A Peedie Bit O' Orkney...

Tonight's lesson (lol) focuses on "The Ba'" - An annual event, held on Christmas Day and New Year's Day (unless these days fall on a Sunday, in which case it is held the day after)... The Boys' Ba' in the morning, and the Mens' Ba' in the afternoon (and many an Orkney man returns home battered and bruised, drunk as a skunk, and about 3 hours late for Christmas dinner!).

How can you describe The Ba'? Well, it's like a cross between a football game and civil war, played through the narrow main street of Kirkwall.

Orkney website Orkneyjar have a great description of it, so I'll leave it to them to fill you in on the its roots and rules (such as they are): Orkneyjar: The Ba'

And now, a video of a Ba' in full swing... check out the steam above the heads!

New Year 2006 Mens' Ba'... and the Doonies won! (Can you guess what side I'm on?)

One year many, many years ago, there was a womens' Ba', but it was only ever allowed once... the women were far too violent - hat pins and the lot were used!

And of course, Doonie men are far tougher than the Uppie scum... our men have to get the Ba' into the harbour and get in the sea in the dead of winter, among the mud and flotsam... the soft Uppies just have to touch a particular corner with the Ba'.

(I hope there's no Uppies find this and read it!). ;-S