​Eriskay has a phenomenal amount of heritage for such a small island. The name Eriskay itself derives from an old Norse name, Eiriksey which translates as “Eric’s Isle” named after the Clan Chief (Eric the Red) suggesting a Viking influence.  We know that the Vikings invaded the Outer Hebrides (the Long Islands) as they were known at that time and then Innse Gall ‘The Island of Foreigners’ after the Norsemen invasion when they became part of the kingdom of Norway in 888. They then became part of Scotland once again after the Norsemen were defeated at the battle of Largs in 1263. The Norsemen left very little evidence of their time here on the Islands as they did most of their building with wood.

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A sculptured stone was discovered in 1865 in the burial grounds of Kilbar Church in Barra this was the only ruin-inscribed stone known to exist in the Outer Hebrides in their four and a half centuries living here. The stone is a relic of the Norsemen after they had become Christian. According to tradition after the battle of Largs, the island of Fuday which is between Eriskay & Barra was believed to be where the last remaining of the Norsemen were Slain. There is a broch (Dùnan Ruadh) or red fort on the island of Fuday.  Although there is very little evidence of the Vikings presence on the long islands, there are a considerable amount of place names with old Norse names. Several of them are on Eriskay including the name Eriskay itself. Eiriksey which in old Norse means Erics Island.​​​​

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