The early history of the Faroe Islands is not well known, although Gael hermits and monks from a Hiberno-Scottish mission are believed by some to have settled in the 6th century, introducing sheep and goats and the early Goidelic language to the islands; however this is just speculation.

Later (c. 650) Norsemen also settled the islands, bringing to the islands the Old Norse language which evolved into the modern Faroese language spoken today.
The settlers are not thought to have come directly from Scandinavia, but rather they were Norse settlers from Shetland and Orkney, and Norse-Gaels from the areas surrounding the Irish Sea and Western Isles of Scotland. The old Gaelic name for the Faroe Islands Na Scigirí means the Skeggjar and probably refers to the Eyja-Skeggjar (Island-Beards), a nickname given to the island dwellers.
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