Margaret: We never did anything like Hogmanay. Uhm, it just, well, we just, it was the New Year and that was it. We mebbies stayed up; we generally stayed up till midnight – I'm speaking about when I was quite young – we'd stay up till midnight and it was the novelty of staying up and hinging up the new calendar; taking down the old calendar, hinging up the new calendar and then we just gaed to bed; that was it. But it was New Year's Day, after New Year's dinner, then we would see what we were going to go guizing with. And we'd get all our guizing claes and our fause faces, our masks and, uhm, we'd all get ready; we'd all gather at the one house and then everybody gaed around all the, the houses. And when I was peerie, before I was, uh, allowed to go out, then we stood in the windows, because folk had torches, they'd blinkies and you could see them going fae one house fae one house waiting with great excitement for, for the guizers tae arrive. And, uhm, they usually had accordions and guitars and dancing; they'd clear the table and chairs, cause there were nae carpets at that time and mebbe have an eight-some, eight-some reel. So

Interviewer: [inaudible] We've done the whole of Shetland and not asked anybody about Up Hell, Up Helly Aa [laughter]. Can you tell us what it, I mean, just what it is for people that are

Margaret: Yeah, well I could tell you some folk that you could go and ask; they would be able to tell you about Up Helly Aa better than me. My, uhm, Up Helly Aa, I was always in the town for Up Helly Aa, so it was great excitement on Up Helly Aa morning to see the galley. That was what you wanted: you wanted to see the galley before you went to school. And, uhm, the galley shed was not just too far fae where we lived, so out our side window we could actually see the galley shed. So it was sitting in the window waiting to see the galley coming out of the shed without its head, because the head could only be putten on once it got on outside. Uhm, it was just an exciting day. Uhm, the junior galley was taen to the school playground and, uhm, it was just, uh, an exciting day; you could just feel something in the air that it was Up Helly Aa day. But even yet you feel it, but you have to be, I, I would say you have to have been born and brought up in Lerwick to actually feel Up Helly Aa. Anybody fae the country coming in and seeing it, it, it's no the same as actually having been born and brought up with it fae your very first memories of seeing the galley and feeling the excitement. It lives with you; country folk donae have it.

Interviewer: And is it the same now?

Margaret: It's the same, it's the same now: it is a great excitement with the bairns. Whereas at, when we were at school the galley was just in the playground and we gaed out to see it; the bairns now are actually taen to see the big galley as it comes in ower; they, they're all taen in ower to, to see it. And it is great excitement: the jarl squad goes around the schools and the, the bairns dress up and they make their Viking helm, paper Viking helmets and there is great excitement with the bairns Up Helly Aa. But you have to be born and brought up in, in Lerwick to, to really have the feeling.

Scots transcript

Margaret: We never did anything like Hogmanay. Ehm, it juist, well, we juist, it wis the New Year an that wis it. We mebbies steyed up; we generally steyed up till midnicht – Ah'm speakin aboot when Ah wis quite young – we'd stey up till midnicht an it wis the novelte o steyin up an hingin up the new calendar; takkin doun the auld calendar, hingin up the new calendar an then we juist gaed tae bed; that wis it. But it wis New Year's Day, efter New Year's denner, then we wud see whit we war gaun tae go guizin wi. An we'd get al wir guizin claes an wir fause faces, wir masks an, ehm, we'd al get ready; we'd aw gaither at the wan hoose an then everybody gaed aroond aw the, the hooses. An when Ah wis peerie, before Ah wis, eh, alloud to go out, then we stuid in the windows, becaus folk haid torches, they'd blinkies an you cud see thaim gaun fae wan hoose fae wan hoose waitin wi great excitement for, for the guizers tae arrive. An, ehm, they usually haid accordions an guitars an dancin; they'd clear the table an cheers, cause there war nae carpets at that time an mebbe heve an aicht-some, aicht-some reel. So

Interviewer: [inaudible] We've done the whole of Shetland and not asked anybody about Up Hell, Up Helly Aa [laughter]. Can you tell us what it, I mean, just what it is for people that are

Margaret: Yeah, well Ah cud tell you some folk that you cud go an ask; they wud be able tae tell ye aboot Up Helly Aa better than me. My, ehm, Up Helly Aa, Ah wis always in the toun for Up Helly Aa, so it wis great excitement on Up Helly Aa mornin tae see the gailey. That wis whit ye wantit: ye wantit tae see the gailey before ye went tae scuil. An, ehm, the gailey shade wis not juist too faur fae whaur we lived, so oot wir side window we cud actually see the gailey shade. So it wis sittin in the window waitin tae see the gailey comin oot o the shade athoot its heid, because the heid cud only be putten on once it got on ootside. Ehm, it wis juist an excitin day an the junior gailey wis taen tae the scuil playgrund an, ehm, it wis juist, eh, an excitin day; you cud juist feil somethin in the air that it wis Up Helly Aa day. But even yet you feil it, but you heve tae be, Ah, Ah wud say you heve tae heve been born an brocht up in Lerwick tae actually feil Up Helly Aa. Ony-body fae the countrey comin in and seein it, it, it's no the sam as actually hevin been born and brocht up wi it fae yer very first memories o seein the gailey and feilin the excitement. It lives wi you; countrey folk dinnae heve it.

Interviewer: And is it the same now?

Margaret: It's the sam, it's the sam noo: it is a great excitement wi the bairns. Whauras at, when we war at scuil the gailey wis juist in the playgrund an we gaed oot tae see it; the bairns noo are actually taen tae see the big gailey as it comes in ower; they, they're al taen in ower tae, tae see it. An it is great excitement: the jarl skwad goes aroond the scuils an the, the bairns dress up and thay mak thair Viking helm, paper Viking helmets an there is great excitement wi the bairns Up Helly Aa. But you heve to be born an brocht up in, in Lerwick tae, tae really heve the feilin.