The Celtic Viking Islands | Shetland Language, Culture & Norse History

[@Sturmsterner]

What a cool documentary about a beautiful place. I'm really impressed by the quality that this guy produces

[@TieranFreedman]

Thanks so much, glad you're enjoying the videos! Shetland was absolutely stunning, totally blew us away. Would love to see it in the Spring/Summer.

[@LabhriunnMaciain]

I'm from Unst. Came to America in 1963 when I was 13. To this day I can sleep with every light in the house on. People would ask me how I can sleep with all the lights on. I just tell them if I couldn't I'd never be able to sleep at home, in Shetland during the summer months. Even all these years later I still leave all the lights on in my house. It's actually COMFORTING.

[@ODINS_daughter]

UNST ❤ It is my biggest desire to walk there. I am a descendant of the Two Girls Lost at Sea - from Unst. Have you heard of the Girls from Unst? (Two girls were milking cows that were kept on the island of Uyea. As they were trying to get their milk cans and their boat back to Uyeasound, a storm came upon them.Their ore broke, and they were swept out to sea. Approxim. seven days later, they were shipwrecked on the coast of Karmoy, Norway. (Near a place , I think it's called Vik's landing. Have you heard of them? Elisabeth and Gurie? (Williamsdatter or Williamson ) They had a brother named James. Anyway, Shetland is on my Bucket List. I dream of being able to walk the shores of Unst. You are lucky to have lived there. All the best from Wisconsin.

[@AG77420]

I feel bad for your electric bill.

[@rdl8878]

The tv series Shetland is amazing. I’d love to visit the islands.

[@ians4925]

Wow. This is the first of your vids that I've watched, came here looking for coverage on Shetland, and you did that for me brilliantly. I'm assuming you are not a professional documentary maker (correct me if I'm wrong!) but you are one of the best 'amateur' doc makers I have ever come across. Your film editing and your narrative are both excellent, very smooth and natural. I get none of the sense of ick that I often get with amateur docos, especially the very naif narratives that some have. Very very well done, and thank you for an interesting and insightful coverage of what I was seeking!

[@TieranFreedman]

Thanks for the kind words! I didn't have professional training or a background in filming when I started, I just sort of picked up a camera and started making these. But since then it has become my full-time job so I suppose you could say I'm a professional amateur 😅 Thanks again for the feedback, so glad you enjoyed the video, many more to come!

[@harley8680]

This year, I learned my 10x great grandfather was born in Bigton, Shetland Isles in 1552 and died on Orkney in 1629 through Ancestry DNA. My Dad's parent's came from the Ayrshire area in 1922 to America. It was nice to discover other areas where my ancestors came from and I hope to see it one day! Thanks for the great video!

[@loislewis5229]

I’m glad that Shetland is out of the box on maps, but poor New Zealand sometimes doesn’t even make it on a map.

[@micheleedwin4004]

You think you have a problem, try the Isle of Man

[@bonnienichalson5151]

I know were the Isle of Man is and the Orkney Islands :) from 🇨🇦👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👍

[@magnushutchison4920]

great video, you covered its uniqueness very well!!

[@TieranFreedman]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@talex1625]

We've just moved to Shetland and are still discovering it, so this video was very interesting. Thank you.

[@wetflannel6343]

Unlucky 🤣🤣

[@jillnicholson7430]

From Canada ( Nova Scotia ) and Gaelic speaking . My grandad was from Skye . I have never been to Shetland though I've been to Scotland and visited Skye and parts of the Hebrides. I would love to visit . Wr still celebrate Up Helly Aa on the last night of our Highland Games.

[@Hrossey]

Two words : TRAILER PARK BOYS 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇨🇦 😂❤

[@christinedrylie8017]

I used go to Shetland on my school trip when I used to live in orkney and it is beautiful place

[@dominiquemanchon9914]

Nice video, thanks! Let me add that Shetland is a great place for traditional music: a huge répertoire of fiddle music of both scottish and scandinavian influence (Tom Anderson made a great job in collecting it), together with an outstanding tradition of accompaniment on the piano (Violet Tulloch and many others) and guitar (the regretted Willie "Peerie" Johnson). Memorable sessions take place e.g. at the Lounge Bar in Lerwick several times a week during the summer, and probably all over the year, and also in other places.

[@m__r1100]

Really looking forward to the next one guys...

[@TieranFreedman]

The big finale! Hope you enjoy it 😁

[@BeithirBlue]

Have you considered visiting st kilda? You might like it​@TieranFreedman

[@goldenchild4835]

Thanks. My grandfather was born on Shetland in the late C19th, before he went to sea. I've visited Shetland in 2010. My other grandfather came from Paisley. Distance is a strange think, living in Australia with our western capital of Perth some 4,000kms from the Australian national capital Canberra, certainly puts distance and travel into another perspective.

[@samofbrisbane1480]

This has been an amazing series. Really enjoy your documentary episodes and your interviews. They are so well done.

[@TieranFreedman]

Thanks so much, glad you've enjoyed it (and there's another series on the way...👀)

[@vailameow]

I’m from Shetland and I thoroughly enjoyed watching this. Thank you for creating this. Excited to share with my soothmoother pals!

[@TieranFreedman]

So glad you enjoyed the video! Great to hear that coming from someone who's from there 😁

[@Gio19vMarauding]

AwsomE

[@ujwalrajgiriujwalrajgiri]

Hii

[@juliemccarthy4626]

Another brilliant documentary Tieran - so well written and very informative. Great interviews. Fantastic work 😊

[@TieranFreedman]

Thanks so much Julie, glad you enjoyed it! 😊

[@maryjomeade3878]

So very similar to Newfoundland, Canada. I have seen maps in the US that are supposedly of North America that do not include the Island of Newfoundland, which is situated in the North Atlantic. Once in a campground in Kentucky I was asked to put a pin in the owners map indicating where we had traveled from. Newfoundland was not on their North American map. So many aspects of Shetland remind me of our island of NL, including the weather and the dialects.

[@chrisstef8004]

Loved watching the series Shetland... You actually showed where Jimmys home was in a couple of your shots....👏👏 Interesting video..thanks for sharing.. Australia 🦘🌏🙏

[@fleetingselfconfidence612]

ive followed you 2 for the last year and as someone who lives in oban i cannot wait to see the finale you have opened my eyes to irish and shetand culture and i love you both form it!

[@TieranFreedman]

Thanks for the kind words, so glad you've enjoyed the series! Due to illness and some personal issues there's been a delay on the finale but I'm working on getting it out there 😁

[@sierravista9013]

I think there's a wool festival in Shetland in September. I would like to go to that!

[@welshskies]

I've visited Orkney and Norway so time to visit Shetland this summer. 👍🏻

[@TieranFreedman]

Wish I'd had the chance to visit Orkney, hope to make it back up there some day

[@danel1922]

great video, well done

[@TieranFreedman]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@maevemccann1944]

This was really relaxing & informative! Thank you!

[@TieranFreedman]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@andreasissons7766]

Fantastic video. Great history about the Norse and Scots.

[@TieranFreedman]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@louiseedwards29]

Really enjoyed this. Am in New Zealand. Was fascinating listening to the Shetland dialect.

[@prunamaria7969]

❤ cant imagine 5 hours light in the day time and cold storms! Realy scarry for me!!! Greetings from Jb, SAfrica!!!

[@EvelynMorrison-f6l]

Interesting but a shame that the huge 103 turbine windfarm industrialising the central mainland wasn't shown. The pristine landscape is no more.

[@beverlyanne5192]

Better than digging up coal mines etc

[@EvelynMorrison-f6l]

@@beverlyanne5192 Really? Vast areas of pristine peat sinks have been destroyed and filled with thousands of tonnes of concrete

[@betsyarehart5441]

That’s a real shame. I hate wind farms. They are polluting the scenery of our beautiful American West.

[@zarinaromanets7290]

I wish they'd invest in off-shore wind farms more, like the tidal ones that have been shown to work nonstop. Pretty uninvasive.

[@sheltie141]

Wow, was not expecting to see my shopper bag in your video 😊

[@TieranFreedman]

Are you referring to 07:37? It's fab! 😊

[@sheltie141]

Yes just before the knapping, lol 😂

[@danielfreeley5217]

Brilliant, long wanted to visit the Shetland islands. Nice work,

[@TieranFreedman]

Thank you! It's definitely worth visiting (but maybe try summer instead 😅)

[@Chris-hf3zh]

Fantastic as always! Thanks very much!

[@TieranFreedman]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@bobkrist1]

Another excellent piece about your epic journey, thanks!

[@TieranFreedman]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! 😁

[@TaniaFreedman-h7c]

Excellent footage! Learnt so much. Thank you.

[@TieranFreedman]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@jaypoly]

Great films. On a par with any Prime time TV production. So informative, entertaining and educational. Ace.

[@brunoyvres4939]

Scotland is a beautiful country. Will definitely visit.

[@stric9l0l]

thank you for this documentary and i love the quality of your content so much

[@TieranFreedman]

Thanks so much, really glad to hear that! 😁

[@LaureninGermany]

Just discovered you, and we really enjoyed your video. So interesting and well done. Subbed and looking forward to watching your other ones. The couple who kissed were adorable. The word is close to the German Schmusen, a similar kind of kiss.

[@kassistwisted]

I know you didn't time it like this, but the 8th season of the TV show Shetland just started airing. Seems very good timing!

[@TieranFreedman]

That's a lucky accident! I haven't seen it yet actually but I believe there's a few spots in this video that feature quite a bit in the show. Is it worth a watch?

[@kassistwisted]

@@TieranFreedman It's definitely worth a watch. They're good stories. The house/old warehouse in the harbour you feature a lot in the video was used as the exterior of the main character's (Jimmy Perez) home. I was sure you'd seen the show and that's why you showed that house so much! Good luck and my household cannot wait to see where you cycle to next. All the best from the Netherlands!

[@ThePalmatron]

Fascinating...Great vid; thanks.

[@TieranFreedman]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@michaelmallal9101]

My great-grandparents came from Orkney which I guess is similar.

[@JamesWilliamson-w8y]

The most northerly occupied building in the UK was the lighthouse at Mukkle Flugga (Since automated). The lighthouse crews were granted honary membership of the Sergeants Mess at RAF Saxa Vord so that they could enjoy a hot meal, a cold beer and a warm comfortable bed.

[@infocuslearning]

Nice! I hope you made it to the cinema.

[@TieranFreedman]

Thanks! You'll find out in the next video 😜

[@grob318]

My Father's family was from Shetland since the English Civil War. Our oldest ancestor moved there to escape the war 370ish years ago.

[@adamfaou9926]

Superb! What a beautiful programme! As a relative late-comer joining around the Isle of Mann episode, I'm enjoying looking back through the catalogue. Perhaps you'll also do a reflections and summary video and maybe one covering technical aspects. I hope you make it to the last destination.

[@TieranFreedman]

Thanks so much, so glad you're enjoying the videos! That's a good idea, maybe between series (I'm currently editing together the next series from the Middle East which will be up on here soon 😁)

[@adamfaou9926]

@@TieranFreedman that's amazing, ambitious and a lot drier probably than the North of UK in autumn! - I can't wait to watch it!

[@sungsungie]

Watching your videos, i appreciate more and more that the Faroese language managed to survive

[@TieranFreedman]

I actually didn't know about that! Maybe a potential video down the line 👀 Are you from the Faroe islands?

[@sungsungie]

@@TieranFreedman I am! Haven’t lived there since i was a kid, but i visit family often. For a long time Denmark was very strict about Faroese not being used in public/official/religious/educational settings, everything had to be in Danish, Faroese was almost only spoken at home. This didn’t change before around the time my grandparents started school, where they were finally allowed to be taught in their own language (my grandma just turned 85) The Second World War and the British occupation of the islands had a big impact on the growing autonomy here, and why we now can use our own language and flag!

[@AnneDowson-vp8lg]

​My dad spent about a year on the Faroe Islands during the Second World War. I think it was possibly 1942 or 1943. He was a Leading Aircraftman I think and his name was John Dowson from County Durham, England. The only other English man there was a Marine. Dad never mentioned his name, he was always just 'the Marine'. Dad talked about the farm he stayed on, about whale hunting and learning to count in Danish. I found some Danish wartime coins with square holes in after Dad died.

[@anchaaquarius]

I've wanted to visit Shetland for 35 years (after visiting Orkney). Then there was an oil spill and so, other plans followed... I think I have to go there next year. It seems like a great place, with friendly people and great nature! And even though I'm not British, I still know where it is ;-)

[@chestersakamoto6843]

You've got to hand it to the Celts and Norse, both of whom made it to this last bastion of civilization before the "wilds" of the Deep North and Arctic. Both are hearty, robust peoples who were clearly quite tough to endure such conditions on this island. That aside, such a savagely beautiful place.

[@kevinpearce5808]

I fell in love with this place after watching the detective series Shetland ❤

[@phoffen3829]

They are a very proud people and from my experience, I would say their dialect is alive and well, particularly in the South Mainland.

[@davidpaterson2309]

“Knapping” - the linguistics term for this is “code-switching” and it’s actually quite common among people who speak a dialect or a variation of a language. It’s particularly common in Scotland where many people are able to switch from “Scottish-accented-Standard-English” to one of a number of regional varieties of “Scots” in exactly the way that Shetland lady did, in mid sentence.

[@TheTillyTwo]

Another excellent film!! Your narration is spot on and so informative. I'm surprised that you don't have a job in mainstream TV like Ben Fogle who found fame after the reality series Castaway. Can't wait to see if you made it to your date night cinema ❤

[@TieranFreedman]

Wow, thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoyed it 😁 There's still time for the career change haha, maybe one day

[@shakes7878]

Im American with a new jersey accent, and I can understand the Shetland accent perfectly. Maybe that's a calling, who knows

[@TheShetlandFlyer]

What a great wee documentary!

[@TieranFreedman]

Is this Rory per chance?? How's life up there? Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@TheShetlandFlyer]

@@TieranFreedman Indeed it is! Great to meet you guys, hopefully you'll be up again sometime :)

[@cohara7516]

Ahhh Isle of Man by bike, Shetland by bike ... all things i've been waiting years to do. Did you stay in Lerwick the whole time?

[@TieranFreedman]

Hope you manage to pedal to those places eventually! We stayed in Lerwick for the first few days and then were on our way to the most remote cinema in the UK, which is on Out Skerries... but revealing whether we actually made it would be a spoiler 😜

[@Gisle2100]

Norway was once a very big country, with the islands in the west as well as parts of Sweden, but than we came under Danish rule all those areas were lost.

[@farronkelly7899]

Excellent video. And what a beauty that Amanda is. There's a woman worth the long nights and cold weather

[@rapidfirematt]

Great video, great series!

[@TieranFreedman]

Thanks so much, glad you've enjoyed the videos! 😁

[@doonewatts7155]

Great documentary and utter respect for cycling in Shetland at all when the wing is ever present. Norway recipricates the Islanders feeling of coonection to one another. It is not uncommon for couples and their guests to arrive and get married there

[@TieranFreedman]

Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it! I was surprised to notice a lot of similarities between Shetland and Norway. Made me feel very at home (although I'll definitely visit in summer next time)!

[@Optimisticchris]

Hey Thieran… am I missing something? Is there not a “final” video about your movie destination? I love your stuff mate! Soulmate Cyclists

[@TieranFreedman]

Hey Chris! Due to some personal issues and illness, there was a big delay to the finale. But I'm hoping to get it out this weekend or the next one, so keep an eye out 😁

[@TieranFreedman]

Hey again Chris, in case you missed it it's out now!

[@Wittra]

Their dialect sound very similar to my Swedish accent when I speak English 😁 So fascinating!

[@karolw.5208]

Lovely! Any chance you can tour the Channel Islands?

[@TieranFreedman]

Good potential future video idea! 👀

[@stichsticher9157]

I m falling in love.Thank you.

[@dooley-ch]

Nice. But not for me in winter thanks. Back in the 80s, I went Arranmore island of the coast of Donegal for a few days in winter - the winds came up and I was stuck there for over a month.

[@TieranFreedman]

Oh wow, that must have been a crazy storm! Was it easy to figure out a place to stay while you were stuck therew? I initially wanted to visit Arranmore to make a video about a Gaeltacht, but we ran out of time. Will hopefully make it back one day. Yeah Shetland in Winter was pretty brutal, we should have cycled a bit faster to get there sooner haha

[@Albasha_Siddig]

Hello Tieran, I have enjoyed trips around the world. I would like to know when your adventures will take place in Saudi Arabia

[@anthonymichaelwilson8401]

Beautiful 😊

[@Tony-w3c]

I lived on Unst till 20 or so, now I live in Aberdeen.The city still doesn't feel like home even after 35+yrs.I am always thinking about going back, wether it makes sense or not

[@GodTierComments]

Where is the spot at 11:30? That is Isle of Skye stuff! I want to go there =)

[@TieranFreedman]

It's on a footpath around the edge of Lerwick!

[@MrSunlander]

Thanks for the glimpse of Jimmy Perez' house, eh?

[@nadavnitzan-ce8bx]

So so amazing

[@Ltasty]

There's so much to see in Shetland it's almost laughable. I've been here all my life (31 years) and still have so much more to explore

[@TieranFreedman]

Yeah we only really scratched the surface! Would love to go back in summer one day to see more of the islands

[@zillaquazar]

When the Shetland person was talking in a way others can understand her, she sounded just like people from Fraserburgh

[@DennisM-o6F]

Very good video! I learned a couple of years ago that my grandfathers family came from Shetland !!

[@melodylwy]

u deserve so much more recognition for the work u put out fr

[@TieranFreedman]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@SouthWest-jj8yu]

Nice video of Shetland, just one thing about languages, in Scotland Gaelic is pronounced Gaa-lick whereas in Ireland it is Gay-lick. Gaelic speakers don’t usually say do you speak Gaelic they say “do you have the Gaelic.” I know that’s probably a bit pointless, enjoyed the video though and will look at some others👍

[@TieranFreedman]

Damn, just when I thought the video was error-free 😅 Glad you enjoyed it though!

[@billy6044]

8:40 They did that to me as well, and im 26. didnt hit me or nothing but definitly was "corrected"

[@House_of_Zodd]

As a Texan y'all's idea of remote locations being 400 miles away is hilarious

[@albertdesalvo7273]

If you want to feel absolutely cut off from humanity, go to Shitland where the weather is always shetty. Great content. Voted and Sub'd.

[@burninggiraffe6615]

I think it’s a bit of a stretch to say you are on the edge of the world with the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland north of that

[@NewPolishScientist]

Love this place, however i think isle of lewis/harris is better in terms of hiking and cycling.

[@TieranFreedman]

The initial plan was to head to the Outer Hebrides en route, but we decided to stick to the mainland because of the weather in the end. Hope to make it back up there some day to visit

[@cadiscase]

What, if any, is the connection with the Shetland language and Icelandic language ? Thanks.

[@HYTELES]

My ancestral land that existed under my clans' rulership long before the UK ever existed and yet I have no right to return except as a 'tourist.'

[@NIckyFromDunedin]

beautiful

[@bernardmolloy6241]

Shetland might not have been always Scottish. But it was Pictish, long before the arrival of Norse. Shetland was originally Caledonian.

[@overkoppsbaiter0714]

Nothern Ireland was also Pictish at one point

[@bernardmolloy6241]

Very controversial statement there and if I am humbly honest, Im not sure Id agree. There is next to no evidence of a Pictish or a P-Celtic language ever been spoken in the North East of Ireland. All the placenames are etymologically of Q-Celtic origin. And Id go so far as to say that Pictish was also never spoken in Western Scotland too, that Pictish was only ever spoken in Northern, Central and Eastern Scotland. There is a constant assumption that all Picts spoke the same language. Yet the Peoples of Western Scotland and the North East of Ireland were known by the much older spelling of “Cruithin”. Etymologically, “Cruithin” is Q-Celtic”. In Scotland too, brochs were all concentrated in North Easterne Scotland. To me, it looks like the Highland and Grampian mountains of Scotland were always a natural dividing barrier. The Romans too also referred to the people of Western Caledonia speaking a language different which had a harsher tongue.

[@sanchoodell6789]

If it weren't for that marriage the Shetland Islanders (& possibly the Orkney Islanders) would be speaking something not too dissimilar to Faroese on the Faroe Islands. An Island chain between Shetland & Iceland which speaks a language derived from old Norse.

[@efogg3]

Awsome

[@NicolasMogensen]

"I can mind getting a ruler over me knuckles,," Wow,, very Danish sounding the first 3 words. "Jeg kan mindes,," Soft J and I jai, kan and can are of course the same and pronounced pretty much the same too, and mind (as in remember) and Danish "mindes" are very similar. Actually, the rest of the sentences also show a huge resemblance between English/Scotish and Scandinavian. Danish "over" and English "Over" has the same meaning although the first vowel is slightly different. Me/my = Danish "Min". Get seems unrelated to present day Danish using "faa" eller "modtag" but the antonym "give" is exactly the same, also "give" in Danish but spoken with 2 syllables and occasionally with just 1 in spoken Danish.

[@forbesmeek6304]

Scots ower for over. Scots gie for give.

[@teejay6063]

Do they know who Gary Anderson and Peter Wright are?

[@tomjenkinson8958]

Did you fish when you was up here in Shetland

[@maddog.mcewan]

wow !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@johnwhiteX]

Have you been to the Orkney islands??

[@TieranFreedman]

I haven't yet! We were supposed to on this trip but ended up heading straight for Shetland since we lost the race against winter. Would love to visit some day

[@geoffbenoy2052]

Zetland ❤

[@ArchLingAdvNolan]

Shetland(Schetland) is Scotland.

[@Fenditokesdialect]

Nut to push thee too far seein as tha's soa far up North but tha shud come daan to Yorkshire an larn a two-or-thry things abaat aar loacal dialects an all! Ther's a fairish few things to talk abaat an as a member o t'Yorkshire Dialect Ciety Aw'd be reight fain to fill thee in! Not to push you too far seeing as you're so far up North but you should come down to Yorkshire and learn a few things about our local dialects too! There's a fair few things to talk about and as a member of the Yorkshire Dialect Society I'd quite happy to fill you in!

[@TieranFreedman]

Oh wow that sounds great! These videos were shot in 2021 and I'm not currently on the road, but that's a great future video idea 😊 If and when I'm in the area I would love that and will definitely get in touch, thank you!

[@Fenditokesdialect]

@@TieranFreedman Yes we shall have to see! I could perhaps get in touch with members of the society council if and when needed and we can organise something. The chairman of the society's in Brighouse and has had people over for interviews before so that could potentially be a good place for a look at the place. All things to be hashed out of course if and when but I'm sure it'd be doable. Taa for gettin i touch

[@StopProject2025]

So basically Denmark pawned its islands

[@helenskene2849]

Norn was spoken when the men went to sea

[@МарияР-б8ъ]

My promised land... ❤❤❤

[@MichaelWilliamson-o4l]

it is lovley up here in shetland but there isnt mcdonalds

[@judithmacfadzen9516]

Didn't hear anything about Vikings!

[@IIZCHAOS]

Hey I live here

[@retirednavychief6983]

Smorgien = snogging maybe?

[@paullebon323]

In the U.S., 800 miles is nothing. You could drive 800 miles, north/south, and still be in California.