1981
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia that anyone can edit
- The population of Shetland was 22,766, an increase of 5,414 since 1971. This increase was almost entirely due to the coming of oil.
May
3rd
The British wooden fishing vessel Day Dawn sank approx 0.7 miles NE of Helli Ness, Cunningsburgh.
16th
Inauguration ceremony for Sullom Voe Oil Terminal, attended by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. Minutes before the royal pair were due to formally open the terminal, a bomb exploded from high up in the terminal's main power station. No-one was injured in the blast but debris was spread over the congested area. The IRA claimed responsibility for the explosion.
