A look back at events of 2002

January

• The opening days of 2002 were memorable for all the wrong reasons, as the county fell victim to fierce wintry weather causing disruptions to road, sea and air services, with temperatures falling as low as -16 degrees C. However, youngsters still revelled in the snow which fell on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in true festive spirit.
  
  Forecasters at the Met Office had warned of a cold blast to hit Orkney on Friday, January 3, and by 10.15am the heavy snowfall had started. Wind chill temperatures fell to -10 degrees on Friday and dropped further to -16 degrees C on Saturday, as winter gripped the islands.
• Following their success in the Christmas Day Men's Ba, the Uppies recorded another victory in the New Year¹s Day fixture. Ian Brough from Quoybanks Crescent in Kirkwall was announced the winner of the ba'after it had touched the wall at Mackinson¹s Corner at 4.15pm.
  
  However, it was not all doom and gloom for the Doonies on New Year¹s Day, as the Boys' Ba' was won by young Doonie Danny Bain from Ingashowe in Firth.
• The coach of Orkney Rugby Club¹s First XV was awarded a full rugby coaching licence this month. Brian Diack, who has been coaching the team for nearly five years, finally achieved his Step Two (Adults) level Two coaching certificate from the Scottish Rugby Union.
• Kirkwall City Pipe Band threatened that they may never perform on Broad Street in Kirkwall on Hogmanay again.The band, who traditionally perform on Broad Street before the St Magnus Cathedral bells ring in the New Year, issued the warning after drunken and threatening behaviour from a number of youths in the crowd.
• Orkney¹s Flotta oil terminal celebrated 25 years of operation with a lavish ceremony in the main terminal building, attended by a number of local dignitaries including MSP Jim Wallace and Lord Lieutenant George Marwick.
• Orkney College¹s new principal was announced in January. Dr Bill Ross (41) moved to the county from his job as head of the combined studies faculty at Bournville College of Further Education, Birmingham.
• Orkney's show season was given the go-ahead, following fears that the previous year¹s foot-and-mouth outbreak would force the cancellation of the shows for a second consecutive year.
• Orkney's largest fishing vessel and one of the biggest in the UK fleet, Orcades Viking III, went out of commission at its busiest time of year.
  A detailed inspection of the vessel showed that the crankshaft needed to be replaced and the gearbox and engine removed in order to get at the broken part.
• NorthLink, the company who have now taken over responsibility for lifeline ferry services to and from Orkney and Shetland and the Scottish mainland, confirmed that they had bought a fourth vessel for livestock, freight and hazardous cargoes to serve the Northern Isles routes.
  
  The 30-year-old ferry Sea Clipper was extensively overhauled and renamed Hascosay after a Shetland island.
• The Orcadian reporter, Lorraine Shearer, won the title of Feature Writer of the Year in the annual Highlands and Islands Media Awards.
• It was announced in January that OIC convener, Councillor Hugh
  Halcro-Johnston, was to receive a CBE in the New Year Honours List. On hearing the news, Councillor Halcro-Johnston, who became convener in 1994, said he was "greatly honoured and a bit surprised".
• The joint editors of The Orkney View decided to bow out while they were still enjoying producing the magazine, to concentrate more on their other great loves travelling and walking while they were still fit enough to
  do so. Alistair and Anne Cormack, who lived at Papdale Close in Kirkwall, left the county soon after they had finished the 100th edition. The couple now reside in Pitlochry.
• Residents in Harray decided they wanted to rebury the remains of the three babies unearthed at a cottage in Harray in December, 2001.
  
  After police confirmed that the fragments of bones discovered under the
  floor at St Olaf Cottage on the Grimeston Road belonged to at least three newborn babies who died around 80 years ago, a number of Harray residents decided to work together to give the tragic children a proper funeral service and reburial. They would have to wait some time for the remains to be released, however.