The Flannan isles are what is left of a small archipelago of islands seven in number. They take their name from St Flannan, though which one by that name is not completely clear. There was a St Flannan from Killaloe in Ireland in the 7C, a Flann son of an abbot of Iona who died in 9C. There was also a Flannan a half brother of St Ronan who lived in the 8C after whom another island off the Outer Hebrides is named.
There is a very small ruined stone chapel on the island dedicated to the Saint. It may only have been occupied in summer but it did give rise to regular pilgrimages. The extraordinary thing is that anyone should have found these tiny islands and wanted to live there as a hermit.
He is the only known hermit to have had a personal helicopter pad.
