Transport minister set to beard Vikings in their northern den

Published on Thursday 26 October 2006 01:29

AS HOBBIES go, dressing up as a Viking and setting fire to a longboat has to be one of the most bizarre on the MSPs' register of interests.

But Tavish Scott, the transport minister, is so passionate about Up Helly Aa, the annual Viking "fire festival" in his native Shetland, that he is growing a beard especially to look the part for the event.

This year the strapping Shetlander has been honoured with a place in the Jarl Squad, membership of which makes facial hair mandatory.

This exclusive group of 50 men dress as Vikings and lead a 1,000-strong parade through the streets of Lerwick, roaring ferociously and bearing torches which they use to set a mock ancient galley on fire.

Yesterday, his emerging facial hair was already drawing comments from fellow MSPs as a departure from his usual suave appearance.

By the last Tuesday in January, when Up Helly Aa is due to take place, the beard is expected to be of a growth any self-respecting Viking could be proud of.

Mr Scott was invited to be in the Jarl Squad by Graham Nicolson, a civil servant who is this year's Guizer Jarl, the Viking chief who wears a metal helmet decorated with feathers.

Mr Scott said it was a great honour.

"I take part every year but not normally as a Viking," he said. "I was invited by the Guizer Jarl, the individual elected to choose the squad.

"I have helped him out with some issues in the past and he was very kind to invite me."

The Jarl Squad are the torch bearers who drag the "langskip" through the town, before it is ritually set ablaze in a park next to King Harald Street.

Mr Scott will also take part in a separate Up Helly Aa festival on the island of Bressay, where he lives.

He added: "It is very important to me and has been very important since I was 13 years old, because I live in the Shetlands and the Shetlands are my home."