|
1984
ADRIAN MAHONEY - "All the
Fun of the Fair"
1984, - THE YEAR OF BIG
BROTHER as predicted by
George Orwell. A year in
which everything would
change dramatically and
freedom as we know it would
be gone, for ever.
Science fiction, or not?
Well, here we are in 1984
under the beady eye of Big
Sister, say some - and
looking forward to this, the
76th Fair Festival.
Perhaps since Bo'ness Fair
saw its foundings in a
freedom march, we can still
look forward to another
crowning in Glebe Park with
the will that this, and many
other fairs to follow, will
continue to flourish and not
be constrained by the
future.
A rather long-minded view of
things but, indeed,
long-minded is exactly what
David Brown and his group of
disciples, namely the Fair
Executive Committee, have to
be. The amount of
preparation, effort and toil
that this group has to
accomplish before the great
day, starts in early winter
months.
Certainly Continental
weather would not come amiss
muse the cynics, referring
to past Fairs, in particular
the last few. It is sadly
one of the few things that
even the almighty Fair
Executive Committee can't
control, and when the
heavens do open it means a
lot of hard work down the
drain.
Never-the-less, each year
undeterred, they set forth
in the cold winter climes,
preparing what they hope to
be a real scorcher. Indeed,
last year, despite the
afternoon downpour, "Bright
Sol" did show "all his
glory" exactly as the Town
Hall clock chimed 11
o'clock.
It's one piece of magic
renowned as part of the
event. The Bo'ness myth,
that if the sun shines for
the crowning it is an omen
of good luck, is something
that many over the age of 21
find hard to believe.
To those organisers of the
event it is, undoubtedly,
the icing on the cake.
Compliments may rain down,
but when it comes right down
to it, it's whether the kids
are having a good time that
should matter most.
The big day itself, the Fair
E'en, the Kirkin' and
numerous other events all
come part and parcel of the
Executive Committee's
service to the town,
providing a little hope in
these troubled times.
To the head teachers of the
town's schools the task and
routine of putting together
a successful Royal Court -
that will stun the townsfolk
- is not so frequent.
Indeed, to a headmaster of
the town's newest school,
Deanburn, the task is a
"gigantic" one. As he
recalls in 1979's Fair
Magazine of the school's
first Fair Queen: "The Fair
of 1974 really brought
public recognition that
Deanburn had come into its
own with our very first
Queen, Linda Dow." This
year Mr Vallance, Deanburn's
head, will steer the same
"gigantic" course.
As to the picking of the
monarch, Mr Vallance has no
fear, his pupils have
excellent taste and the
lucky lady will be well up
to standard. ( Although
unknown at the time of
writing ( January), my
notice has been drawn to the
class "favourites." Whether
predictions will come true
or not, will have to be
seen!)
From speculation to shows -
these too are expected.
Indeed, no Fair would be
complete without them. But
the biggest show of the lot
is no big dipper. It occurs
on the last Friday in June,
is watched by an audience
totalling 10,000 plus, and
runs with the timing of a
West End production. Our
annual coronation has now
grown to be far more than
just a gala day - to
describe the Bo'ness Fair as
such would be an injustice.
No, this event is something
far more special, it is an
institution for the benefit
of those young and innocent
- those who will take the
reins in 20 years time to
plan their children's Fairs.
So long as there are fairs
in Bo'ness there will peace
and freedom be. Even in
these recession-filled
years, happiness presides
over a whole town for one
day.
Mr Orwell's gloomy picture
of 1984, I hope, will never
enter Bo'ness - so long,
that is, as the community
spirit is alive and well and
producing such triumphs as
the Bo'ness Fair.
ADRIAN MAHONEY
|
