Celebrating the bard
Caledonian Club holds Burns concert on Friday
The Caledonian Club’s annual Burns concert will be held at the historic Kirk of St. James, 35 Fitzroy St., Charlottetown on Friday, Jan. 29, 6:45 p.m. (storm date, Jan. 30, same time and place.)
Admission is $15, adults and free for children under 12.
The concert will be hosted by club president Horatio Toledo and will feature vocalist Eddy Quinn of Fiddlers’ Sons fame.
The Belfast Pipe and Drum Band will ring the rafters of the Kirk, and folklorist, writer, musician and historian clansman Jim Hornby will delight with selections of Burns’ poetry.
Rounding out the program will be the musical talents of clansman Todd MacLean.
It is written that the first supper was held in memoriam at Burns Cottage by Burns’ friends on July 21, 1801, the fifth anniversary of his death, and have been a regular occurrence ever since.
The Caledonian Club of Prince Edward Island has celebrated with an annual Burns Concert since 1889.
To appropriately mark the occasion, there will be a haggis ceremony honouring the national dish of Scotland with the parading of the candle-lit haggis into the sanctuary cradled on the specially crafted tray carried by financial secretary Douglas MacNevin and led by an assembly of pipers.
Burns’ Address To A Haggis will be recited by clansman Roddy MacLean. There will be a reception following the concert with haggis and light refreshments served, and a membership table will be available throughout the evening.
For more information, visit www.caledonianclubofpei.ca or email caledonianclubofpeigmail.com