Council / SIC convener Manson hosts Up Helly Aa civic reception as jarl squad visits Town Hall
THERE were plenty of cheers, applause and laughs at Lerwick Town Hall on Tuesday morning at the council’s Up Helly Aa civic reception.
It was the first time with Andrea Manson at the helm, having been appointed to the SIC convener role last year.
As the first female Shetland Islands Council convener, it was perhaps fitting she presided over the reception in what is the first Lerwick Up Helly Aa with female guizers.
She said it was a “great honour and privilege to welcome you all here to Lerwick Town Hall on this most important day in Shetland’s social calendar”.
The civic reception sees the jarl squad – this year led by Neil Moncrieff – and various invited guests and ex-jarls attend and enjoy some drinks and food.
Manson quipped “your fantastic outfits are evidence that the hundreds of hours spent in the bunker wasn’t all time wasted yarning and dramming.”
Referring to the squad’s ample facial hair, she also joked that she was getting to an age where her own beard was coming on.
Manson gave a mention to the inclusion of women and girls in the senior and junior Up Helly Aas.
“A lot has happened since the last time we gathered here for Up Helly Aa,” she said.
“We’re on our fifth prime minister, I’ve lost count of how many chancellors of the exchequer we’ve gone through, we’ve lost a queen and gained a king…
“Electricity prices have doubled, beer remarkably is the same price, [cheers] Unst has entered the space race, we’ve survived a pandemic, England didn’t win the World Cup [cheers], and the Lerwick Up Helly Aa has followed the good example of the council and let twartree lasses join the ranks. Women asked for what they wanted and brave vikings gave it to them, and that’s all I’m going to say on the subject.”
Manson also later quipped to Moncrieff: “The bunker is the place to be to hear the Sound of the Underground: from your favourite band, Girls Aloud.”
The convener had plenty of jibes too for the guizer jarl’s favoured football team Aberdeen FC, who are currently in the doldrums – but there was a more sincere moment when the convener read out a message from the football club’s chairman Dave Cormack.
She noted that some members of the jarl squad came from Orkney – “did I mention we won the inter-county?” – as well as Australia.
There were also guests at the civic reception from the Nordic Council in Norway, Maløy and Iceland, while there was a US representative from Florida.
Moncrieff also spoke at the reception, saying he felt “very honoured, proud and lucky” to be guizer jarl.
He is representing Njal Thorgeirsson – mainly because Njal is Icelandic for Neil, the guizer jarl said.
“That’s where the similarities end”, because Njal Thorgeirsson was noted for his power, wisdom, wealth and handsomeness, Moncrieff joked.
He paid tribute to all those involved in his big day, from his jarl squad to those who helped with the suits and bill. Moncrieff also said the Up Helly Aa team is like “one big family”.
He admitted it has been a “stop-start” build-up with two Covid-related postponements, having been set to lead the fire festival in 2021.
Speaking to his squad, he said: “I would like to thank you all for sticking with it and working so hard to get us here today. The hours that have gone in are unbelievable.”
Moncrieff said his squad was formed in 1949, having expanded over the years.
Amid the speeches was a toast to Maløy, the town in Norway which Lerwick has been twinned with for decades.
The jarl and his squad was also given the freedom of Lerwick for the next day.
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