Símun av Skarði

Símun av Skarði
Símun av Skarði (right) together with his friend and school co-founder Rasmus Rasmussen on a stamp of 2002.
Born	3 May 1872 Skarð, Faroe Islands
Died	9 October 1942 (aged 70) Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

Símun av Skarði (3 May 1872 – 9 October 1942) was a Faroese poet, politician and teacher. He graduated from the Faroese Teacher's College in 1896. He founded Føroya Fólkaháskúli (the Faoese folk high school) in 1899, and worked there as headmaster from 1899 to 1942. He was the husband of the educator Sanna av Skarði and father of the feminist and journalist Sigrið av Skarði Joensen. Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen is his great-grandson-in-law.

His most famous work as a poet is the Faroese National Anthem, Mítt alfagra land, usually called Tú alfagra land mítt since those are the first words. He was a member of parliament for the Sjálvstýrisflokkurin (Self-Government Party) from 1906 to 1914.

References

• Løgtingið og høvundarnir 2: Løgtingið 150 (1st ed.) p. 350. Tórshavn Løgtingið 2002.