The hard-drinking, hard-fighting Springfield resident with the bright red beard, Groundskeeper Willie from The Simpsons is from Orkney – if this article from the BBC is to be believed.

He will reveal more about his Scottish roots and his personality conflicts in an episode of the show to be broadcast later this month in America.

Rob LaZebnik is The Simpsons writer who came up with this storyline.

Willie reveals all in the episode when he explains that he is from Kirkwall.

Rob LaZebnik said: “We felt it was time and we are very pleased to identify him as an Orcadian.”

The writers appear to have settled on Orkney due to the ba’ game.

Update – Sunday, 5 February 2012

It would appear that the debate between Glasgow, the assumed home of groundskeeper Willie and Kirkwall is set to heat up after a motion was filed in the Scottish Parliament.

MSP for Orkney  Liam McArthur , Liberal Democrat, called upon Glasgow City Council to give up Willie as a “Son of that fair City.”

*S4M-01921 Liam McArthur: Hands off Groundskeeper Willie—That the Parliament notes that it has been confirmed that Groundskeeper Willie of The Simpsons fame hails from Kirkwall, Orkney; understands that the revelation is made in an episode entitled The Daughter Also Rises, to be broadcast in America on 12 February 2012, where Willie confides in Bart that his father was a ‘doonie’ and his mother was an ‘uppie’, in reference to the two teams in the world-famous ‘Ba game’; understands how the tension created by this modern day version of Capulets and Montagues tore his family apart but welcomes the fact that the long-running debate over Willie’s heritage is now at an end, and calls on Glasgow City Council to renounce its claim to Orkney’s Groundskeeper Willie as a son of that fair city.

Famous Glaswegians listed on the City of Glasgow website  include Groundskeeper Willie – from the Simpsons.

Under the heading, fictional characters, the entry now reads:

Groundskeeper Willie - from the Simpsons.  Once claimed he was “the ugliest man in Glasgow”, but now says he is from Orkney.

Will this now mean Orkney will see an influx of characters from The Simpsons in next years ba’ game ?Similar Posts:

• Groundskeeper Willie – Heritage trail
• Orkney Ba’ Game
• Churchill Barriers under new ownership
• Orkney Island Yarns – Woolgathering
• Fresson Cairn, Kirkwall

It is often strange how and where you come across references to places or people.

North Orkney 290 miles from Haltwhistle

Standing proud in a north of England town is a fingerpost, celebrating that north Orkney is only 290 miles away.

The town in question in called Haltwhistle and is situated about a third of the way between Carlisle and Newcastle, just off the A69 in Northumberland.

Haltwhistle boasts that it is the centre of Britain. But this no doubt this depends on where you measure to and from.

The market square in Haltwhistle

With Hadrian’s Wall being only three miles away the area is popular with tourists, especially during the peak summer months.

The town is also popular with walkers and cyclists as many cross country routes, such as the Route 72 cycle way, pass through the area.

In the centre of the town in the old market area is a circular 1m wide bronze disc embedded into the stone flagged pavement.

It  contains images of the surrounding area and reflects a number of interpretation panels to be found around the town.

This sign made us wonder how many walkers, cyclists or just general holiday makers thought of going to Orkney as a result of seeing this sign.

Let us know your story via the comments area below.

 Similar Posts:

• Visit the Mull Head visitor centre
• Standing stones of Stenness
• Stenness reveals new archaeology
• North Ronaldsay Sheep
• Camping and Hostels in Orkney

Orkney offers some great scenery… High cliffs and sandy beaches included..

We have been out with the digital camera and have some great desktop images for your computer.

Below you will find some of the most common screen sizes.

Orkney offers some great scenery... High cliffs and sandy beaches included.

Orkney desktop wallpaper - Beach and Cliffs - 1600x1200 (25)
Orkney desktop wallpaper - Beach and Cliffs - 1152x864 (25)
Orkney desktop wallpaper - Beach and Cliffs - 1024x768 (21)
Orkney desktop wallpaper - Beach and Cliffs - 800x600 (110)
Orkney desktop wallpaper - Beach and Cliffs - 640x480 (123)

( Note these images for for desktop wallpaper use only and must not be edited)

Here are some general instructions for installation.

If you are unsure with what to do, we suggest that you consult your computers online help section or the internet for further instructions.

Installing wallpaper

Windows 1. Find out how big your screen is. Shrink your browser window and click with the right mouse button on an empty piece of desktop. A pop-up menu should appear. Select ‘Properties’. A box will appear with tabs across the top. Select the ‘Settings’ tab and on the right-hand side of the box, it should say ‘Desktop Area’ and tell you how big your screen resolution is.

2. Come back to this webpage. Click on the PC link above that is the same size as your screen. For screens bigger than 1024×768 use the 1024×768 option. The picture should now load in your browser.

3. Click on the picture with your right mouse button and a menu will appear. Select the ‘Set As Wallpaper’ option.

Mac OS

1. Find out how big your screen is. Click on the Apple menu, then select ‘Control Panels > Monitors & Sound’. A window will appear telling you how big the resolution of your screen is.

2. Come back to this webpage. Click on the link above that’s the same size as your screen, hold the mouse button down so that a menu appears. Netscape users select ‘Save this link As…’ and Internet Explorer Users select ‘Download Link to Disk’. Save the file to your desktop.

3. Move the downloaded wallpaper file (?????.jpg) into your wallpapers directory. First time users make a directory at the top level of your hard disk called ‘Wallpapers’ and move it there.

4. Click on the Apple menu, then select ‘Control Panels > Desktop Pictures’. A window will appear. On the left-hand side hit the ‘Picture’ button. On the right-hand side hit the ‘Select Picture’ button. If you have a ‘Remove Picture’ button instead of a ‘Select Picture’ button hit this and your current desktop wallpaper will be removed, the ‘Select Picture’ button will now appear. A file selector box will appear, choose your wallpapers directory and then the wallpaper file (??????.jpg). Hit open followed by ‘Set Desktop’.

Similar Posts:

• Orkney – Desktop Wallpaper – Blockade Ship
• Orkney – Desktop Wallpaper – Crops
• Royal Australian Navy to visit Scapa Flow
• Orkney Fish
• Kirbuster Farm Museum

Taking full advantage of the gulf stream and long hours of daylight, the farmers of Orkney grow high quality crops.

We have been out with the digital camera and have some great desktop images for your computer.

Below you will find some of the most common screen sizes.

Crops growing in Orkney

Orkney desktop wallpaper - Crops - 1600x1200 (24)
Orkney desktop wallpaper - Crops - 1152x864 (26)
Orkney desktop wallpaper - Crops - 1024x768 (26)
Orkney desktop wallpaper - Crops - 800x600 (103)
Orkney desktop wallpaper - Crops - 640x480 (86)

( Note these images for for desktop wallpaper use only and must not be edited)

Here are some general instructions for installation.

If you are unsure with what to do, we suggest that you consult your computers online help section or the internet for further instructions.

Installing wallpaper

Windows 1. Find out how big your screen is. Shrink your browser window and click with the right mouse button on an empty piece of desktop. A pop-up menu should appear. Select ‘Properties’. A box will appear with tabs across the top. Select the ‘Settings’ tab and on the right-hand side of the box, it should say ‘Desktop Area’ and tell you how big your screen resolution is.

2. Come back to this webpage. Click on the PC link above that is the same size as your screen. For screens bigger than 1024×768 use the 1024×768 option. The picture should now load in your browser.

3. Click on the picture with your right mouse button and a menu will appear. Select the ‘Set As Wallpaper’ option.

Mac OS

1. Find out how big your screen is. Click on the Apple menu, then select ‘Control Panels > Monitors & Sound’. A window will appear telling you how big the resolution of your screen is.

2. Come back to this webpage. Click on the link above that’s the same size as your screen, hold the mouse button down so that a menu appears. Netscape users select ‘Save this link As…’ and Internet Explorer Users select ‘Download Link to Disk’. Save the file to your desktop.

3. Move the downloaded wallpaper file (?????.jpg) into your wallpapers directory. First time users make a directory at the top level of your hard disk called ‘Wallpapers’ and move it there.

4. Click on the Apple menu, then select ‘Control Panels > Desktop Pictures’. A window will appear. On the left-hand side hit the ‘Picture’ button. On the right-hand side hit the ‘Select Picture’ button. If you have a ‘Remove Picture’ button instead of a ‘Select Picture’ button hit this and your current desktop wallpaper will be removed, the ‘Select Picture’ button will now appear. A file selector box will appear, choose your wallpapers directory and then the wallpaper file (??????.jpg). Hit open followed by ‘Set Desktop’.

Similar Posts:

• Orkney – Desktop Wallpaper – Blockade Ship
• Orkney – Wallpaper – Cliffs and Beach
• Royal Australian Navy to visit Scapa Flow
• Orkney Fish
• Orkney Snowdrops

Dumped to block the entrances to Scapa Flow, these blockade vessels provide a glimpse into a wartime past.

We have been out with the digital camera and have some great desktop images for your computer.

Below you will find some of the most common screen sizes.

Orkney blockade ship

Orkney desktop wallpaper - Blockade ship - 1600x1200 (26)
Orkney desktop wallpaper - Blockade ship - 1152x864 (21)
Orkney desktop wallpaper - Blockade ship - 1024x768 (16)
Orkney desktop wallpaper - Blockade ship - 800x600 (91)
Orkney desktop wallpaper - Blockade ship - 640x480 (97)

( Note these images for for desktop wallpaper use only and must not be edited)

Here are some general instructions for installation.

If you are unsure with what to do, we suggest that you consult your computers online help section or the internet for further instructions.

Installing wallpaper

Windows 1. Find out how big your screen is. Shrink your browser window and click with the right mouse button on an empty piece of desktop. A pop-up menu should appear. Select ‘Properties’. A box will appear with tabs across the top. Select the ‘Settings’ tab and on the right-hand side of the box, it should say ‘Desktop Area’ and tell you how big your screen resolution is.

2. Come back to this webpage. Click on the PC link above that is the same size as your screen. For screens bigger than 1024×768 use the 1024×768 option. The picture should now load in your browser.

3. Click on the picture with your right mouse button and a menu will appear. Select the ‘Set As Wallpaper’ option.

Mac OS

1. Find out how big your screen is. Click on the Apple menu, then select ‘Control Panels > Monitors & Sound’. A window will appear telling you how big the resolution of your screen is.

2. Come back to this webpage. Click on the link above that’s the same size as your screen, hold the mouse button down so that a menu appears. Netscape users select ‘Save this link As…’ and Internet Explorer Users select ‘Download Link to Disk’. Save the file to your desktop.

3. Move the downloaded wallpaper file (?????.jpg) into your wallpapers directory. First time users make a directory at the top level of your hard disk called ‘Wallpapers’ and move it there.

4. Click on the Apple menu, then select ‘Control Panels > Desktop Pictures’. A window will appear. On the left-hand side hit the ‘Picture’ button. On the right-hand side hit the ‘Select Picture’ button. If you have a ‘Remove Picture’ button instead of a ‘Select Picture’ button hit this and your current desktop wallpaper will be removed, the ‘Select Picture’ button will now appear. A file selector box will appear, choose your wallpapers directory and then the wallpaper file (??????.jpg). Hit open followed by ‘Set Desktop’.

Similar Posts:

• Orkney – Wallpaper – Cliffs and Beach
• Orkney – Desktop Wallpaper – Crops
• Royal Australian Navy to visit Scapa Flow
• Orkney Fish
• Orkney Snowdrops