Bonfire

Seil Sally · Post by **Seil Sally** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 9:34 pm

I'm sure I'm not the only person who is disappointed to have missed the Balvicar Bonfire. From what I hear it was quite well attended, and those I spoke to said it was an enjoyable evening.
Just a pity it was SO poorly advertised!!
...even if it had a little mention on here I'm sure "crowd" numbers would have increased!

novus ordo seclorum · Mon Nov 05, 2007 12:12 pm

Maybe SS but do remember that Bonfire Night is very much an English event celebrating, as it does, the foiling of a plot against the English Parliament in 1605; a time when we were independent with our own Parliament. Hence the event has, historically, been of little relevance to Scots.
I do feel, however, that is wonderful that our modern, multicultural Scotland encourages the celebration of events such as this and others like Diwali and Ramadan. It shows that we are becoming a more mature nation able to celebrate (as well as tolerate) its inate diversity.
Just as an aside you may find it interesting to know that there was a time (mid to late eighteenth century) when bonfires were lit annually in Glasgow and Edinburgh to celebrate the defeat of the Young Pretentender. That tradition is remembered with a certain amount of horror by some scots today who have swallowed the myth that the 15 and the 45 were wars between Scotland and England, fought for Scottish independence; something they patently were not. C'est la vie.
NoS

canUsmellthat · Post by **canUsmellthat** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 1:26 pm

I believe one had to be invited to the Balvicar do. Fair enough really as the host put on free booze, free food and an amazing fireworks display.

Me? · Post by **Me?** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 5:33 pm

Controversial!!

spiderman · Post by **spiderman** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 5:57 pm

NoS, I'd have thought that getting rid of the London parliament had and still has considerable relevance to Scots....

canUsmellthat · Post by **canUsmellthat** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 7:41 pm

Only controversial if you're not a local...

Seil Sally · Post by **Seil Sally** » Mon Nov 05, 2007 8:00 pm

- I was only talking about standing at a bonfire, sparkler in hand, watching some colourful rockets. No political agenda here!!

novus ordo seclorum · Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:00 am

SS - standing happily beside a bonfire atop which an effigy of an historical figure burns can be seen as a political act...for similarities (albeit a tad extreme) think of the bonfires in Ulster in July.
Spideman old chap; I take your point to an extent but I think its not the ridding of a London Parliament in 1605 which is relevant to Scots but rather the creation of an English Parliament today and all that implies for our sovereignty.
NoS
Create, don't break!

spiderman · Post by **spiderman** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:17 am

Sometimes to create, you have first to break!

tinkerbell · Post by **tinkerbell** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 4:27 pm

i hear lochgilphead put on a good show on Saturday night, perhaps going there would have been an idea SS...no invitation required. I also heard that Oban's display was good, glad to hear they r back on after a couple of years.

Sadly, I have been unable to attend any fireworks, as getting to them are dangerous....you just don't know where one will go off, could b very close to me whilst in transport so safer to stay in and watch from my window!!

NoS...very political kinda guy...what profession r u in, teaching perhaps??

Eric the Viking · Post by **Eric the Viking** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 5:15 pm

NOS Teaching?

Odin save us all!

I suspect NOS is retired, on a comfy civil service pension - giving him plenty time to give us lessons in the history of these sceptered isles.

spiderman · Post by **spiderman** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 5:57 pm

Spiderfact: - The motto Novus Ordo Seclorum (a new order of the ages) was coined in USA by Charles Thomson in June 1782 and was adopted as the wording on the Great Seal of America and so is now seen on the back of dollar bills. Thomson adapted it from a line in Virgil's Eclogue IV, a pastoral poem that expresses the longing for a new era of peace and happiness. Initially it symbolised the new American era but more recently has been used by a variety of nutty or religious groups looking for or predicting a new world order. A visit to YouTube would show you examples. So it seems that NoS is either a colonial, a pacifist, an idealist, a nutter or a holy willie or some partial or total combination of these.......

Whatever, he's a healthy addition to our interestingly wide-ranging mix of folk on Seil!

P.S. Really sorry to sound like such a smart-arse but it's one of the hassles of being a superhero

.

Me? · Post by **Me?** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 7:45 pm

Smart-arse spidey? You probably just got all that info from a well known internet reference site!!

spiderman · Post by **spiderman** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 8:01 pm

Aye, but they got it from me

But getting back to bonfires, shouldn't we be cutting back on the burning of garden rubbish on Seil? Is no-one else fed up with getting smoked out on an occasionally nice summer's day? Or is my superhero body just oversensitive?

Seil Sally · Post by **Seil Sally** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:01 pm

Whilst I completely understand your view, Spidey, I think what we have to examine are the alternatives:

taking it to the dump - not without a little "token" by pre-arrangement

binning it - don't think so!! - our bin-men would faint at the thought!

throwing it onto the shore from the carpark at Easdale - mmmmmmh!

throwing it in the quarry.........mmmmmmmh!

....so it looks like I'll have to continue burning!!!

spiderman · Post by **spiderman** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:28 pm

Fair point, Sally, and I also burn my own stuff. Maybe, getting back to the start of this string, the thing to do is have a communal garden waste burning bonfire party every so often - make it an event and have booze, fireworks and fun!!

..and invite everyone!!

Seil Sally · Post by **Seil Sally** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:50 pm

(....as long as you ensure there are no hedgehogs 'mongst your pile of leaves!! )

spiderman · Post by **spiderman** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:17 pm

OK, unless the hedgehog's name is Guy..

Eric the Viking · Post by **Eric the Viking** » Tue Nov 06, 2007 11:59 pm

waste burning bonfire party every so often - make it an event and have booze, fireworks and fun!! ..and invite everyone!!

That option already exists - We scandinavians call it Up Helly Aa

And it would have the added advantage of ridding the island of those "unsightly hulks"

tinkerbell · Post by **tinkerbell** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 2:08 am

So you've both had bonfires in the past and not invited the whole island?

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