Events

Selection of Events across Britain

Search for event:

Region:
Category:
Month:
Event name:


Burns Night

Scotland’s Bard is celebrated in fine style as Scots all over the world celebrate Robert Burns’ birthday on 25th January.

‘Rabbie’ Burns, as he is known in his native land, is Scotland’s foremost poet, writing and living the high live during the early 18th Century. Born on 25th January 1759, in Alloway, Ayrshire in the south of Scotland, Robert Burns is famous for composing poetry and songs in the Scottish dialect, which include Auld Lang Syne, traditionally sung at New Year.

Throughout Scotland and indeed by Scots all over the world, Robert Burns’ birthday is celebrated with a Burns Supper, involving poetry, haggis and whisky. Originally these were to be attended by men only, but times have changed and the ‘lassies’ get invited to, these days.

The night starts with a welcoming toast, followed by the entrance of the haggis, for which the host recites the traditional ‘Address to the Haggis’;

‘Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o' the puddin-race!’

And a whole lot more verses to greet the mouth-watering dish of sheep’s entrails, oats and spices, wrapped in a sheep’s bladder. This is of course followed by a toast, poetry, toast, toast to the lassies, lassies reply – and toast and more whisky toasting throughout the evening, finished off with a verse of Auld Lang Syne.