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Fireball '09

Sun, 11/09/2008 - 22:48 — firebug

The Fireball Ceremony for 2009 was an outstanding sucess. The weather was cold, though not freezing, and the wind was light. The crowd was large and enthusiastic. The combination pipe band (Stonehaven & Lathallan School) and the drumming group entertained the spectators from 11.00pm. Brochure and calendar sales/distribution went very well bringing in £2272.00 to help run the whole Hogmanay Festival.

Everything went according to the overall plans. There were no reported problems. The Fireworks went off at exactly the right moment - just after the last Fireball was thrown into the harbour at 00.25. The firework display was up to the standard we have come to expect - stunning!

The thousands of spectators in the harbour area who watched the firework display applauded loudly and long as the last firework died and seemed happy to stand around for quite a while after. However by 1am the whole High Street was swept clean and empty of people, barriers, bottles, plastic glasses, champagne corks, party poppers or cans. Credit must go to the Aberdeenshire Council workforce who come out every year and do so well. 

Below are the names of the 47 swingers that made up the procession in 2009 with the number of times they have taken part before.

  • Leading the first group and the parade off was George Carr (27) who was followed by Mark Anderson (12), Susan Leiper (14), Murray Leiper (19), Pam Leiper (22), Martin Sim (32), David Hamilton (23), Stuart Campbell (15), Lynn Callaghan (18) and Bill Emslie (47).
  • The second group were - David Dallas (29), George Emslie (7),  Isobel Smith (5), Andrew Ritchie (31), Joan Aitken (6), Gill Walker (17), Andy Buchanan (8), Margaret Goldsworthy (4),  Kathleen Findlay (20) and Robert Carr (2).
  • The third group were - Alan Dow (3), Jean Houghton (18), George Reid (first time), Raymond Penny (28), Rachel Penny (4), Colin Penny (13), Ian Penny (13), Paul Mackie (6) and Neil Easton (3).
  • Jim Stephen (10) started the fourth group followed by  Stephen Hall (2), Graeme Cusine (first time), Andrinne Craig (first time), Stuart Gibb (3), Maurice Coull (13), Jane Cruickshank (first time), Neil Swanson (11) and Birnie Lees (48).
  • The last group was John Egan (20), Colin Mair (first time), Genevieve Lepear (6), Wendy Wilson (4), Linda Lawson (first time), Tommy Ewing (8), Melvin Christie (11), George Black (33) and  Alan Venters (25).