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The Burryman of South Queensferry

posted August 27, 2024 #

On the second friday of every August, in South Queensferry Scotland, The Burryman emerges from the Staghead Hotel and proceeds to walk a seven to ten mile route around the area; stopping for photos and plenty of whiskey drinks. The tradition supposedly goes back more than 300 years and is intended to rid the town of bad luck. Many propose that if the Burryman were to cease, bad luck would come to the town.

The Burryman's outfit is comprised of actual burrs stuck to a protective layer of clothing .The man inside (and his family) collect the burrs throughout the year, dry them out and stick them on for the procession. Two helpers flank the Burryman and a town crier announces his presence.

I recommend you watch this short doc from 2016 about the tradition and then review the light Wikipedia. It's a really fascinating tradition, somewhat because the purpose of it has been lost to time. It's also a wild looking outfit that looks great in a photo.

So much more to read up on here and a much more in-depth documentary about a variety of traditions here (that probably deserves its own post).