Gunnhildur Sigurðardóttir, the 2026 Miss Iceland

Mountain Queen of Hafnarfjörður 2026

Gunnhildur Sigurðardóttir is the Mountain Maiden of Hafnarfjörður 2026. She delivered Song of Dedication On the Town Hall stage today, on our national day. You could watch as Guðrún Hildur Rosenkjær fastened the skaut, the headdress, onto Gunnhild in Hafnarborg before the performance of the poem. Guðrún also then described the origin of the skaut costume.

On this national day in 2026, we honoured the remarkable history of St. Joseph's Hospital, which celebrates its centenary on 5 September. For a whole century, St. Joe's has championed life, well-being, and hope. Its walls hold the memories of generations, and its history reflects that of Hafnarfjörður.

Gunnhildur is the hospital's former Director of Nursing. This is the poem:

Song of Dedication 

St. Joseph's Hospital in Hafnarfjörður

          See the house rise splendidly – on a firm foundation

                            and keep a thousand hopes of promise -;

           That house shall be consecrated – to the sacred well of mercy.

                            and a benefactor proves himself – town and country -;

                      and humanity, a purer sign, it shall bear

                 and mightily to endure – the next milestone -,

Against harm to health, let it be a stronghold.

                 and bring healing to the sick. –

I see the people, with dew on their brows,

      who seeks a whole to gladden other drifts,

                    He prays that the blessed sun may set,

      He prays to God to shorten every night.

           But the weary sighs of thousands meet,

                 and this prayer as a mighty storm-wave -;

          „O my Lord, let my dreams come true -;

      O Lord, grant health to the sick!

We pray that the scourge of disease may be endured.,

      May the Lord's power gladly increase help.

We pray that the work of mercy may be blessed.,

                            and the blessing of the Lord dwell in this house;

that the Lord may grant mercy to the sick

      and light cast through the gloomy gloom,

that the peace of the Lord may bless the walls of the house,

      that the web of the Lord's mercy may cover every one of them.

                                                                                           Stefán from Hvítadal

Helsinki

Poetry book, ed. 1927

Gunnhildur, who is 84 years old, was interviewed on the television news on this national day. She said she was surprised when she received a phone call telling her she had been named the Mountain Queen of Hafnarfjörður. „I thought to myself: “Are you joking? Because what is an old woman supposed to do on stage!'" she said with a light-hearted tone.

And there was certainly a reason. Gunnhildur worked at St. Jó's Hospital for 40 years.

„This is a powerful poem that shows there was a great blessing behind it all, and it was also deeply about helping people. There was no hospital in the area, except for Landakot Hospital in Reykjavík.“