AN age-old ritual has taken place in a Scottish town with the “Burryman” parading through South Queensferry in a tradition believed to bring good luck.
The festivities are thought to date back about 400 years and are believed to have originally celebrated the harvest or the changing of the seasons.
Every year on the second Friday of August, the Burryman parade – described by historians as “one of Scotland’s most intriguing folk traditions still celebrated” – takes place in the town near Edinburgh.
The Burryman – a role undertaken for the last 10 years by Andrew Taylor – wears a homemade outfit decorated with tens of thousands of burdock burrs.
The ritual is believed to bring good luck to people if they give the Burryman a dram of whisky – which he has to drink through a straw due to the balaclava which is part of his costume – or a cash donation.
READ MORE: Badgers blamed for digging up human remains in historic cemetery
The Burryman’s journey began at 9am when he emerged from the Stag Head Hotel on the High Street, and covers about nine miles, with 20 stops.
The day ends at the waterfront at 6pm, near the Forth Bridge.
Traditionally, the Burryman and his family had collect all the burrs used – although in recent years, neighbours have helped.
The burrs, which have a natural Velcro-like quality, are attached to large sections of material, which are fixed onto a bodysuit and balaclava.
Taylor wore a garland of flowers on his head, which will be given to someone in the town.
Flowers and Lion Rampant flags were also used to decorate staffs to help him walk, and Taylor was accompanied by two minders and a third person ringing a bell, shouting, “Hip hip hooray, it’s the Burryman’s Day”.
The Edinburgh Museum website says: “It’s a privilege for any person to hold the role of the Burryman, as it is being part of the team dressing him each year.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel