Robert Burns 1759-1796

Tonight we will celebrate Robert Burns our tribute to the Bard

Robert Burns was a famous scotch poet whose birthday will be celebrated around the world today.

A Scottish traditional Burns supper will include the Haggis; traditionally the Haggis would be piped in by a Scottish bagpipe player and served with Neeps (turnips) and Tatties (potatoes).

Robert Burns believed that once you have eaten the haggis you have the strength to fight any foe.

During the course of the meal poems and love songs will be recited in our mother tongue beginning with Address to a Haggis.
Revellers will don their own tartans representing many different clans and plenty of whiskey will flow at the Ceilidhs in Scottish Tradition of course. Celebrations have been known to last until February.

Address to a Haggis

Verse 1

Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftain o the puddin’-race!
Aboon them a’ye tak your place
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang’s my arm

Burns poetry captures the essence of Scottish Culture and appeals to people of all nationalities.

In Russia, Burns night is often held in the Kremlin and broadcast to the Russian people via television.

The Russian people are extremely big admirers of Robert Burns and his work is taught in Russian schools, they claim to have an even bigger following than us fellow Scots, they had a commemorative stamp produced in his honour in 1956 before the Scottish stamp was issued.

In Australia and New Zealand revellers will be getting into the Scottish spirit by hosting celebrations in Perth, Brisbane, Sydney and Wellington to honour Burns.

Even the USA where towns have been named after him, big celebrations will be held to mark the occasion.

Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan praised Burns for his understanding of poverty which has relevance throughout the world today.

Robert was the eldest of seven children born on January the 25th 1759; Robert was born into poverty and lived a humble life in a small thatched cottage built by his father which is very popular with tourists today.

My parents took me to see the cottage when I was young and in turn I have taken my children and hopefully this tradition will continue when my children have family of their own.

Robert worked hard as a farmhand on his father’s farm and when his father died Robert and one of his brothers took over the running of the farm.

In his teen years 1774 Robert started writing and his first poem was called “O Once I loved” little did he realise then that he was going to be one of the greatest poets of all time.

His inspiration came from travelling across Beautiful Scotland.
The breathtaking scenery surrounding his birthplace Alloway in Ayrshire and throughout Scotland inspired him to write mountain daisy and many other well know pieces.

His first poems were published in 1786 and he earned the title of “Ploughman’s Poet”

Robert married Jean Armour in 1788 and they had nine children but only three survived into adult hood, it is claimed that he fathered a further four illegitimate children through a string of affairs.

Following the publication of a collection of poems written in Scottish Dialect Robert became even more famous and this collection of poems soon became one of the greatest collections ever written.

It is suggested that Robert Burns penned over 400 Folk Songs and hundreds of poems one of his most famous songs is Auld Lang Syne which is traditionally sung on Hogmanay the world over although not an original of Robert he did pen the third and fourth verse and it translates as “old long times” and is about keeping friends and remembering them and thinking of those closest to us.

Burns humanity continues to appeal to all nationalities as the man himself once said “Man to man, the world o’er, shall brithers be for a’ that.

Please feel free to let us know about your own celebrations or opinions Contact us