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Stonehaven Fireballs 1962/3       

 

1962 the locals doing what they have done for

so many years — swinging their Fireballs

at the stroke of twelve from the Old Town Clock

to the Cannon at the end of the High Street.

 

 

How different things were in 1962.

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Stonehaven where locals were  keeping up the tradition

started by the local fisherman years before.

Towards the end of the year they had gathered up their old tarry fishing ropes,

made them into a tight balls.

They had gathered at the Old Town Clock.

As the clock struck twelve in the first minutes of the new year they lit the fireballs

and began to swing them down the High Street

towards to the upturned Cannon

stopping off on the way for a 'wee dram' in a neighbours house.

 

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In 1962 if you wanted to swing a fireball

you made your own and just turned up at  the clock before twelve.

People came out of their houses to watch.

Friends from 'up the town' came down to support them.

 

As the swingers started out their names were shouted by the crowd who knew them all -

or if they didn't know them the person next to them would be saying -

'That's my cousin from Brickfield' -

'You mean Dod's daughter's boy' -

'Aye, I ken now. He's back is he?'

'Aye, that's him there.'

'Aye, so it is.' 

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'Happy New Year to you - you'll take a swig of my bottle.'

'And you'll have one off mine.'

'Aye, go on then.'