Burns Night, A Scottish Celebration Every January 25th (or the closest weekend)

Story by Keith Kellett, Guest Writer

As evening falls in Edinburgh, and the more popular attractions close their doors, there's a chance to see the real city. Be at the Beehive Inn, just below the Castle in the Grassmarket at 7.30 pm. and meet 'Clart' and 'MacBrain'.

These two characters are the guides on the 'Literary Pub Tour'. They'll take you on a hike around the 'wynds', 'ginnels' and 'closes', as the back streets of old Edinburgh are known. They call at various hostelries associated with well-known writers such as Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson ... we'll also 'meet' the man upon whom Stevenson based his character Dr Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. William Wordsworth receives a mention too ... but only a slight one, for he rarely drank!

If you're expecting serious and scholarly, you'll be disappointed. 'Clart' and 'MacBrain' approach their subject with a spiky, but not disrespectful humor. Robert ('Rabbie') Burns is particularly dear to their hearts for he wrote in their own language. Although Burns called his first publication ‘Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect’ , some people call it Scots, which has recently made some progress towards being recognized as a language in its own right, rather than a dialect.

Burns was born on 25th January 1759, in Alloway, Ayrshire, in the southern part of Scotland. His birthday is celebrated in Scotland, and, indeed, anywhere in the world where Scots are to be found, in the form of the Burns Night Supper.

For the early part of his life, Burns was a struggling farmer, writing his songs and poems in his spare time. So, the food served at the Burns Supper is always the simple, traditional fare he would have known. I don’t think I need to tell what’s to drink … I’ll just remind the uninitiated that it is 'whisky' … without an 'e'!

The proceedings always start with Burns’ 'Selkirk Grace':

‘Some ha’e meat, and canna eat,

and some wad eat that want it;

But we ha’e meat and we can eat,

And sae the Lord be thankit.’

The first course is usually cock-a-leekie soup … that’s chicken boiled with leeks and other vegetables.

The main course is haggis, traditionally served with neeps (mashed turnips) and tatties (potatoes). My advice here is ask not what goes into it, just think of it as a spicy, hand-made sausage and enjoy it!  Of course, what Burns described as the ‘great chieftain o’ the puddin' race’ has to be served with the appropriate ceremony … it’s brought in, in solemn procession, behind a piper. It’s called ‘piping in the haggis’.

Once the haggis has been piped in, it must be ‘addressed’ before serving. The plate is placed before the Chairman, who addresses the haggis in the words of the poet …

‘Fair fa’ your honest sonsie face …’

(R. Burns: ‘To a Haggis’)

At the words ‘Clap in his walie nieve a blade/He’ll mak’ it whistle’ the Chairman cuts the haggis open … using a sgean dubh, a dirk or even a claymore, if he’s in Highland dress! Only then is it served out.

At some stage … apologies if I have the chronological order somewhat ‘agley’;  things tend to get a bit hazy around this time … the piper is invited to propose a toast, and may be invited to partake of a quaitch of whisky with the Chairman.

While everyone is still relatively sober, the ‘Memory of Robert Burns’ is delivered, usually a serious, historically accurate speech concerning his character. Then, the toast ‘To the Lassies’ is proposed, which is replied to by one of the ladies.

Then, there’s a Recitation … something like Tam o’ Shanter or Holy Willie’s Prayer, followed by a confusion of the sweet course, impromptu songs and recitations and maybe even dancing. And, of course, consumption of more whisky!

(If you are ever in Edinburgh and it isn’t Burns Night, or you can’t swing an invite to a Burns Supper, I really recommend the Literary Pub Tour. It costs £7, with reductions for students, unemployed people or those under 18, who must be accompanied by a responsible adult; call first on (0131) 226 6665 to check availability.  Or, visit           www.scot-lit-tour.co.uk  for further information.)

NOTE FROM VIVIENNE
No matter how far away you are from Scotland, you have a good chance of finding a Burns Supper. Jack Wardell is a mechanical engineer from Dunfernline in Scotland, who had helped organize many suppers.  According to him, anywhere you find Scots, you’ll find a Burns Supper. He remembers first setting up a supper in Zambia in 1973 while working for a mining company. (Chicago Tribune, Jan 20, 2002). The Illinois Saint Andrew Society usually plans two Burns supper, at the Oak Lawn Hilton and the Deerpath Inn in Lake Forest.Canada has many Burns Suppers too, for example in Bracebridge, ON.

Call (705)645-8500.