Celebrate Guy Fawkes Night: Why? When? Where?

Who was Guy Fawkes and why do we celebrate this day?

Guy Fawkes was a member of a group of English Catholics who attempted to kill Protestant King James I of England in November 1605. They wanted England to become a Catholic country once more and believed that killing James I would achieve this.

The attempted assassination, known as , “The Gunpowder Plot,” involved  the group  putting 36 barrels of gunpowder under London’s famous Houses o f Parliament.  However, one of the King’s friends ordered that the parliament be searched after receiving a suspicious letter to stay away from the building. The search led to a tunnel where the explosives were discovered along with Guy Fawkes who was arrested.

Guy Fawkes originally refused to reveal who was also involved in the plot, however after being tortured for four days,  he finally gave the names of the other perpetrators. Guy Fawkes and the remaining guilty men were sentenced to death by being hung, drawn and quartered*. Their heads were then placed on spikes as an example to others.

Now every year on the 5th of November people celebrate this failure to destroy the parliament by holding bonfires (often with an effigy** of Guy Fawkes on top) and fireworks.  Below you can find out how can celebrate the celebrations.

*Hung drawn and quartered:  A method of executing a convict that involved  them being tied  to a  wooden panel, and drawn by horse to the place of execution, where they were hanged (almost to the point of death),  and quartered (chopped into four pieces).

** Effigy: A crude figure or dummy representing a hated person or group.

Did you know?

~ Nowadays many people tend to refer to a man as a “guy”. Originally, guy was a term for an “ugly, repulsive person” in reference to Guy Fawkes. Straw effigies made of Guy Fawkes and thrown onto bonfires to remember the Gunpowder Plot were also known as “guys”. Over time “guy” began to be used as a term for a man.

~There was enough gunpowder used in the plot to have completely destroyed the building and caused damage to buildings within a one mile radius of it.

~ Another suggested reason for the plot was that Fawkes and his co-conspirators did not want to be ruled by the Scottish King James.  On being caught he was reported to have said that he wanted “To blow you Scotch beggars back to your own native mountains!”  Let his fate be a lesson!

Where and When?

1. Paisley Fireworks Display 2013 (Come with us as part of the Social Programme)

Saturday 2nd November, Paisley Town Centre.

Paisley is set to enjoy a spectacular fireworks event on Saturday 2nd November, with an afternoon of fun and entertainment planned!

2. Glasgow Green Fireworks 2013

Tuesday 5th November 4.00-9.30 pm

Glasgow’s biggest and best FREE fireworks display returns .From 4pm you can access the site at Glasgow Green for free and enjoy on site catering, entertainment and more before the big explosive finale! Onsite catering 4pm – 9pm Funfair 5.30pm – 9.30pm Pre-show entertainment – details to follow from 6.30pm

Fireworks display 7.30pm.

3. Strathclyde Country Park and Main Loch Area (Free)

Tuesday 05 Nov 2013 at 18:30

Celebrate Guy Fawkes Night safely with a big Celebrating Lanarkshire 2013 bang! Enjoy some great entertainment and a fun fair from 6:30pm, after which you can be amazed as our fantastic fireworks display lights up the sky!There will be a guest speaker hosting the night, but who will it be…?