Inveraray hosts braw Burns night
Celebrating in traditionalstyle, Inveraray Burns Club marked the birthday of Scotland’s bard, Robert Burns, with its annual Burns supper.
Club president, namesake of the poet, John Burns chaired the proceedings held at Inveraray Inn, which commenced with a minute’s silence for recently deceased Inveraray legend Donald Clark.
Michael Kidd enthusiastically addressed a massive haggis which had been piped to the table by renowned piper Stuart Liddell and carried by Kenneth Welsh, a guest from East Kilbride. Before a sumptuous meal, grace was said by Reverend Roderick Campbell after which the loyal toast was proposed by Liz Welsh, Kenneth’s wife.
Stuart Liddell then treated the audience to an incredible and very talented display of piping which led to the Immortal Memory, the main toast of the evening. This was delivered by Roderick Campbell who highlighted Burns’s relationship with the Kirk and his philosophy in life which showed just how much he was a man before his time.
Club treasurer Jim McMillan proposed a very witty Toast To The Lassies which was ably replied to by immediate past-president Sylvia Stark and throughout the evening Cumnock folk duo and regular visitors to the club, Beltherskyte, entertained with a mixture of Burns songs; from Jacobean and his best-known love songs, to traditional folk tunes. A highlight of their performance was performing all verses of Auld Lang Syne in the traditional music to which it was set, rather than the music to which it is normally sung nowadays.
Michael Kidd recited ‘A poet’s welcome to his love begotten daughter’, written by Burns to commemorate the birth of his oldest daughter. With the use of a visual aid, belonging to his daughter or perhaps grand-daughter,
Michael delivered it with passion and emotion which conveyed Burns’s feelings for new life and his regard for family responsibility.
The evening concluded in the normal style for the club, with the singing of The Star of Rabbie Burns and Auld Lang Syne.