Greyfriars Bobby ceremony fires starting gun on celebrations

A CEREMONY took place at the grave of Greyfriars Bobby in Edinburgh yesterday to mark the 150th anniversary of the One o'Clock Gun.

The dog lived in Greyfriars Kirkyard for 14 years after his master was buried there and is said to have used the gun as a signal to eat.

George Grubb, Edinburgh's Lord Provost, said: "Edinburgh's One o'Clock Gun is famous all over the world and the city is now embarking on a series of events to celebrate its 150th anniversary.

"People have been setting their clocks - and even ships' clocks - by the gun's firing for generations.

"Greyfriars Bobby is thought to have used the gun as a signal for his lunchtime, so it's lovely that the anniver- sary events should start with a special service at Bobby's headstone."

Among those present at the ceremony was a dog of the same breed, a Skye terrier named Bombardier Blue, the official mascot of the One o'Clock Gun Association.

An estimated 220,000 tourists attend the firing of the One o'Clock Gun and visit Greyfriars Kirkyard each year.