WHAT IS BONFIRE NIGHT? - RAMSEY SKYWATCH

I mentioned Bonfire Night in previous post this week, but what is it and who was Guy Fawkes?

Bonfire Night, 5th November

Bonfire Night sometimes known as Guy Fawkes Night is an annual celebration on the evening of the 5th of November. It celebrates the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of the 5th of November, 1605 in which a number of Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, were alleged to be attempting to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London, England.

Guy Fawkes (13 April 1570 – 31 January 1606) sometimes known as Guido Fawkes, was a member of a group of English Roman Catholic revolutionaries who planned to carry out the Gunpowder Plot.

Although Robert Catesby was the lead figure in devising the actual plot, Fawkes was put in charge of executing the plan due to his military and explosives experience. The plot was foiled shortly before its intended completion, as Fawkes was captured while guarding the gunpowder on that dark night in November. Suspicion was aroused by his wearing of a coat, boots and spurs, as if he intended to leave very quickly in order to escape. Guy Fawkes and several of the conspirators where arrested, imprisoned charged and sentenced with treason. They were subsequently tortured hung drawn and quartered. The heads and other body parts were placed around various points as a warning to others, around various points of the City of Westminster and London.

We celebrate Bonfire Night 5th November around the UK and Isle of Man by building Bonfires and placing an effigy usually made by children, known as a guy on top of the Bonfire and finish of the night with organised Fireworks displays, mine being Ramsey Mooragh Park. A common practise in the lead up to Bonfire Night is for children to ask you for "a penny for the guy" they have made. Toffee apples are the biggest selling sweet around this time, but each area has a variant.

There you go. That's what Bonfire Night is and these are a few fireworks I took in Ramsey. Do you have anything like this in your part of the world?

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