Galicia re-enacts its 'Battle of Britain'

ANYONE who found themselves in Ferrol on mainland Spain's far north-western tip this weekend would have been plunged into cannon and rifle fire and surrounded by soldiers – but no armed conflict has been declared anywhere in Spain, so it clearly must have something to do with a summer fiesta.

For the last 30 years, Ferrol (A Coruña province) has re-enacted the historic British invasion of Galicia, when the townspeople staked out in the Brión mountains to defend their territory.

Dressed in typical soldier costume from the year 1800, participants travel by boat to San Felipe Castle just as they did 219 years ago on August 25 ahead of the confrontation.

Back then, Ferrol was in the middle of its Reina María Luisa patron saint fiestas when 100 British ships docked in its port with the intention of destroying arsenals of weapons held by the gallego people.

They disembarked on the Doniños beach with rifles, infantry and cannons, and headed for the town through the Brión mountains.

Look-out men from Monteventoso rushed into Ferrol to warn the fiesta-goers of the invasion, and a committee headed up by Lieutenant General Melgarejo, head of the Ferrol troops, and the Count of Donadío, the town's highest civil authority at the time, went to meet them.

The people of Ferrol were then called to arms, and ended up defeating the British.

This entire scene is now recreated in costume, and this year, the battle concluded with live music by the band Niurka.

Before the confrontation, staged by around 200 revellers, residents in Ferrol celebrated with live concerts by traditional wandering minstrels and brass bands, themed guided tours, and an exhibition of the battle in the Cureñas Hall.

Head of the Conxeito Cultural Association Luis Calvo says the re-enactment of what is known as the Battle of Brión used to be a sporting tournament, but from the year 2000, when Ferrol celebrated the 200^th anniversary of the conflict, it morphed into a parade and festival.

It takes place every year in Ferrol on or as near as possible to August 25.