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Malmey is the larger of the two
islands of the Skagafjord
Bay. It is situated to the northeast of island Drangey. It is about 4 km long, and 2,4 km wide, and
relatively flat and rises towards north to 156 m above sea level. The
structure of the southern part is hyaloclastite and the northern part
shows the remnants of a shield volcano, which probably erupted early
in the ice age. The island was inhabited until
about 1950, when a fire destroyed the farm. At that time, 14 people
lived on the island, thereof 10 children. The island is well vegetated
and the farmland was considered very good. An ancient
spell made it impossible for mice and horses to thrive there and no
married couple should stay there longer than 20 years or the wife
would disappear.
According to the legend, one
housewife of Malmey disappeared. This event is better explained under
the title "Hvanndalabjarg". There was a church on Malmey
until the latter part of the 18th century. A covenant from
1318 states, that a light should always be left burning in the church
during winter for the seafaring people. The island is the property of
The Lighthouse and Port Authority and the present lighthouse there was
built in 1937.
The Sturlunga Saga tells the story of bishop Gudmundur
Arason the Good and his persecutors. In 1221, they drove him away from
the Episcopal seat at Holar during advent, and he spent a few months
with his followers on Malmey. A few of his men went discretely back to
Holar and killed the leader of the persecutors, Tumi Sighvatsson.
After that Gudmundur moved to the island Grimsey on the polar circle
and stayed there until his persecutors sent a small army to take
vengeance on him.
Hofsos |