This is the first few mins of the 2023 New Year Men’s Ba. The game is normally played by men only on Christmas Day and New Years Day, however these fell on a Sunday therefore it was played on Boxing Day and Jan 2nd.

The Ba which is a heavy leather ball is thrown up in front of St Magnus Cathedral into the awaiting teams.

Two teams play and only one point can be scored. Doonie is Kirkwall Harbour basin, Uppie is Catholic Church wall.

If you live down the gates of the Cathedral you are a Doonie, if up the gates an Uppie.

There are many ways of looking at whether you are an Uppie or Doonie. Another is how you arrive first in Kirkwall.

I am a Doonie as I live doon the gates and I arrived from West by boat. This is a Kirkwall game.

There was only once a Women’s Ba 1945/6 and apparently it was so vicious it was decided that it be stopped permanently.

It is a full contact sport with no rules and a spectacle to watch.

If you do go watch remember your hip flask and watch you don’t get mowed down by the pack.

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