displayfireworks1
10-19-2013, 06:17 PM
Bonfire Night is an annual event dedicated to bonfires, fireworks and celebrations. Different traditions celebrate Bonfire Night on different days. Some of the most popular instances include Great Britain's Guy Fawkes Night, which is also celebrated in some Commonwealth countries; Northern Ireland's Eleventh Night, a precursor to The Twelfth; 23 June in the Republic of Ireland, sometimes known as St John's Eve, a similar bonfire tradition survives in parts of Scandinavia and is known as Walpurgis Night; in Australia, the Queen's Birthday. Several other cultures also include night-time celebrations involving bonfires and/or fireworks.
Significances[edit]
In Great Britain, Bonfire Night is associated with the tradition of Guy Fawkes' Night.[1] The modern event is held annually on or near 5 November, although its sectarian significance has generally been lost: it is now simply a night of revelry and fireworks. Celebrations are held throughout Great Britain, in parts of Northern Ireland, and in some other parts of the Commonwealth. In Canada, 5 November is commemorated with bonfires and firework displays,[2] and it is officially celebrated in South Africa.[3]
In Northern Ireland, the term "Bonfire Night" can refer to the Eleventh Night celebrations of 11 July. Like 5 November, this Bonfire Night also has its roots in the sectarian struggle between Protestants and Catholics. It celebrates the Battle of the Boyne of 1690, in which the Protestant William of Orange defeated the Catholic James II.[4] The 23 June Bonfire Night in Ireland has its origins in a religious celebration and originally featured prayers for bountiful crops.[5]
Social impact[edit]
Bonfire Night celebrations can pose a risk to public safety due to the possibility of fires, injuries, or fights. For example, in London, calls to firefighting services are nearly tripled on Bonfire Night.[6] In Belfast, the July 2003 Bonfire Night resulted in ₤10,000 worth of damage to a park.[4] The use of fireworks may lead to dangerous pyrotechnic incidents. In parts of the Caribbean, laws banning fireworks and explosives have muted the occasion,[7] and safety concerns in New Zealand have resulted in similar sales restrictions, although public firework displays remain popular there.[8][9]
The tradition of Bonfire Night has been criticised for its environmental impact. A 1994 study conducted in Oxford, England, found a four-fold increase in dioxin and furan concentration in the air after a Bonfire Night celebration.[10] In 2005 a Bonfire Night in Newfoundland prompted the provincial Minister of Environment and Conservation to remind the general public of their responsibilities for safety and the environment.[11]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1DC2BAsXb4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcyXMLz3fK0
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/11/6/1352197997669/Bonfire-Night-celebration-004.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2007/1901603041_59a92452ac.jpg
http://fourfootprints.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/bonfire-night-screen.png
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6095/6314122315_d1e3534580_z.jpg
Significances[edit]
In Great Britain, Bonfire Night is associated with the tradition of Guy Fawkes' Night.[1] The modern event is held annually on or near 5 November, although its sectarian significance has generally been lost: it is now simply a night of revelry and fireworks. Celebrations are held throughout Great Britain, in parts of Northern Ireland, and in some other parts of the Commonwealth. In Canada, 5 November is commemorated with bonfires and firework displays,[2] and it is officially celebrated in South Africa.[3]
In Northern Ireland, the term "Bonfire Night" can refer to the Eleventh Night celebrations of 11 July. Like 5 November, this Bonfire Night also has its roots in the sectarian struggle between Protestants and Catholics. It celebrates the Battle of the Boyne of 1690, in which the Protestant William of Orange defeated the Catholic James II.[4] The 23 June Bonfire Night in Ireland has its origins in a religious celebration and originally featured prayers for bountiful crops.[5]
Social impact[edit]
Bonfire Night celebrations can pose a risk to public safety due to the possibility of fires, injuries, or fights. For example, in London, calls to firefighting services are nearly tripled on Bonfire Night.[6] In Belfast, the July 2003 Bonfire Night resulted in ₤10,000 worth of damage to a park.[4] The use of fireworks may lead to dangerous pyrotechnic incidents. In parts of the Caribbean, laws banning fireworks and explosives have muted the occasion,[7] and safety concerns in New Zealand have resulted in similar sales restrictions, although public firework displays remain popular there.[8][9]
The tradition of Bonfire Night has been criticised for its environmental impact. A 1994 study conducted in Oxford, England, found a four-fold increase in dioxin and furan concentration in the air after a Bonfire Night celebration.[10] In 2005 a Bonfire Night in Newfoundland prompted the provincial Minister of Environment and Conservation to remind the general public of their responsibilities for safety and the environment.[11]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1DC2BAsXb4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcyXMLz3fK0
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/11/6/1352197997669/Bonfire-Night-celebration-004.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2007/1901603041_59a92452ac.jpg
http://fourfootprints.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/bonfire-night-screen.png
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6095/6314122315_d1e3534580_z.jpg