Orkney’s capital is approaching its thousandth anniversary. Over that long history, some unique traditions have survived. Like this game…
When the streets of Orkney’s capital suddenly fill and a steaming knot of people shoves its way sluggishly past rows of spectators, you’re witnessing a game that has survived in Kirkwall for centuries: the Ba’ Game, held regularly right in the town centre on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
“Ba'” simply means “ball”, because in essence the Ba’ Game is little more than a form of rugby – just with a lot more players, around 200 active participants. The teams are decided in a wonderfully simple way: there are Uppies and Doonies, players born up the street or down the street. What was once a straightforward division is now governed by family ties and loyalty. You’re born an Uppie or a Doonie.
The game kicks off at the Mercat Cross in front of St Magnus Cathedral. The Doonies win if they get the ball into the water of Kirkwall harbour; the Uppies win if the ball reaches the wall of the building at the corner of Main Street and New Scapa Road, a fair distance south of the centre. Rules are scarce. The ball usually vanishes into the “scrum”, a crush of people – and most participants have no idea where it actually is at any given moment.
Good to know: The heart of Kirkwall
The name Kirkwall means “bay of the church”, though it doesn’t refer to the impressive St Magnus Cathedral at the centre of the town, but to an earlier place of worship that no longer stands today.
St Magnus Cathedral, together with the old Bishop’s Palace and the Earl’s Palace, forms the heart of the town, from which its lifelines radiate outward – such as the shopping streets Albert Street and Bridge Street. Many of the stone houses in the centre still date from the 17th and 18th centuries and boast correspondingly handsome façades.
Kirkwall is actually a fairly large town by Highlands standards, with 7,000 people living and working here. Ferries run from the town’s harbour to many of the smaller Orkney islands, as well as to Shetland and Aberdeen.
Tips: Museum and chairs
Of course, Kirkwall is also a great place to learn about the islands’ way of life, for example at the Orkney Museum, which takes visitors on a journey through the region’s history and culture. And just outside Kirkwall stands the Highland Park distillery, which produces excellent whisky.
The famous Orkney chair is made in various places across the islands, but Kirkwall alone is home to two makers who welcome visitors and show how the chairs are crafted, along with the story behind these distinctive pieces of furniture: Scapa Crafts Orkney Chair and The Orkney Furniture Maker.
Personal note: Late in the town
Kirkwall in the evening has a very special atmosphere, especially in summer, when the sun barely sets. At least on our visits, the town centre was often empty by then, and I could take photos in peace. Though you only need to know the right pubs to find company.
Getting there:
With a sat nav: Enter “KW15 1QX” and it will take you right into town.
Without a sat nav: This naturally depends on which ferry to Orkney you take. From Stromness, where the ferry from Scrabster near Thurso docks, simply take the A965 and follow the signs the whole way – the road leads straight into Kirkwall. If you arrive on the Pentland Ferry and dock at St Margaret’s Hope, follow the village road until you reach the A961, which is well signposted all the way to Kirkwall.