West Sound Burns Supper

Is there such a thing as Edgar Allan Poe Night? Can you imagine attending a dinner to celebrate his life and his work? Maybe some Americans do. But I can't imagine that it would be anything like a Burns Supper.

We were invited to attend the West Sound Burns Supper to celebrate the life and work of Robert Burns, immortal Scottish Poet and Song Writer. It was a brilliant Scottish Evening with Haggis and Neeps, Whiskey, Bagpipes, a proper Scottish band and many toasts and speeches about O Rabbie Burns.

The best way I can describe it is to give you the evening line up and a paragraph from the program:

Introduction
Welcome
The Selkirk Grace (http://www.rampantscotland.com/poetry/blpoems_grace.htm)
Address the Haggis (http://www.worldburnsclub.com/begin/address_to_a_haggis.htm)
The Queen (toast the Queen)
Dinner
Songs (Burns' songs and other traditional Scottish ones performed by local high school ensemble)
The Immortal Memory of Robert Burns (speech)
The Young Burnsian of the Year Award (High School boy reciting Burns Poetry)
Poetry (http://www.robertburns.org.uk/Assets/Poems_Songs/tamoshanter.htm)
Recorder (young boy playing the recorder unlike any recorder music I've ever heard! Brilliant)
Toast to the Lassies (hilarious toast to the ladies)
Songs (again, Burns' Music and traditional Scottish music this time by singing group All Angels)
The Reply to the Toast to the Lassies (just like it says)
Songs (see Songs above except another famous singer)
The Star O Rabbie Burns (said song sung by audience)
Vote of Thanks
Auld Lang Syne (http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19331)

"Tonight we come together in friendship, old friends and new, to celebrate and pay homage to a young Scot who died more than two centuries ago and yet whose words are still so relevant today. True genius is of course timeless and on hearing the poems, songs and tributes to our national bard in this great banqueting hall we feel a sense of pride that it was a young 18th century Ayrshireman who wrote over 300 songs and 400 poems unequalled in emotional intensity and translated into more than 50 languages throughout the world." Brenda Ritchie, Station Director West Sound and West FM

It was a wonderful black tie evening full of Scottish lessons (when we could understand the speakers) for Scott and I and it left me feeling the need to brush up on my poetry! Check out the websites listed if you are interested in learning more about it! It really was fascinating! And yes, I tried Haggis. Not sure when I will try it again!

http://www.west-sound.co.uk/Article.asp?id=236082
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/709