A look back at events of 2004

January

• A stormy start to 2004 didn't deter thousands of Orcadians partying into the early hours of January 1.
  
  New Year revellers braved the conditions to bring in 2004 at street parties in Kirkwall and Stromness - despite gusting winds of more than 70 mph creating havoc across the county.
• It wasn't a happy beginning to the year for everyone in the county, however, with some 2,000 homes left in darkness after power cuts affected almost every part of the islands.
• Orkney police had to carry out extra patrols in Birsay, on December 31, after the parish was left without 999 cover when the telephone link went down.
• The Uppie Ba' players couldn't have asked for a better start to 2004, as they finally equalled the Doonies' impressive records of 12 consecutive victories.
• The Uppies showed superior weight and strength to win the New Year's Day Ba', despite strong Doonie determination. After a surprisingly downbeat argument, Gordon Mulraine was held aloft as the winner.
  
  It wasn't all smiles for the Uppie players, however, as earlier in the day, young Doonie Julian Thomson won the first ba of 2004, after an epic Boys' Ba' battle that lasted nearly three hours.
• One Kirkwall Ba' player was forced to watch the New Year's Day Ba' games from the street - after fracturing his skull during the Christmas Day contest.
  
  Uppie Ed Gibson, who won a men's ba' in 1999 and is also a ba' maker, hit his head on a kerb on Broad Street. Mr Gibson had to spend the night in hospital and a huge gash to his crown left him needing 14 stitches to the wound.
• Police expressed their dismay at the number of motorists who tested positive for drink-drivng during the 2003 festive period. In Orkney, 12 suspected drink-drivers were picked up during the police campaign that started on December 8, 2003.
• Work was forced to stop on Kirkwall's new marina early into 2004 when parts were removed to prevent further wave damage to the facility.
  
  The marina, which was originally set for completion by the start of 2004, was damaged by strong northerly winds which saw an unexpectedly big swell inside the breakwater built to protect it.
• Two Orcadians were awarded MBEs in the New Year honours list. Mr Howie Firth - the founder of the long-running annual Orkney Science Festival - and botanist Dr Donald MacKerron were honoured in the list.
• Orkney would face a bleak future if farm reforms go ahead, it was feared this month.
  
  In its submission on the reform of the European Common Agricultural Policy, the council said the proposals could lead to a drop in cattle numbers, followed by the disappearance of jobs, businesses, schools and health services.
• Two of the county's most historic sites were given back their rightful names in January.
  
  The move by Historic Scotland followed years years of complaints by local people about the change of name of Maeshowe to Maes Howe and Ring of Brodgar to Ring of Brogar.
• Tributes were paid to respected Orkney businessman Hugh Clyde, who died toward the end of January. Mr Clyde, of Voresheed, Berstane Road, Kirkwall, passed away after loosing a battle with leukaemia. He was 71.
• An arctic-blast - with temperatures falling to -20C, with the wind chill factor - brought Orkney to a virtual standstill for a few days at the end of January.
  Five inches of snow and northerly winds gusting up to 60mph caused chaos to travellers in and out of the county.
• Officials at Orkney rugby club this month added their voice to pleas to maintain national league rugby. The club's message followed a lobby from a host of teams south to regionalise competition below premiership level.
  
  If the radical suggestions were implemented, it would mean that Orkney would play in a regional league with only a handful of teams from the north of Scotland.