Who do you believe to be the most well-known individual in Scotland? Could it be experienced actor Sean Connery? Or Andy Murray, the tennis sensation? Perhaps you may consider national icon Lorraine Kelly. All viable nominees, yet none triumphed in a recent survey on Reddit.
In early August, a Reddit user, SupermarketSuperSalt, asked this question in the Scotland subreddit. This was part of a series of polls aimed at identifying the most renowned people, places, food, and sights in the country.
The quest commenced with asking Reddit users to nominate the most famous landmark in Scotland. Users chose the M74 “penis trees”, a large forestry plantation visible from the motorway, over icons like Edinburgh Castle or the Forth Bridge.
The competition for the most renowned individual from Scotland saw even more intense action. Over 761 comments were received on the post.
Who emerged as the overall winner? None other than the brave Glasgow Airport baggage handler, John Smeaton. Smeaton, famously known for his heroic actions during a terrorist attack at the Glasgow Airport, garnered significant attention.
Smeaton was on an off-duty break when he witnessed two men driving a flaming jeep filled with explosive gas cylinders into the airport entrance. He sprinted over to intervene and successfully overpowered one of the terrorists, Kafeel Ahmed.
Smeaton also helped evacuate fellow hero, Michael Kerr, to safety. Kerr, a brave civilian, had been left next to the burning jeep with a broken leg after also attempting to subdue Ahmed.
The first vote for John Smeaton was cast by a user named itsallabitmentalinnit, simply referring to him as “That guy who kicked the airport terrorist.” Following this, another user shared a screenshot of John’s famous line from the incident, “This is Glasgow. We’ll just set aboot ye.”
In recognition of his valiant actions, Smeaton was granted the Queen’s Gallantry Medal. This was bestowed upon him at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on March 4, 2008.
Although Smeaton prevailed in the poll, many other unconventional Scottish figures garnered a surprising number of votes. These included the “Wonka Experience Oompa Loompa,” an actress who went viral following an unfortunate incident during the Wonka Experience event held in Glasgow earlier this year.
A user even suggested Shrek. Another suggested prominent figures like “William Wallace, Robbie Burns, Sean Connery, Billy Connolly,” only to be mockingly reproached for their seriousness.
While other suggestions like Mrs Doubtfire, Susan Boyle, Wee Jimmy Krankie, Rab C Nesbitt, and Supergran also garnered votes, none could outshine John Smeaton who remains atop the ranks. Supergran, we apologize, and John, congratulations!
