Da Doonie Day 2010

3rd November 2010

Although there are some historical records of various Viking exploits, and evidence of the previous Viking presence in numerous place names, there is presently no specific local event held in recognition of this historical period in the development of Caithness.

Da Doonie Day has therefore been organised by Thurso Rotary Club and Thurso High School Interact Club to celebrate the Scottish and Viking heritages of the Far North. The event will essentially comprise a torchlight procession and various associated activities, including the delivery of the galley to the burning site, a heritage display in Caithness Horizons and presentations by the participating 'guiser' squads in the Guiser Halls.

The event is scheduled to take place on Friday 3rd December 2010, the first Friday after the feast day of the patron saint of Scotland. St Andrews Day was designated by the Scottish parliament in 2006 as a Bank Holiday and provides an obvious link with modern and traditional Scottish culture. St Andrews Day also traditionally marks the opening of the Christmas markets and the Da Doonie day procession will incorporate the 'switching on' of the Thurso Christmas Lights, which precedes the Thurso Fun Day, in keeping with the local observation of this tradition. There is also some evidence which suggests that Sveyn Asleifsson, the 'Ultimate Viking' who had a residence in Freswick, returned home early in December from what has been termed his annual winter trip of pillage, typically to Ireland and the Scottish Hebrides. The date of 3rd December also therefore has some significance with regard to the Viking heritage of Caithness.

The delivery of the 'Da Doonie Day' galley will commence at 13.00 hours, from the top end of Princes Street. It shall then progress down Princes Street, before proceeding along Traill Street and Mansons Lane and finally along Riverside Street to the designated 'Burning Site'.

A range of Viking artefacts will be on display on Friday 3rd December at the Caithness Horizons community centre and visitor attraction in the refurbished Town Hall in High Street, Thurso. There will also be a special appearance in the Caithness Horizons building of the Viking Junior Jarl squad at around 15.00 when the squad shall sing some songs specially written for 'Da Doonie Day'.

The torchlight procession will be led by the Lerwick 2010 Jarl Squad and the Thurso High School Interact Club 2010 Junior Jarl Squad and shall commence around 18.00 hours at the top end of Princes Street. It shall essentially follow the same route as employed for the initial delivery of the galley but shall however halt briefly at St John's Square for the switching on of the town Christmas Lights, before proceeding along the designated route to culminate in the burning of the galley at the site on Riverside Street.

The galley burning shall be followed by the evening's entertainment at the 'Guiser Squad' hotels. Attendance at the venues for the evening's entertainment will be by ticket only. Tickets will be available from the 'Guiser Squad' hotels and from Thurso Rotary Club.

It is hoped that the combination of culture and entertainment associated with the event shall stimulate a high level of interest in the Viking and Scottish heritages of the area and shall prove to have been a worthwhile undertaking by the Thurso Rotary Club and the Thurso High School Interact Club.