Rona

Rona is an uninhabited Scottish island in the North Atlantic. It is often referred to as North Rona to distinguish it from the island of South Rona in the Inner Hebrides. It has an area of and a maximum elevation of . It is included within the historic county of Ross-shire. The island lies northwest of Cape Wrath, the same distance north-northeast of the Butt of Lewis, and east of Sula Sgeir. More isolated than St Kilda, it is the most remote island in the British Isles ever to have been inhabited on a long-term basis. It is also the closest neighbour to the Faroe Islands. Etymology The name "Rona" may come from , Old Norse for "rough island," a combination of and , Gaelic and Old Norse for "seal" and "island" respectively. Alternatively, it may have been named after Saint Ronan. The English language qualifier North is sometimes used to distinguish the island from Rona off Skye. In Gaelic, it is also known as , which is literally 'Rona of the stag,' but may be derived from , containing the Norse word , meaning "ocean," and conveying the meaning "Rona of the Atlantic." History Rona is said to have been the residence of Saint Ronan in the eighth century, and he is said to have been the first inhabitant. St. Ronan founded a small monastic community on the island and was reputedly buried there along with his sister Mionagan. His other sister St. Brianuil (Brenhilda) and St. Flannan went to live on other islands.