DOCSLIB.ORG

The Robert Burns World Federation Newsletter

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Robert Burns World Federation Newsletter The Robert Burns World Federation Newsletter Issue 5 September 2013 The main topic for this newsletter is the wonderfully successful Federation Annual Conference held in the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow. The highlight of the weekend was the inauguration of a new President when Mrs Jane Brown took over office from Mr Bob Stewart after his outstanding year in post. It may come as a surprise to some that Jane is actually the sixth female President because many are under the impression that the ‘Burns Movement’ is an exclusively male domain. It can only be hoped that Jane’s year in office will see more lasses being encouraged to take on prominent positions within the Federation. On that note, the saddest part of the Conference was the announcement that the Office Administrator Corinne Buivenga will be leaving in November because she is moving out of the area. I wish to record my heartfelt thanks to her for her support and encouragement. We will all miss her cheery presence in the office. Editor In this Issue: Page Song Composed in August - Federation Annual Conference 1-2 - Burnsong 2-3 - Thornhill Burn s Club Anniversary 3 Now westlin winds and slaught’ring guns - Brow Well Commemoration 4 Bring Autumn’s pleasant weather; - Calgary and Irvine Burns Clubs 4 The gorcock springs on whirring wings - Burns Encyclopaedia 5 - Edinburgh Celebrations 5-6 Amang the blooming heather: - Dalkeith Memorial Campaign 6 Now wavering grain, wide o’er the plain, - ‘Rabbies Girls’ Burns Night 7 Delights the weary farmer; - Dover and East Kent Scottish Society 7 The moon shines bright, as I rove by night - Trysting Thorn + Highland Mary Monument 8 To muse upon my charmer. - Coila 8-9 - Ayr Flower Show 9 - Wreath Laying Kilmarnock Cross 9 - Irvine Lasses 10 - Houston Burns Supper 10-11 - Cape Town Burns Supper 11 - Robert Burns the Biker 11-12 by Robert Burns - ‘The Year of the Haggis’ Launch 12 President Jane Takes Over The Federation’s Annual Conference was held in the very impressive setting of the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow over the weekend of 6-8 September. In addition to the AGM, two splendid dinners, a ceilidh and a dance, the main event was the inauguration of the new President of the Federation Jane Brown. During the handover Jane was generous in her praise of the work done by outgoing President Bob Stewart. He had been a fantastic ambassador for the Federation during his year of office and guided it through difficult financial times and led its emergence as a revitalised and dynamic organisation. In response he acknowledged the tremendous support he had received from everyone but, most especially, from his charming wife Frances. Newsletter Editor -Mike Duguid (Literature Convenor) Registered Office: Dower House, Dean Castle Country Park, Kilmarnock KA3 1XB Company Registration No 196895 Email [email protected] Tel: 01557 860040 Scottish Charity No SC029099 e-mail: [email protected] Tel 01563 572469 Website address: www.rbwf.org.uk To unsubscribe please email [email protected] Newsletter Page 2 of 8 The Bard in New Zealand As an added extra to the annual conference a ‘President’s Gathering’ quiz was held in Glasgow; it which was won by the Past Presidents of Ayrshire Association of Burns Clubs, and a social with contributions from the gathering. One turn which went down particularly well was a poem The Search Goes On recited by Jeanette McFarland pictured right with her husband Travis. Jeanette, from Auckland, was attending the conference with the aim of picking up ideas for the Robert Burns Pacific Rim Association Conference due to be held in Auckland in 2014. The opening verse read: I'm searching for a man - not any man will do I've a short list of applicants that I am sifting through some are so inferior they don't fit my criteria I have my standards - he's got to tick the box there seems to be a shortage: are we running low on stocks? am I right to be so fussy I'm no Gorgeous Gussie - and it's true a man's a man for a' that and a' that... but ah, how my starved heart yearns for a real man like Robbie Burns The poem was written by Barbara Hawthorn from Auckland for a Burns Society function in 2008. While Barbara admits that she does not have “a single drop of Scottish blood”, her husband cherishes his Scottish roots and is deeply involved in Scottish society activities within New Zealand. Barbara says she always feels honoured to be included as “an alien in the midst of the tartan throng” She is a retired maths teacher and is a prolific poet, well worth a read, who publishes her work on her blog: www.behwordz.blogspot.co.nz The remaining verses of the The Search Goes On can be found on the website under her January poems. Honorary Presidents One of the highlights of the Annual General Meeting was the announcement of the award of ‘Honorary President’ to three stalwarts of the Federation. On the left of picture are George and Enez Anderson, both past Presidents, who continue to give outstanding support. Second from the right is the much-loved ex-Chief Executive Shirley Bell who continues to offer her guidance and support. Also in the picture are Alex and May Crawley from Canada who had received their awards during the Robert Burns Association North America conference earlier in the year. ‘Burnsong’ Burnsong, which ran its first programme of events in 2005, was conceived in response to the then First Minister's call for innovative ways to celebrate Robert Burns, his heritage in Scotland and beyond. Focusing on songwriting, Burnsong has continued to support songwriters from Scotland, and further afield, through workshops, competitions, and tuition. Burnsong pioneered the songwriting "hothouse" - a retreat where songwriters from differing genres spend a week writing new material, but instead of writing in isolation, they Newsletter Page 3 of 8 tested their skills (and sometimes their comfort zones) by writing in collaboration with another songwriter. The "Gathering" has continued - an open invitation, generally once a year, which selects two or three of Scotland's best current songwriters to attend a songwriting retreat. Songs are submitted anonymously, selected by a panel of experts, and the winners go on to attend a tutored retreat. Early on, under the direction of Professor Nigel Osborne, a course for songwriters on how they might approach formal teaching in a school or college setting provided both information and confidence for a group of ten songwriters. A further development, Teach, Write, Create is the educational pack, a resource for teachers or songwriters on planning, delivering and celebrating new songs written by school children. The pack was written from an educational standpoint, to mesh with the school curriculum, and it has supported a series of "Burns and Rivers" projects in schools, which start with Burns' own work on nature, and move on to inspire new work from the children. Adult songwriters, either emergent or established, have enjoyed retreats in the Galloway countryside, from which the new songs have come in huge numbers. Burnsong has hosted at least ten, and the average number of songs created is never less than thirty, which means that the world is richer by over 300 songs. The most recent event was in partnership with the University of Bath Spa, under the direction of Prof. Joe Bennett, head of the songwriting school, and is the second to be held at Shennanton House, Wigtownshire; participants from Scotland, England, Norway, Switzerland, USA and the Netherlands were grouped with leading songwriters including Jez Ashurst, Andy White and Boo Hewardine. Between them something like forty new songs have been crafted, started, and many of them sung with panache at the two sharing gigs at Bladnoch Distillery. The buzz in the room, and later across social media, has been in direct relation to the energy on stage at the gigs - considerable. Perhaps the best accolade has come from Ian Green, of Greentrax, who posted on Facebook .... "when you see bands like Kilmarnock Edition coming out of Burnsong, you realise how important it is" . For Burnsians, the focus on contemporary songwriting in many styles is a tribute to Burns' own interest in song, and his understanding that the song carries the message almost more powerfully than anything else. [Submitted by Jennifer Wilson, Hon Secretary, Burnsong. For further information see www.burnsong.org] Thornhill Burns Club 10th Anniversary On Saturday the 20th July Thornhill District Burns Club held a Burns Supper and incorporated celebrating the club's tenth anniversary. The club was established in Thornhill 1925-39 and re-established in 2003. Top table were from left to right Kate Kaye who replied to the toast to the lassies, Stephan Hastie delivered the immortal memory, the club's president Ronnie Cairns, publicity officer Halina Cairns, William Crawford proposed the toast to the lassies and Rev. Ella Pennington the grace. The haggis was piped in by William Prentice carried by Geoff Martyniuk and addressed by Iain Rogers. We had songs from Victoria Hastie and Les Byers and were also entertained by Nathan King, Mhari Dalgleish and Catherine Anderson. The VOT was by Peter Moran. Newsletter Page 4 of 8 Annual Brow Well Gathering Burnsians from all parts of Scotland assembled at the Brow Well near Ruthwell on the evening of 17th July when President Mrs. Jane Brown of the Southern Scottish Counties Burns Association welcomed the company. The official party of Burns Club presidents and delegates were piped to the well by Pipe Major Callum Watson.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • ROBERT BURNS and PASTORAL This Page Intentionally Left Blank Robert Burns and Pastoral
    ROBERT BURNS AND PASTORAL This page intentionally left blank Robert Burns and Pastoral Poetry and Improvement in Late Eighteenth-Century Scotland NIGEL LEASK 1 3 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX26DP Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in Oxford New York Auckland Cape Town Dar es Salaam Hong Kong Karachi Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Nairobi New Delhi Shanghai Taipei Toronto With offices in Argentina Austria Brazil Chile Czech Republic France Greece Guatemala Hungary Italy Japan Poland Portugal Singapore South Korea Switzerland Thailand Turkey Ukraine Vietnam Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New York # Nigel Leask 2010 The moral rights of the author have been asserted Database right Oxford University Press (maker) First published 2010 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose the same condition on any acquirer British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Data available Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Data available Typeset by SPI Publisher Services, Pondicherry, India Printed in Great Britain on acid-free paper by MPG Books Group, Bodmin and King’s Lynn ISBN 978–0–19–957261–8 13579108642 In Memory of Joseph Macleod (1903–84), poet and broadcaster This page intentionally left blank Acknowledgements This book has been of long gestation.
    [Show full text]
  • RBWF Burns Chronicle 1970
    Robert BurnsLimited World Federation Limited www.rbwf.org.uk 1970 The digital conversion of this Burns Chronicle was sponsored by Roberta Copland The digital conversion service was provided by DDSR Document Scanning by permission of the Robert Burns World Federation Limited to whom all Copyright title belongs. www.DDSR.com -- - ~~ - ~. - ~- St P/ ROBERT BURNS CHRONICLE 1970 THE BURNS FEDERATION KILMARNOCK Price 7s. 6d.-Papu bound: 12& 6d.-Clotll bound: Price to Non-Members 10..-Papei' bound: lSs.-Clotb bolllld. 'BURNS CHRONICLE' ADVERTISER Scotch as it used to be 'BURNS CHRONICLE' ADVERTISER JEAN ARMOUR BURNS HOUSES MAUCHLINE, AYRSHIRE In 1959, to mark the Bicentenary of the Birth of Robert Burns, the Glasgow and District Bums Association, who man­ age the Jean Armour Bums Houses, completed the building of ten new houses on the historic farm of Mossgiel, near Mauch­ line and these are now occupied. The tenants live there, rent and rate free and receive a small pension. Funds are urgently required to complete a further ten Houses. Earlier houses, established 1915 which comprised the Bums House (in which the poet and Jean Armour began housekeeping 1788), Dr. John McKenzie's House and 'Auld Nanse Tinnock's' (the 'change-house' of Burns's poem 'The Holy Fair') were purchased, repaired and gifted to the Association by the late Mr. Charles R. Cowie, J.P., Glasgow and, until the new houses at Mossgiel were built, provided accommodation for nine ladies. They are now out-dated as homes but con­ sideration is being given to their being retained by the Association and preserved as a museum.
    [Show full text]
  • RBWF Burns Chronicle Index
    A Directory To the Articles and Features Published in “The Burns Chronicle” 1892 – 2005 Compiled by Bill Dawson A “Merry Dint” Publication 2006 The Burns Chronicle commenced publication in 1892 to fulfill the ambitions of the recently formed Burns Federation for a vehicle for “narrating the Burnsiana events of the year” and to carry important articles on Burns Clubs and the developing Federation, along with contributions from “Burnessian scholars of prominence and recognized ability.” The lasting value of the research featured in the annual publication indicated the need for an index to these, indeed the 1908 edition carried the first listings, and in 1921, Mr. Albert Douglas of Washington, USA, produced an index to volumes 1 to 30 in “the hope that it will be found useful as a key to the treasures of the Chronicle” In 1935 the Federation produced an index to 1892 – 1925 [First Series: 34 Volumes] followed by one for the Second Series 1926 – 1945. I understand that from time to time the continuation of this index has been attempted but nothing has yet made it to general publication. I have long been an avid Chronicle collector, completing my first full set many years ago and using these volumes as my first resort when researching any specific topic or interest in Burns or Burnsiana. I used the early indexes and often felt the need for a continuation of these, or indeed for a complete index in a single volume, thereby starting my labour. I developed this idea into a guide categorized by topic to aid research into particular fields.
    [Show full text]
  • Genealogical Memoirs of the Family of Robert Burns and of the Scottish
    The Hirsel Library Press w.—Shelf <fc ——Tfe 5— t «,• I m h ^H ft.y m ^H , I v • Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from National Library of Scotland http://www.archive.o7^/(5ietails/genealogicalmemo1877roge GENEALOGICAL MEMOIRS FAMILY OF ROBERT BURNS AND OF THE SCOTTISH HOUSE OF BURNES Eev. chaeles eogees, led. HISTORIOGRAPHER TO THE ROYAL HISTORICAL SOCIETY, FELLOW OF THE SOCIETY OP ANTIQUARIES OF SCOTLAND, FELLOW OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ANTIQUARIES, COPENHAGEN ; MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF QUEBEC, MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA, AND CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW ENGLAND LONDON PEINTED FOE THE EOYAL HISTOEICAL SOCIETY 18 77 EDINBURGH : PRINTED BY M'FARLANE AND ERSKINE, ST JAMES SQUARE. PREFACE. Of the numerous biographers of the poet Burns, few have dilated on his lineage. Some doubtless felt that his position might not be elevated by any pedigree, however famous. Others may have been content to hold that himself being in lowly circumstances, any inquiry as to his progenitors would be useless and unprofitable. By his biographer Dr Currie he is described as " in reality a peasant." What in respect of descent Burns really was these Memoirs will show. Bemotely sprung from a landed stock, his im- mediate ancestors were yeomen, at first opvdent, latterly the reverse. The family had produced another poet, the author of "Thrummy Cap;" but decided indications of intellectual activity did not appear in the house till subsequent to the marriage of the poet's paternal grandfather. The wife of this person was of the family of Keith of Craig, a branch of the house of Keith-Marischal.
    [Show full text]
  • Burns and the South West
    EVENTS IN SOUTH WEST SCOTLAND ON THE TRAIL OF Scotland’S woRLD-acclaiMED POET music Burns music and the love South love song West song landscape landscape Discover a sense of place in the south west of Scotland during Homecoming Scotland 2014. This region is home to a host of vibrant events, festivals, exhibitions and attractions which celebrate the life, work and legacy ofpoetry Robert poetry Burns. As you explore with these itineraries, be sure to navigate your way to one of the showcase events in the calendar including: Big Burns Supper, Alloway 1759, Burns an’ a’ that! and Mauchline Holy Fair to discover the area’s relationship with and influenceculture on the culture nation’s culture, identity and creativity. For detailed listings of these and many more events and festivals taking place throughout the year, visit www.burns-southwest.comtradition tradition New itineraries to see places in south west Scotland where Robert Burns was born and chose to live. Discover more about the man, legacy his life and his work in the land whichlegacy inspired him so deeply. prose www.burns-southwest.com prose Welcome to Burns Country FollowinG BURNS These three new visitor trails take you on journeysheritage to Discover the man behind the poetry. legacy discover more about Robert Burns and his inspirational This itinerary reveals Robert Burns’ life through the places he poetry while also enjoying the visitor attractions and lived and the people he knew. Through picturesque Ayrshire incredibly beautiful landscapes of Dumfries & Galloway and Dumfries & Galloway, follow Burns on his own journey from son of William and Agnes and Ayrshire & Arran.
    [Show full text]
  • Robert Burns World Federation Limited
    Robert Burns World Federation Limited www.rbwf.org.uk The digital conversion of this Burns Chronicle was sponsored by Ian McIntyre The digital conversion was provided by Solway Offset Services Ltd by permission of the Robert Burns World Federation Limited to whom all Copyright title belongs. www.solwayprint.co.uk BURNS CHRONICLE 2018 Edited by Bill Dawson Burns Chronicle founded 1892 The Robert Burns World Federation © Burns Chronicle 2018, all rights reserved. Copyright rests with the Robert Burns World Federation unless otherwise stated. The Robert Burns World Federation Ltd does not accept responsibility for statements made or opinions expressed in the Burns Chronicle, contributors are responsible for articles signed by them; the Editor is responsible for articles initialled or signed by him and for those unsigned. All communications should be addressed to the Federation office. The Robert Burns World Federation Ltd. Tel. 01563 572469 Email [email protected] Web www.rbwf.org.uk Editorial Contacts & addresses for contributions; [email protected] [email protected] Books for review to the office The Robert Burns World Federation, 3a John Dickie Street, Kilmarnock, KA1 1HW ISBN 978-1-907931-68-0 Printed in Scotland by Solway Print, Dumfries 2018 Burns Chronicle Editor Bill Dawson The Robert Burns World Federation Kilmarnock www.rbwf.org.uk The mission of the Chronicle remains the furtherance of knowledge about Robert Burns and its publication in a form that is both academically responsible and clearly communicated for the broader Burnsian community. In reviewing, and helping prospective contributors develop, suitable articles to fulfil this mission, the Editor now has the support of an Editorial Advisory Board.
    [Show full text]
  • Volunteer Role Description: Front of House Volunteer
    Volunteer Role Description: Front of House Volunteer About the Trust: The Robert Burns Ellisland Trust has been formed to hold the lands and farm of Ellisland, and such other funds and assets as may from time to time be comprised in the Trust Property, in trust for the following purposes: • the advancement of education • the advancement of the arts, heritage and culture • the promotion of the life and works of Robert Burns • to maintain a museum and collections for the benefit of the public The Trust is committed to conserving and promoting the site as one of the most significant locations in the life of Robert Burns. The Trust is ambitious to increase understanding of Ellisland as central to Burns’s artistic development, where he composed Auld Lang Syne and Tam O’Shanter. It will enhance awareness of its environmental importance as the best place to see the natural world through the poet’s eyes and increase appreciation of Ellisland as Robert Burns’s first marital home with Jean Armour and the foundational site for European Romantic song. Who are we looking for: The Trust is seeking motivated, friendly and energetic front of house volunteers with a passion for the life and works of Robert Burns to join our growing volunteer base and help us with our “soft reopening” of Ellisland to the public over the winter, having been closed since March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This volunteer role would best suit someone who enjoys interacting with the public, as well as someone who is happy to help with the general housekeeping required to keep the areas in a tidy location.
    [Show full text]
  • 2002 Editor: PETER J
    A NEW BURNS HERITAGE TARTAN Burns Heritage is a new tartan, launched by Burns National Heritage Park. The tartan has been designed with a classic, elegant pattern, suitable for both men and women. The pattern is inspired by the tartans of a number of the families whose lives were intertwined with the life and legacy of Scotland’s National Poet. The tartan is available from Burns National Heritage Park as Gentlemen’s stretch caps, county caps, neckties and skirt lengths. It will soon be available in a number of other styles. A new wine label has also been launched. Prominently featuring the Bard on its label, Burns Cottage wine comes both as a crisp Chardonnay and a fruity Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are selected from quality New World producers by Tim Morrison Fine Wines of Maybole, Ayrshire. Sales of the new tartan and Burns Cottage wines will help preserve the rich Burns heritage of Alloway, contributing to the upkeep of Burns Cottage, the Burns Monument, Kirk Alloway and the auld Brig o’ Doon as well as helping the Park to refurbish Burns Cottage Museum. They can be ordered, along with other Burns related gifts and souvenirs, from the Park’s new online shop at www. burnsheritagepark.com or direct from Burns National Heritage Park Alloway, Ayr. KA7 4PQ. Telephone: +44 (0) 1292 443700 Fax: +44 (0) 1292 441750 E-Mail: info@burnsheritagepark. com For more news and information about Robert Burns’ birthplace, visit Burns National Heritage Park’s new web-site, at www. burnsheritagepark.com. As well as a wealth of pictures and information about Burns Cottage and the other historic sites in the Park, it has teachers’ resources, children’s games, an online shop and details of how you can join the Friends of Burns National Heritage 01387 262960 Printers, Heathhall, Dumfries.
    [Show full text]
  • Final Report
    Burns Tourism in Nithsdale January 2021 A study commissioned by Dumfries & Galloway Council David Hicks, Heritage Consulting [email protected], 07967 650 316 Contents Introduction 3 Executive Summary 5 Market Analysis 7 The tourism value of Burns 12 Case Studies 18 Previous Marketing Approaches 23 Action Plan Framework 25 Partnership Approaches and Funding Opportunities 26 Appendix A - List of consultees 29 Appendix B - Draft Job Description: Burns Tourism Officer 30 With grateful thanks to the following for their support in the production of this study: Ian Barr, Dumfries & Galloway Council; Professor Gerard Caruthers, Glasgow University; David Smith, Upper Nithsdale Community Initiative; Ali Bowden, Edinburgh City of Literature Trust; Siobhan Ratchford, Dumfries & Galloway Museums; Susan Colquhon, National Trust for Scotland; Al Thomson, Unique Events; Dr Darinna Gallagher, James Joyce Centre; Giles Ingram, Abbotsford Trust. "2 Introduction This study has been commissioned by Dumfries & Galloway Council, with the aim of researching the potential for increased value from Burns tourism to Dumfries and Nithsdale. It analyses the possible visitor segments for a Burns tourism o#er, presents some relevant case studies and identifies previous marketing approaches. In addition to desk-top research, a series of consultations have been conducted with key local stakeholders, and online workshops in November and December 2020. ! The economic value of the poet was recently analysed in the report Robert Burns and the Scottish Economy, published in December 2019. This outlined the value of Burns heritage to tourism, festivals, the food and drink sector, and as a brand in its own right. The report estimated a value of £21m to Burns tourism in Dumfries & Galloway, and suggested that in comparison to other parts of the country its connection to the national poet is relatively under promoted.
    [Show full text]
  • A Burns Companion a Burns Companion
    A BURNS COMPANION A BURNS COMPANION ALAN BOLD Palgrave Macmillan ISBN 978-1-349-21167-8 ISBN 978-1-349-21165-4 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-21165-4 ©Alan Bold 1991 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1991 978-0-333-42270-0 All rights reserved. For information, write: Scholarly and Reference Division, St. Martin's Press, lnc., 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010 First published in the United States of America in 1991 ISBN 978-0-312-04500-5 library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bold, Alan Norman, 1943- A Bums companion I Alan Bold. p. em. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-0-312-04500-5 1. Burns, Robert, 1759-1796.2. Poets, Scottish -18th century- Biography. I. Title. PR4331.B64 1991 821'.6 -dc20 89-70109 [B] CIP Contents List of Plates ix Preface xi Abbreviations xiii PART I: BURNS IN CONTEXT 1 A Burns Chronology 3 The Burns Circle 21 A Burns Topography 62 PART II: ASPECTS OF BURNS 77 Dialect and Diction in Burns 79 Bums and Religion 89 Bums and Politics 100 Bums and Philosophy 109 Bums and Booze 116 Bums and the Theatre 123 The Bawdy Bums 133 A Technical Note 143 PART III: AN APPROACH TO BURNS 149 PART IV: THE ART OF BURNS 175 POEMS The Death and Dying Words of Poor Mailie, the Author's only Pet Yowe 177 v vi Contents Holy Willie's Prayer 180 Death and Doctor Hornbook 185 The Holy Fair 189 The Vision 193 Halloween 199 The Twa Dogs 203 The Jolly Beggars 208 The Cotter's Saturday Night 217 To a Mouse 223 To a Louse 226 The Auld Farmer's New-Year Morning Salutation to his Auld Mare, Maggie 229 Address to the Deil 232 The Author's Earnest Cry and Prayer 236 The Ordination 240 Address of Beelzebub 242 A Dream 246 Address to the Unco Guid 249 The Calf 253 The Brigs of Ayr 254 A Winter Night 259 The Kirk's Alarm 262 Elegy on Captain Matthew Henderson 267 Tam o Shanter 272 The Tree of Liberty 281 VERSE EPISTLES 286 Epistle to John Rankine 287 Epistles to Davie 288 Epistles to J.
    [Show full text]
  • Who, Noteless, Steals the Crowds Among, Town Education Society At
    News, Notes and Queries BURNS' HOUSE AND THE DIRECTORS OF DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY ROYAL INFIRMARY 'Is there a Bard of rustic song, Who, noteless, steals the crowds among, That weekly this area throng?- 0, pass not by! But with a frater-feeling strong, Here, heave a sigh.' THE Royal Burgh of Dumfries has much to occupy those interested in the life of Robert Burns. During his tenancy of Ellisland Farm, six miles from Dumfries, the poet was a frequent visitor to the town. On 4 June 1787, two months after publication of the second edition of his poems, he was admitted burgess of the Burgh. Later, at Martinmas, 1791, he took up permanent residence in Dumfries with his wife, Jean Armour, and their three children, Robert, Francis and William, and in this town passed the remaining years of his life. After occupying three small rooms in the Wee Vennel (now Bank Street), he moved to a house in Millbrae Vennel (now Burns Street), where he died in 1796. Jean Armour, with their children, continued to dwell there until her death thirty-eight years later. Although much has been written regarding Burns' illnesses, there is no record of his having attended Dumfries and Galloway Infirmary (later Royal Infirmary) at any time, a surprising fact when one recalls that the years spent in the Burgh were times of chronic ill-health. Despite the apparent absence of any association during his lifetime with the Infirmary, a posthumous connection developed when the Directors of the latter Institution acquired the poet's residence. Some fifty years after the death of Robert Burns, his son, Colonel William Nicol Burns, purchased the house once rented to the poet, together with adjoining property, with the object of establishing a memorial to the bard.
    [Show full text]
  • BELFAST BURNS CENTENARY 1859 Was the Centenary of the Birth of Robert Burns, and Commemorative Events Were Held All Over the World
    USA Burns Roller Stands AW 22/1/14 09:07 Page 7 7 1859: BELFAST BURNS CENTENARY 1859 was the centenary of the birth of Robert Burns, and commemorative events were held all over the world. The Northern Whig newspaper ran a competition for poems to celebrate the centenary of Robert Burns. Centenary events were held at Belfast Music Hall and the Corn Exchange. BELFAST MUSIC HALL GRAND BANQUET CORN EXCHANGE ‘WORKING CLASSES’ EVENT With guests of honour Eliza Everitt and Martha Burns A different style of event was held at the Corn Exchange Everitt, 250 gentlemen and 80 ladies packed the Music where 400 people ‘from the working classes’ attended Hall (it stood on the corner of May Street and Upper a soirée which was felt by some at the time to be Arthur Street) to commemorate Burns in style and more in keeping with Burns’ own ethos. Ayrshire-born grandeur. From 6pm until well after midnight dignitaries, Dr James McCosh of Queen’s College was the key clergymen, politicians and civic leaders gathered to toast speaker. He made references to the Covenanters and and pay homage to the Bard. A portrait of Burns painted said that, although he had been invited to the Music Hall by William Dobie was unveiled during the evening. event, he preferred ‘mingling with the common people’. Oldpark Band played a selection of Burns’ airs, and During his speech at the Music Hall, Professor Craik of Burns songs were performed by a variety of solo singers. Queen’s College, Belfast, said ‘... it might also be a matter of question whether this Ulster of ours be not really more OTHER EVENTS IN ULSTER & IRELAND a part of Scotland than a part of Ireland..
    [Show full text]