Delting Up Helly Aa 2011
The 2011 Delting Up Helly Aa Aa took place on Friday 18th March, with guizer Jarl Kevin Laurenson portraying Haakon Haakonsson, also known as King Haakon IV of Norway.
About the Jarl's Guizer name
When Jarl in 1984 Kevin's father Allan Laurenson represented Inge Bardsson, King of Norway. Inge was succeeded not by his son Guttorm Ingesson but by Haakon Haakonsson whom King Inge had taken into his care as an infant. Haakon was an illegitimate son of the previous King Haakon III and was born in 1204 when Norway was divided by two factions, the Birkebeiners and the Baglers. An era of civil war had already been raging for over 70 years in Norway and he was born as an heir to the Birkebeiner throne but in a Bagler occupied territory. In 1206 the Baglers started to hunt for Haakon but he was escorted to safety by a band of Birkebeiner warriors of whom only two survived the journey. He was delivered into the care of King Inge whom he succeeded as King in 1217 wheh only 13 years old.
The early years of his reign were marred by warring as the rival groups tried to gain control. Haakon's kinsman Jarl Skuli Bardsson helped crush the insurrections and also to govern the country for such a young King. Jarl Skuli however aspired to become king himself and reyolted in 1240 but was defeated by Haakon and killed. Haakon thus consolidated the monarchy in Norway and made improvements in royal administration including the succession laws which had led to so much civil war between contenders for the throne. After over a century of civil war Haakon kept the peace and focussed on agriculture and trade with other nations, building up a great respect among other rulers in Europe. He signed trading treaties with Germany, Russia and England and had his daughter married to the Spanish King’s brother.
Haakon oversaw the peak of Norway's empire as he incorporated Iceland and Greenland into the Norwegian territories which already included the Northern and Western Isles and Isle of Man. It was in 1263 that Haakon sailed with the largest Norwegian fleet ever thought to have gathered and spent two weeks in Bressay Sound before sailing to retake the Outer Hebrides which had been raided by King Alexander III of Scotland who was claiming them as his own. Haakon retook the islands right down to the Isle of Man. Following this a stand-off ensued with the Scottish king hoping that if he could delay negotiations long enough the autumn storms would play havoc with Haakon's fleet. This eventually happened and some of Haakon's galleys were driven ashore at Largs where the Norsemen skirmished with the Scots. Haakon struggled to land more ships to assist but the battle was not decisive and he withdrew to Orkney for the winter. While in Orkney waiting for the spring to resume his expedition, he fell ill and died in the Bishop's palace in Kirkwall. His body was buried in St. Magnus Cathedral for the winter before being exhumed in the spring and taken for burial at Bergen Cathedral.
Haakon's legacy was to consolidate the monarchy in Norway and establish rule over Iceland and Greenland creating the largest Norwegian kingdom ever and started the Golden Age of medieval Norway which lasted until 1319. He greatly increased Norway's standing throughout Europe, becoming the first Norwegian monarch to be crowned by the Pope's legate and was even chosen by Pope as his candidate for Emperor of Germany.
The Jarl's Squad comprised 39 members including 3 princesses and 5 bairns. In addition, long-time supporter of Up Helly Aa Ross Laurenson (who is blind), formed part of the Jarl's Squad. Ross, in association with Tay-Cad, had also designed a flag commemorating the 2011 Delting Up Helly Aa which was flown at the Brae School during the morning. The Jarl's Squad shields were rectangular with runes down the centre of the letters K, A, H, E and F - the first initial of each member of the Jarl's family. The Jarl's Squad weapon this year was a sword. The Jarls' Squad Musicians were - Danny Peterson, Alex Couper, Ryan Couper, Brian Morrison and Maurice Henderson.
The Jarl's Squad mustered at the Northern Lights Function Room in Brae during the early morning for breakfast. The Jarl's Squad were toasted by those present, and after speeches and singing the Up Helly Aa song the Jarl's Squad marched to the Galley shed adjacent to the Brae Hall to pose for photographs with the years Galley named Audannah. Thereafter the Jarl's Squad visited the Lunnasting Primary School, the Olnafirth Primary School, the Brae Primary School and the Mossbank Primary School, followed by Lunch with the Sullom Voe Terminal manager at Mossbank Hall. In the afternoon the Jarl's Squad visited the Ports & Harbours offices at Sellaness, the Brae Police Station and the Northaven Care Centre at Brae.
In the evening the Jarl's Squad mustered again at the Northern Lights Function Room at 6pm. Guizers began mustering at the Brae Hall at the same time. At 6:45pm, accompanied by the Brass Band, the Jarl's Squad marched to the Brae Hall, shortly followed by the light-up at 7pm. The procession and galley then marched through Brae to the Delting Boating Club for the burning of the galley. Although there was some wind from the west it was a good evening for the procession. Several of the torch heads burned through however, leaving a trail along the road to the boating club.
Following the burning the 28 Squads comprising some 400 guizers, dispersed to the 6 Halls open for the evening - Mossbank Hall, Delting Boating Club, The Northen Lights Function Room, Brae, Hall, Vidlin Hall and Voe Hall. The Squads were: 1. Jarl's Squad, 2. Street Dance Country Style, 3. Da Roddyman's Reel, 4. Chile Con Carnage, 5. On Our way to Africa, 6. Fir Heavin's Sake Tak Me Oot, 7. Jarl in a Reasonably Priced Car, 8. MRWPS+S, 9. No MCA, 10. Louis Spence's Jazzy Thighs, 11. Wacko Jacko, Yun's It, 12. The Show Must Go On, 13. Pirate of Busta Voe, 14. Pit a Ring on It, 15. Gleekit Crood, 16. Total In Tender Selection, 17. Lights, Camera, Pierheads 18. Wii Vikings, 19. Run A v W, 20. Saving Islands Cash, 21. Thriller In Manilla , 22. Gumboot Gals, 23. Wedersty All Stars, 24. Cheryl's Comic(ole) Relief, 25. Supergran, 26. Big Fish, Little Fish, 27. Could It Be Magic, 28. It's Snow 2 Hot.
During the Day
The Jarl's Squad visited the Lunnasting Primary School, the Olnafirth Primary School, the Brae Primary School and the Mossbank Primary School during the morning.
At the Northern Lights Function Room and the Galley.
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Lunnasting School.
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Olnafirth & Brae School.
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Brae School.
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Mossbank School.
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The Galley
This years Galley was named Audannah. The entire galley is burnt each year apart from the head which is removed and a 'burning head' substituted. Galley shields this year were designed and painted by bairns from Lunnasting Primary School, Olnafirth Primary School, Mossbank School Primary 7, Brae School Primary 7 and Skeld School Primary 7.
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Galley Shields Starboard side, bow to stern (as they appear on galley).
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Galley Shields Port side, bow to stern (as they appear on galley).
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The Evening Procession and Burning
In the evening the Jarl's Squad mustered at the Northern Lights Function Room at 6pm. Guizers began mustering at the Brae Hall at the same time. At 6:45pm, accompanied by the Brass Band, the Jarl's Squad marched to the Brae Hall, followed by the light-up at 7pm. The procession and galley then marched through Brae to the Delting Boating Club for the burning of the galley. Although there was some wind from the west it was a good evening for the procession. Several of the torch heads burned through however, leaving a trail along the road to the boating club.
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