Haggis Hurling
By BonnieBlueFlag
Attention: McAnonymous
Now I will say at the very start, that what I am about to describe to you, is either a genuine traditional Scottish Sport, or something of a hoax invented by an Irishman to vex the foreign born Scots' descendants. Perhaps it is a sport akin to the American Snipe hunt.
Fortunately, we have among our numbers a true Scotsman who goes by the name of McAnonymous. Surely the familiar smell of home cooked Haggis at "UT," will bring him around to see what we are up to, and render a ruling in the matter.
The story begins in the north of Scotland where there were many rivers and rushing streams. It became the custom for the working men to wait on the banks of the waters, that they had crossed that morning, for their noon day meal.
Soon their wives and sweethearts would appear on the opposite bank. The women would then hurl the haggis across the river, and the men would catch it in their kilts.
This practice eventually evolved into a sport that would be played when the clans would gather together.
The modern day sport is scored for distance and accuracy, from a starting position on the top of a whiskey barrel. It must be a full barrel, as I would think an empty one would be a little unsteady.
Alan Pettigrew has held the world record for a number of years, since he hurled a haggis weighing 1 lb. and 8 ozs. a distance of 180 ft. and 10 inches.
Mr. Pettigrew is pictured below as he participates in another clan sport, Tossing the Caber.
Then on January 25, 2004, (Beloved Poet Robert Burns' Day in Scotland), the Sunday Herald carried a story that revealed the history of "Haggis Hurling," to have been a hoax perpetrated by an Irishman named Robin Dunseath.
Dunseath said that it started as a practical joke during the 1977 Gathering of the Clans in Edinburgh. He wrote a book titled "The Complete Haggis Hurler," which gave the rules and the history of the sport.
Haggis Hurling a Hoax
Whatever the true origin of "Haggis Hurling," I would very much like to see Jacques Chirac wearing a kilt, and catching his dinner with it!
posted by Aussiegirl @ 11:55 AM
5 Comments:
BonnieBlueFlag, thanks for another interesting post, written in your inimitable style. I must say that I was disappointed to learn that haggis hurling turned out to be a hoax, and even more disappointed to be told that the photo you included was of something called a caber being tossed. I thought at first that the photo showed a sub-genre of haggis hurling: "Hurling the World's Longest Haggis". Boy, what a sight that would have been!
I have my doubts; the nation which gave us curling is certainly capable of creating haggis hurling! (I`ve never tasted haggis, but given the ingredients I suspect the term ``hurling``is appropriate!)
Golf has 18 holes because, at a conference to standardize golfing rules, one of the attendees pointed out that he took a drink of Scotch Whiskey at every hole, and he killed a bottle on the 18th. Many of the Scottish sports resemble drinking games-haggis hurling certainly does! I wouldn`t be surprised if it is legit.
P.S.
I never thought I`d be agreeing with Chirac! Haggis may be wonderful, but it just doesn`t sound too appetizing! (Blood pudding is absolutely out!)
The Scotch do make some dandy whiskey!
That is sooo true, Bonnie! For that matter, I eat hot dogs, which are composed of terrible things better left unmentioned! During the depression my grandmother would cook brains, tongue, and kidney (which is particularly horrid, since you have to boil the URINE out first!)
Still, the French are in the habit of eating things which crawl out from under rocks, so they certainly hae nu rooom ta talk! They use wine on everything because it`s the only way to hide the taste of their food!
Finally, I`d like to know what sports-drinking games or otherwise-have the French given the World?
I suppose you could consider military surrender and appeasement their sport.
OK -- gotta get involved now. Ukrainians also have their share of strange foods that sound disgusting but are delicious. We love jellied pigs feet -- you simmer pigs feet and other bony parts of pork along with celery, onions, garlic, etc. and then when the meat is falling off the bones you strain the broth, pick out all the little succulent bits of meat (yum) put the meat and broth in a shallow dish to cool in the oven. It hardens into a jellied consomme which you eat with horseradish or hot homemade mustard. Wonderful!!
Actually, the Ukrainians have a similar dish to Haggis, which as I understand it is a mixture of minced organ meats along with seasonings and oatmeal baked in the stomach of a sheep (I think). Let's face it -- sausage is just stuffed intestines -- we have a version with buckwheat, mushrooms and minced meat.
But brains? No thanks -- feet are quite enough.
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