The Stonehaven Fireballs Association

You may be aware that in 2008 we received a request from the popular BBC1's "Coast" to come along and do some potential filming for the programme.  They attended and the filming began with Committee Secretary Susan Leiper wired up with the associated gubbins.  She was paid £200 for her trouble which she promptly donated straight back to the Fireball coffers. 

BBC1 have now been in touch to say that the programme will be aired on Wednesday 25th August 2010 at 8pm.  So, if you cancel your yoga classes and put the golf on hold, you will see Susan get her two minutes of fame (literally!!).  Remember though......the camera adds ten pounds!

It’s very sad to report that George Emslie died on Wednesday 28^th April 2010. George had been a Fireball Swinger for many years. His cheerie attitude to life and his pithy comments on the local scene will be sadly missed in the town.

  George was never one to blow his own trumpet so we’ll never know how many times he swung a fireball or when he started. He politely but steadfastly refused to give any detail to his swinging history but we do know that he took part in the ceremonies in ’78, ’79, ’80, 91 & ’93. It’s enough to know that he supported the ceremony as much as he could.

It has been a double blow to the Fireballs Association to loose both brothers in less than three months.

 

Minutes attached

The Stonehaven Fireballs Association will always be indebted to Jack Emslie. From our rather shaky start in early 2002 we knew that we had a strong supporter in Jack and he helped shape the organisation, its constitution and even its name.

Our information is that Jack first started swinging a fireball in 1948 and although he didn’t swing every year after that he did manage to swing at 44 Hogmanays until he stopped after the 2000/1 event. In 2004 he took on the role of ‘Official Starter’ & ‘Chief Paraffin Dispenser’ to help organise the starting and lighting up part of the ceremony, which he did until 2010.

Among Jack’s many interests The Fireballs were a strong subject that he promoted whenever he got the opportunity. Over the years he gave numerous interviews to reporters from TV, radio and newspapers about the history of the ceremony. He and his brothers, George and Bill helped keep the ceremony going when it looked as though it would die out through apathy. He used all his influence, when a councillor in the local area, to get the local authority to give the event as much support and help as it could to try and ensure that the ceremony would keep going.

If you want a good read about the Fire Festivals of Scotland then I can recomend 'Great Balls of Fire : A Year of Scottish Festivals' by Gary Sutherland (Birlinn). He covers most of the festivals & ceremonies and his style is great.

Something else to look out for is the December issue of Scottish Memories which also covers the fire festivals of Scotland.

In case anyone is concerned about the effect the bad weather might have on the Fireball Ceremony - IT WILL GO AHEAD!

In the one hundred and fifty plus years that the event has been going there is no record of it ever having been cancelled and that's another tradition we intend to keep to!

Sometimes it has been 'adjusted' slightly - blue flashing lights one year, incredibly fierce winds another - but it has always gone ahead. 

See you there!

For those who aren't too keen on the huge mass of spectators at the Fireballs there is an alternative way to see the event.

At the Open Air In The Square there will be a live broadcast from the High Street as the Ceremony is taking place.

It is a way to see the event but also enjoy a cup of coffee and a 'steak in a bun' - the toilets are also much handier!

If you make your way to the beach walk/promenade area for 00.25 then you'll see the main part of the fireworks display at the harbour as well.

For the duration of the Fireball Ceremony some of the piers at the harbour will be closed off on the advice of Grampian Police. People comming to the event are advised not to try and gain access to those piers, they will be policed.

Planning to be in Stonehaven for Hogmanay? Looking for somewhere to stay? See The Stonehaven Guide for a list of local accomodation.

Minutes from the public meeting held last month are attached below.