The last weekend in February is always Cullivoe Up Helly Aa (Fire Festival). Cullivoe is at the north end of our island. The galley burning is on Friday night but the Jarl (David Spence in his other life!) and his squad do their visiting on Thursday. They start at the south end of the island and come to see us on Thursday morning.
They always sing to us and then let us look at their helmets, shields, axes etc. It’s great fun and some of the people from Burravoe come to school to share the visit.
Thank you Bradley for doing the videoing.
These are the words of the Up Helly Aa song. The other songs are the Jarl’s own.
From grand old Viking centuries Up-Helly-A’ has come,
Then light the torch and form the march, and sound the rolling drum:
And wake the mighty memories of heroes that are dumb;
The waves are rolling on.
Chorus: Grand old Vikings ruled upon the ocean vast,
Their brave battle-songs still thunder on the blast;
Their wild war-cry comes a-ringing from the past;
We answer it “A-oi”!
Roll their glory down the ages,
Sons of warriors and sages,
When the fight for Freedom rages,
Be bold and strong as they!
Of yore, our firey fathers sped upon the Viking Path;
Of yore, their dreaded dragons braved the ocean in its wrath;
And we, their sons, are reaping now their glory’s aftermath;
The waves are rolling on
