Top ten Faeroese

Sigmundur converted the Faeroe Isles to Christianity by kidnapping the ruling Viking chieftain and making him an offer he couldn’t refuse: accept Christ, or have your head chopped off. The heathen king saw sense and plumped for the path of Jesus.

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King Sverre Sigurdsson
King; 1151-1202

Sverre Sigurdsson was born in the Faeroes and raised by a humble family, but when he was 24 his mum dropped the bombshell that he was the bastard child of the King of Norway. Sverre’s dad was taken aback somewhat as well. Sverre became king in due course, and is still revered in the vicinity of Oslo as one of Norway’s great martial leaders.

Magnus Heinason
Explorer; 1545-1589

His naval exploits brought mercantile prosperity to the Faeroes, and left the rival Danes utterly brassed off. The Danes, however, had the last laugh, arresting Heinason on a trumped up rape charge and chopping his head off.

Niels Finsen
Scientist; 1860-1904

The Torshavn-born boffin won a Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1903 for his discovery that sunlight could help cure TB. Some trick for the citizen of a nation where it rains 364 days a year, with thick mist on the 365th.

William Heinesen
Author; 1900-1991

Heinesen is renowned as the greatest figure in the history of Faeroese letters. The centenary of his birth prompted widespread rejoicing right across the islands. His best-known and best-loved creation is the character of Tarira, an elf girl who lived in some woods — the subject of many, slightly off-colour, stories.

Samuel Joensen-Mikines
Painter; 1906-1979

Strongly influenced by the Faeroes landscape, Joensen-Mikines produced may naturalistic paintings of fjords, remote villages and rocky coastlines, and was the Father of the so-called First Generation of Faeroese artists. The Second Generation of Faeroese artists think he’s mince.

Sunleif Kasmussen
Composer; 1961-present

Kasmussen is widely regarded as the composer of the Faeroes’ greatest symphony. Some achievement, even though, as yet, he is thought to be the only Faeroese to have composed a symphony. There is no truth in the rumour that he changed his first name to secure a big-money sponsorship deal from an insurance firm.

Claus Beck Jorgensen
Footballer; 1976-present

The Coventry City midfield player became an instant national hero when his goal helped the Faeroes secure their sole point in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers. His explosive first-half strike set his country on the way to a dramatic 2-2 draw with Cyprus in Torshavn.

Lena
Singer-songwriter; 1986-present

The delectable blonde is the Faeroes’ premier pop performer, and her debut album, Can’t Erase It, was released to critical acclaim last year. She’s half-Faeroese and half-Canadian, meaning that the only thing she likes more than herring is ice hockey.

Hans Kristian Simonsen
Chess player; 1983-present

One of the greatest pawn-pushers in Faeroese history, Hans beat Garry Kasparov five years ago and is ranked among the world’s top 6,500 players. He is an acknowledged master of the Queen’s Gambit Declined opening.

Taken from timesonline.co.uk