Rockall

Rockall is a small, rocky islet in the North Atlantic but is probably better known as one of the British Sea Areas named in the Shipping Forecast broadcast on BBC Radio 4. The status of the surrounding ocean floor is disputed between the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Denmark (for the Faroe Islands), and Iceland.

Related Topics:
Islet - Atlantic - British Sea Areas - Shipping Forecast - BBC Radio 4 - United Kingdom - Republic of Ireland - Denmark - Faroe Islands - Iceland

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The island itself is an uninhabitable rock without an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of its own. This is no longer disputed but the UK claimed before 1997 that the island should be taken into account for the purposes of delineating the boundaries of economic zones in the area. The current dispute revolves around continental shelf rights in the area. These are the exclusive rights to exploit any resources on or under the ocean floor (oil, natural gas, etc.) and should not be confused with the EEZ as continental shelf rights do not carry any privileges with regard to fisheries.

Related Topics:
Exclusive economic zone - Continental shelf - Oil - Natural gas

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The origin of the name is debatable but it has been suggested that it derives from the Gaelic "Sgeir Rocail" which is often translated as "Roaring Rock" although "rocail" is more usually translated as "tearing" or "ripping" (see link).

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The first literary reference to the isle, where it is called Rockol, is found in Martin Martin's A Description of the Western isles of Scotland published in 1716 where he gives an account of a voyage to St Kilda where the locals knew the isle as Rockabarra (Rocabarraigh). Interestingly, the name Rocabarraigh is also used in Gaelic folklore for a mythical rock which is supposed to appear three times, the last being at the end of the world.

Related Topics:
St Kilda - Rocabarraigh

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:"Nuair a thig Rocabarra ris, is dual gun tèid an Saoghal a sgrios".

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:(When Rocabarra returns, the world will likely come to be destroyed/ruined)

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