Lerwick Up Helly Aa 2008
Shetlopedia - The Shetland Encyclopaedia
| Up Helly Aa Fact File | |
|---|---|
| Date: | 29th January |
| Jarl: Portraying: | Roy Leask Kol Kalison |
| Galley Name: | Breckon |
| Jarl's Squad Members: | 56 (73) |
| Number of Squads: | 46 |
| Total Guizers: | 941 |
| Number carrying torches: | 875 |
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The Jarl's Squad
Roy Leask was the 2008 Guizer Jarl for the Lerwick Up Helly Aa portraying 'Kol Kalison'. Roy is Operations Director of local building firm D.I.T.T. Construction Ltd..
The 73 strong Jarl's Squad, the youngest member of which was Roy's 19 month old grandson Euan, were dressed in full length chainmail over dark green pigskin kirtles. The chainmail of the Jarl's suit was silver and the other squad members suits were gold plated.
Chainmail is believed to have been worn by vikings after they copied it from Norman battledress. The metal rim of the helmets depicted the planking of a galley with a dragon head on the front.
The day began in near perfect weather conditions. Guizer Jarl Roy Leask, Kol Kalison, lead the 73 strong Jarl's Squad, followed closely by the bands and Junior Jarl's Squad, in the morning procession.
As in previous years this departed from the British Legion, proceeded along Commercial Road and the Esplanade to the foot of Church Road, before turning north onto Commercial Street and the Market Cross.
After viewing the bill and a sing-song, the squad rejoined the Galley Breckon at Alexandra Wharf for a photo shoot. Earlier the galley had been pulled, with onboard band, to meet the Jarl's Squad at the Shetland Hotel. Stops were then made at D.I.T.T. and the Toll Clock Shopping Centre.
The evening procession consisted of 46 squads with at total of 941 guizers.
Facts about the Jarl's Guizer name
Kol Kalison was the son of Kali Sæbjarnarson from Agder in south Norway. Both father and son joined king Magnus of Norway in the battle of Menai Strait, (in Wales). Kol's father was wounded in the battle, and died later of his wounds.
As a compensation of this, king Magnus gave Kol Earl Erlend's daugther Gunhild, as wife. (St. Magnus' sister.) Kol became the father of Rognvald the Crusader. (Rognvald's original name was Kali Kolson. The Norwegian King, Sigurd Magnusson (Jorsalfare), gave him the name Rognvald when he granted him half the Eardom of Orkney).
When Rognvald built the St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall in tribute to his uncle, he set his father to supervise the building.
Earlier, Kol Kalison was the man who was put in charge of planning the invasion of Orkney when Rognvald made his second, and successful attempt to invade the islands.
Kol made cunning plans to prevent the beacons on Fair Isle and North Ronaldsay being lit.
The Galley
Photo courtesy of Jim Work
Photo courtesy of Jim Work
This years galley was named Breckon after the Sands of Breckon in Yell, as well as the Jarl's dog. She is the thirty ninth galley on which the Jarl Roy Leask has worked.
Many of the shields on the galley were painted by Melvyn Leask, and depict incidents from the sagas involving Kol Kalison, including the battle of the Menai Straits and the construction of St. Magnus Cathedral. Other shields were based on the squad shields of previous Jarls who were related to Kalison.
Jarl's Squad & Galley Picture Gallery
 Photo courtesy of Jim Work |  |  Photo courtesy of Jim Work |
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 Photo courtesy of Jim Work |  Photo courtesy of Jim Work |  |
 Photo courtesy of Jim Work |  |  |
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 Photo courtesy of Jim Work |  Photo courtesy of Jim Work |  |
The Squads
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| Squad Number, Squad Name, Number of Guizers | Squad Number, Squad Name, Number of Guizers |
|---|---|
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1. The Jarl's Squad - Kol Kalison (56 men plus 17 boys) |
24. Shetland Country Garden (15) |
See also
Trivia
2008 marks the hundredth anniversary of Up Helly Aa being fixed to the last Tuesday in January, and also the establishment of the Wednesday public holiday.
External Links
- AFP Article
- You Tube video of Squad 3 "Little Red Can Drinker Me", at the Sound Hall
- National Geographic photo
