh 2011. Faroes. Searching for Saints
 

Monday April 4th.

Thank you very much for the fast, and detailed, reply Steffan.
 

  • ke Firstly, as regards publicity/ websites, etc, we don't have plans for anything of that sort. Ours is an  entirely low key project, with only our own interest and satisfaction in mind.( although we may have a cameraman with us ). But we have no objection to any local interviews and such. Ok.  
  • Tvoroyri sounds just the place for us to make landfall--our resting / washing may be brief  if closing time of that pub is near--what time do they close ? I'll find out and inform you when we come a little closer to your arrival.
  • And yes, we'll plan on passing by Baglaholmur.
  • Kirkjubour Ferryport would be a good place for us to sail to to visit Brandarsvik.We'll possibly go directly to there from Suderoy, if tides and weather suit. Fine. You wamt I check with the harbour authorities? You should consider to stay overnight at Kirkjubøur, as you may end up in a good party at Tróndur's or Jóannes' place. I know from experience this can be quite interesting.
  • We would like an introduction to Trondjur P. and Joannes please. I'll talk to them tomorrow. 
  • We have no plans yet for our time in Thorshavn. Ok.
  • Your suggestions for Saturday and Sunday in the Leirvik area sound excellent.I used to speak a little Russian ( I spent the summers of 2004/5 sailing westward along the  Northern Sea Route, Anadyr to Murmansk). But won't ever again drink the Vodka. ! We have a number of Russians in Leirvík (Murmansk and Archaengelsk). We also have people from Serbian, Romania and Mauritius living here.
  • The two visits you suggest look interesting--though we'd be more interested in the St Brigids Ale than the dried cod ! I could imagine so. The director of the factory also prefers the ale, but cod heads make his money. He will definately be along for any party. We can play all this "by ear". I have a good archaeolist colleague, Anna Katrin Matras, living in Klaksvík. She would be happy to help organise something for you in Klaksvík, and we could also involve the local museum people there (two historians). We could also try and organise for you to visit the brewery there. How about that?

Best Regards,
Paddy

EMAIL 4 APRIL 2011 FROM STEFFAN

Dear Barry.
 
Here are some comments, suggestions and questions.
 
 
Wednesday 8th.
When you come up along the eastern coastline of Suðuroy you shortly before the settlement of Porkeri pass a small holm called Baglahólmur. This is an interesting place-name as the prefix is derived from Irish bachall (=crozier).
I am happy to tell you that there not only is a pub in Øravík, but there is actually an Irish pub in one of the old store houses (Tvøroyri). http://www.travelpod.com/travel-photo/eileen.sanda/1/1251107826/the-sail-loft-and-the-pub-in-tv-royri.jpg/tpod.html
 
Thursday 9th.
Do you intend to go by boat to Kirkjubøur? In that case you need to land it at a ferry pier a little north of Kirkjubø (within walking distance). I am a good friend of the people at Kirkjubø. Would you like me to try and arrange for you meeting with artist Tróndur Patursson who was with Tim Severin? He has his atelier at Kirkjubø and is the uncle of present day farmer Jóannes Patursson. I am sure Jóannes, who is used to guide people around, will be able to show you around, if you want this.
 
Friday 10th.
What are your plans for this day?
 
Saturday 11th.
Depending on what time you arrive here in Leirvík, I could suggest the following: I can show you around the Viking farmstead at Toftanes (with an artefact assemblage which included a couple of wooden crosses of Irish type) and the early church site Bønhústoftin (the best preserved in Faroe). If weather is fine we could then have a small barbecue in our garden, including some Russian culinaric specialities (my wife is from Murmansk). 
 
We have a local pub here (quite big actually, as it also includes bowling) - www.bovling.fo. If you want we could probably organise a jam session there this evening. We have a number of very good local musicians, and I think it could be good "crack". The pub closes at 2, but it will be light all night by this time of the year - so who knows what happens after?
 
Sunday 12th.
Trip around Kalsoy. If you are interested I could arrange for you later that day (or even on the Saturday if time) to visit local factory Faroe Marine Products - http://www.fmp.fo/Default.aspx?sectionid=86. They have specialised successfully in export of dried cod heads for a Nigerian market! The owner is a good friend of mine, and I think they may provide you with some food for your journey (dried fish etc).
 
Monday 13th.
What plans do you have for Klaksvík? You want me to arange anything for you there? I can try and approach the local brewery (the only in Faroe) and ask them to sponsor some boxes of beer for your further travel. They produce good beer - among which one called St. Bridgid's Ale - www.bjor.fo.
 
 
General
There are ATMs available. Many shops also take international credit cards.
 
I just talked to the guy who is in charge of the harbour in Leirvík, and I just have to remember him when time is up about your coming. So nothing to worry about at your end there.
 
How is it with PR around your trip? Do you have a website or any general press releases re your project? If you want I can use my contacts on Faroese television, radio and newspapers - just let me know. I can also offer to put information on the website I am involved with here - www.HistoryPressFaroeIslands.com. Here also some relevant literature is available for free download. Especially this one may be of interest to you: http://historypressfaroeislands.com/downloads/a-viking-age-shieling/
 
My full address is:
Steffen Stummann Hansen
Toftanes 20
FO-520 Leirvík
Faroe Islands
 
Phone: +298 443085; +298 283085 (mobile).
Hope this will help you a little. Looking forward to hearing from you
 
Steffen

 

EMAIL 10 FEB 2011

Subject: Faroe visit ------------------------

From: Steffen Stummann Hansen
Date: Thu, Feb 10, 2011 at 12:37 PM

To: Breandan O Ciobhain

Dear Breandán.
I have been looking at your plans for Faroe, and at this stage have the following comments:

Kirkjubø Is an obvious place to visit in this connection. I have talked to the farmer out there, who is a good friend. Jóannes Patursson (a nephew to Tróndur Patursson, whi was with Tim Severin) will be happy to welcome you and show you around.
You cannot land a boat of this size at Kirkjubø itself, but there is a ferry pier a few hundrede yards further north on that coastline. In case you land here, you will probably need permisson from the harbour authorities in Tórshavn (Kirkjubø is part of that council area).

Velbastaður Here you may face the same problem about landing. What exactly makes you want to visit Velbastaður?

Mykines This would also be an obvious place to visit: the Irish name of the island (a holy island?), place-names there, the early church-site etc. One problem here could be the weather and the current, and I am not sure, if you can take a boat of that size into the small harbour. But if you want to got there, logistics could probably be organised to bring people ashore. I have a good contact there (the man who deals with the small boat that comes in every day from the "mainland"). If you decide to go for Mykines, I can explore this more in detail.

Leirvík You shall be welcome here. I can definitely take you around the site of Toftanes and the best preserved early church site in Faroe. Other events could be arranged here, for instance a visit to neighbouring village Gøta, which was supposed to be the seat of one of the two central chieftains in the Saga of the Faroe Islanders (a monument was unveiled there three years ago). Harbour facilities in Leirvík are good so no problem there. If you have time a trip around Kalsoy is a great experience, and then you can pay a visit to Klaksvík on the way back, for instance.

Please keep me informed about how your plans develop, and I'll see what I can do at this end.

All the best for now,

Steffen