Category: British Celtic Football

Kirkwall Ba’ Game (Orkney Uppies and Doonies)

About

The Orkney Ba’ game is played on Christmas Day and New Years’ Day each year in Kirkwall, Orkney Islands, in the North sea off Scotland. It is a Medieval Football game played with a Ba’ (Ball made of cork and covered with leather). two opposing sides, the Uppies and Doonies (those born to the North of the Cathedral are Doonies and those born to the South of the Cathedral are Uppies).

The Uppie goal is to touch the Ba’ against a wall in the South end of the town. The Doonies have to get the ball into the water of Krkwall Bay to the North of the town. There are no official rules or limit to the number of players on each side although “inappropriate behaviour” is kept in check.

Usually a tight scrum develops around the Ba’ but when the scrum breaks chaos erupts as the team with possession tries to get to their goal as fast as they can. A game can last up to five hours, although there is only one goal scored and the game is up.

Orkney Ba’ Game in Progress
Orkney Ba’ Game in Progress [Reference: 2]

Winners

YearWinnersWinning Player
2017UppiesGregor Dowell
Orkney Ba’ Game Winners [Reference: 3

Reference

Websites

[1] Orkneyjar / Sigurd Towrie (2018) The Kirkwall Ba’ [Internet] Available from: http://www.orkneyjar.com/tradition/bagame [Accessed 25 October 2018]

Images

[2] Orkneyjar (2018) ba1 [Internet] Available from: http://www.orkneyjar.com/tradition/bagame/ba1.jpg [Accessed 25 October 2018]

Media

[3] You Tube (2019) Kirkwall Boys Ba Christmas Day 2017 (part 3 of 3) . Uploaded by tomf001 [Internet] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjx9mt-OTGE [Accessed 8 September 2020]

Acknowledgements:

Thanks to Richard Mulcahy and Derek Walsh.

About this document

Researched, Compiled and Written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | GAA World Archive

Last Updated: 18 November 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

Ashbourne Shrovetide Football 217 AD-Present

Ashbourne Shrovetide Football, February 13th, 2018

Royalty-free stock photo ID: 1051548500

Ashbourne,Derbyshire,February 13th 2018.The ancient two day game of Shrovetide football gets underway Shrove Tuesday,2 teams of local lads do battle for the ball in a game that can last 8 hrs.

I

By Ian Francis

Report

According to historical sources, Roman Legions played their British counterparts in a game of Football on Shrove Tuesday in Derby in 217 AD, with the Britons winning. It is hard to believe that Ancient Britons, still Celtic, and before the arrival of both Ango-Saxon tribes in England, and also before the arrival of Christianity played a game on a day associated with Lent in the Christian calendar.

Maybe the game was played and later Christian legend ascribed it to Shrove Tuesday, or it was warfare which the Britons won, and was thus later made out to be a Football game by Christian scribes. Nevertheless, whether it was warfare or Football the Celtic Britons won that day.

It is interesting to note the game was played in Derby, given that this is the name given to local rivalries in English and Scottish Soccer (e.g. Liverpool v Everton, Manchester United v Manchester City), and that a game known as Shrovetide Football is still played in Derbyshire to this day, in Ashbourne, with no rules and the same Medieval mob aspect to the game as the other Medieval British Football games.

Ashbourne Shrovetide Football, February 10th, 2016

Royalty-free stock photo ID: 1302864832

Ashbourne,Derbyshire,UK February 10th 2016. Day 2 of Royal Ashbourne shrovetide football ‘Ash Wednesday’. Played over two days on the streets of Ashbourne a game can last up two 8hrs a day.

I

By Ian Francis

Results

DateWinnersRunners-Up
217 ADBrittaniaRoman Empire
Derbyshire Shrovetide Football [References: 1-2]

References

Bibliography

[1] Professional Football Researchers Association (2011) “A Freendly Kinde of Fight: The Origins of Football to 1633 The Early History of Professional Football. pg. 6-7. PFRA Publications. Connecticut.

Websites

[2] BBC (2020) The Strange Game of Shrovetide Football [Internet] Availble from: http://www.bbc.com.news/uk-england-derbyshire-35506927/the=strange-game-of-shrovetide-football [Accessed 9 September 2020]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Richard Mulcahy and Derek Walsh.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | GAA World Archive

Last Updated: 23 October 2021

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020-2021

You may quote this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.The Logos and Photos used in this article remain the property of the organisations and individuals which own the copyright and are used here for educational and information purposes only.