Delting Up Helly Aa

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Delting Up Helly Aa
Delting Up Helly Aa Logo
NicknameDUHA
GenreUp Helly Aa Festival
Date(s)3rd Friday in March
FrequencyAnnually
Venue
  • Brae Hall
  • Brae Boating Club
  • Voe Hall
  • Mossbank Hall
  • Vidlin Hall
Location(s)Delting, Shetland
Inaugurated1970
Most recent2024-03-15
Websitehttps://www.facebook.com/DUHA1981

Delting Up Helly Aa (known as Brae Up Helly Aa until 2001[1][2]) is the final festival in the Shetland Islands' Up Helly Aa calendar, taking place on the third Friday of March in the parish of Delting.[3]

History[edit]

The former Delting Galley Shed, which was demolished in 2016

The festival was originally held by Brae Junior High School, the first being held in 1970. The school continued to hold the festival until 1979, and the remaining 'junior' festivals were held by parents and staff from the school. The Senior and Junior festivals had a two-year overlap, the first Senior festival in 1981, the last Junior festival in 1982.[4]

Since the beginning of the senior festival, the Jarl's Squad lunch has taken place at various locations associated with Sullom Voe Terminal. It was held on board TEV Rangatira in 1981, at Firth Camp in 1982, at Sullom Voe & Brae Sailing Club in 1983, and Firth Camp again in 1984. In 1985 it was held in the Fraser Peterson Centre, the Sullom Voe Terminal canteen in 1986, the Fraser Peterson Centre again in 1987, and on board the accommodation rig Safe Lancia in 1988 and 1989. The lunch took place in the Fraser Peterson Centre every year between 1990 and 1997, and the Mid Brae Inn played host in 1998. It has been held in the Mossbank Community Hall with the Manager of Sullom Voe Terminal since 1999.[5]

The original Galley Shed was demolished in 2016, with the new shed officially opened in June 2018. The Galley Shed was opened by Harold Johnson, who was the first 'senior' Delting Up Helly Aa Guizer Jarl in 1981.[6]

Delting Up Helly Aa has been postponed several times in its history, once in 2007 following a death in the community,[7] and a number of times due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Originally rescheduled to take place at the end of October 2020, it was pushed back to March 2021,[8] then to March 2022,[9] and again to March 2023.[10] The first post-COVID event took place on 15 March 2024.[4]

The Day's Events[edit]

The Delting Up Helly Aa 2019 Bill

On the morning of Delting Up Helly Aa, the Jarl's squad gather at the Northern Lights Function Room in Brae. The squad proceeds to march to the Galley Shed, where the Bill can be seen, and where the galley stands on display. The Delting Up Helly Aa flag, which depicts Sleipnir, is raised at the Galley Shed. The squad then visits Lunnasting, Brae, and Mossbank Primary Schools (Olnafirth Primary was also visited until 2014[11][12]), followed by lunch in the Mossbank Community Hall.

The squads muster at the Northern Lights Function Room, making their way up to the Brae Hall, where they receive torches ahead of the light up. The squads make their way through Brae, singing the Up Helly Aa song. The procession terminates at the Delting Boating Club, where the galley is set alight, and floated out into Busta Voe. The Norseman's Home is then sung, before the squads then make their way around the halls to perform their acts. The halls which open on the night are the Brae Hall, Delting Boating Club, Mossbank Hall, Voe Hall and Vidlin Hall. The Jarl's Squad visit the halls in the opposite direction to the rest of the squads.[4]

The following day is known as "Hop Day", with various premises open with live music and entertainment. The Jarl's Squad pay visits to each event taking place.[5]

List of Guizer Jarls[edit]

Junior Jarls[edit]

Year Guizer Jarl Reference
1970 Peter Manson [5]
1971 Magnus Waddell
1972 Robert Wood
1973 Charlie Tait
1974 John Robertson
1975 David Manson
1976 Clarence Mowat
1977 James Manson
1978 Peter Johnson
1979 Kenneth Johnson
1980 Karl Johnson
1981 Ellis Johnson
1982 Brian Anderson

Senior Jarls[edit]

Year Guizer Jarl Portraying Galley name Reference
1981 Harold Johnson Harald Fairhair [5]
1982 Fraser Peterson King Olaf Kyre
1983 Jeemie Manson Sverre Sigurdson
1984 Allan Laurenson Inge Bardson Sirda
1985 Edmund Nicolson Magnus Erlingsson
1986 Ian Preston Sigurd Munn
1987 Tor Justad Thorolf Moster Beard
1988 Walter Leask Hrafna Floki
1989 Norman Howle Gunnar of Hildarend
1990 Forsyth Watt Erik Blodaks
1991 Ivor Williamson Hagar the Horrible
1992 Peter Manson Killer-Styr of Hraum Norla
1993 Frank Ratter Grettir the Outlaw
1994 George Jamieson Kari Solmundarson of Orkney
1995 Eddie Thompson Ivar the Boneless Hallion [13]
1996 James Balfour Thorbjorn Hrollagsson of Sogn Donnerøni [14]
1997 Colin Johnson Olav Hoskulsson [5]
1998 Allan Ridland Kali Kolson Hjálp [15]
1999 Billy Robertson Eyjolf the Grey Draupnir [16]
2000 David Johnson Hakki Haroldson Sleipner [17]
2001 Steven Laurenson Duke Haakon Kølins [1]
2002 Ewen Balfour Baldr Byglan Frygg [2]
2003 Martin Peterson Thorvald Thoresson Norlen [18]
2004 Willie Inkster Ragnar Lodbrok Sigurdson Hoenir [19]
2005 David Balfour King Radbart Radbertsson Kvak [20]
2006 David Manson King Magnus Barelegs Vinlander [21]
2007 Not held following the death of James Thomson [7]
2008 Wilbert Constable Einar Vorse-Raven Da Corbie [22]
2009 Stuart Robertson Hakon Herdebreid Sjødryen [23]
2010 Lawrence Johnson Torf Einar Elka [24]
2011 Kevin Laurenson Haakon Haakonsson Audannah [25]
2012 Bryden Nicolson Anders Nicolassen Anfield [26]
2013 Barry Anderson Leif Erikson Sinnika [11]
2014 Peter Peterson Magnus Erlendsson Betty Rylea [12]
2015 Alan Jamieson Kveldulf Bjalfason Solnytar [27]
2016 Christopher Nicolson Sigurd Magnusson Stor Sjø [28]
2017 John Duncan Erik the Red Larkspur [29]
2018 Andrew Hall Halfdan Ragnarsson Fragar [6]
2019 Ian Jamieson Sigurd Hlodvirsson Rauðøy Mær [5]
2020 Postponed due to the Coronavirus outbreak [8]
2021 [30]
2022 [10]
2023 Dwayne Davies Steinthor Pétursson Ragnarok [31]
2024 Daniel Johnson Hakon Galinn Rödahamar [4]
2025 James Manson
2026 Paul Ratter
2027 Eric Manson
2028 Ellis Nicolson
2029 Danny Peterson
2030 Richard Grains
2031 Liam Sutherland
2032 Martyn Nicolson
2033 Craig Thomson
2034 Adam Lewis
2035 Gary Hall
2036 Robert Balfour
2037 Murray Jamieson

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Brae Up Helly Aa 2001. Brae: Nelson Smith Printing Services. 2001.
  2. ^ a b Delting Up Helly Aa 2002. Brae: Nelson Smith Printing Services. 2002.
  3. ^ "Up Helly Aa and Shetland Fire Festivals". Northlink Ferries. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d Delting Up Helly Aa 2024. The Shetland Times. 15 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Delting Up Helly Aa 2019. Lerwick: The Shetland Times. 2019.
  6. ^ a b Delting Up Helly Aa 2018. Lerwick: The Shetland Times. 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Man killed in workplace accident". BBc News. 12 March 2007. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Delting Up Helly Aa postponed following coronavirus advice". Shetland News. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  9. ^ "No Delting Up Helly Aa in 2021 | Shetland News". Shetland News. 18 September 2020. Retrieved 14 October 2020.
  10. ^ a b Cope, Chris (10 December 2021). "Delting Up Helly Aa postponed until 2023". Shetland News. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  11. ^ a b Delting Up Helly Aa 2013. Lerwick: Shetland Litho. 2013.
  12. ^ a b Delting Up Helly Aa 2014. Lerwick: The Shetland Times. 2014.
  13. ^ Brae Up Helly Aa 1995. Brae: Delting Up Helly Aa Committee. 1995.
  14. ^ Brae Up Helly Aa 1996. Brae: Delting Up Helly Aa Committee. 1996.
  15. ^ Brae Up Helly Aa 1998. Brae: Nelson Smith Printing Services. 1998.
  16. ^ Brae Up Helly Aa 1999. Brae: Nelson Smith Printing Services. 1999.
  17. ^ Brae Up Helly Aa 2000. Brae: Nelson Smith Printing Services. 2000.
  18. ^ Delting Up Helly Aa 2003. Lerwick: Shetland Litho. 2003.
  19. ^ Delting Up Helly Aa 2004. Lerwick: Shetland Litho. 2004.
  20. ^ Delting Up Helly Aa 2005. Lerwick: Shetland Litho. 2005.
  21. ^ Delting Up Helly Aa 2006. Lerwick: Shetland Litho. 2006.
  22. ^ Delting Up Helly Aa 2008. Lerwick: Shetland Litho. 2008.
  23. ^ Delting Up Helly Aa 2009. Lerwick: Shetland Litho. 2009.
  24. ^ Delting Up Helly Aa 2010. Lerwick: Shetland Litho. 2010.
  25. ^ Delting Up Helly Aa 2011. Lerwick: Shetland Litho. 2011.
  26. ^ Delting Up Helly Aa 2012. Lerwick: Shetland Litho. 2012.
  27. ^ Delting Up Helly Aa 2015. Lerwick: The Shetland Times. 2015.
  28. ^ Delting Up Helly Aa 2016. Lerwick: The Shetland Times. 2016.
  29. ^ Delting Up Helly Aa 2017. Lerwick: The Shetland Times. 2017.
  30. ^ "Delting Up Helly Aa postponed for second time". Shetland News. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
  31. ^ "Jarl Steinthor Petursson leads his squad for Delting Up Helly Aa after three year delay". Shetland News. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
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