Back to the Bard’s roots
Burns club outing to Ayrshire
Members and friends of Kilbryde Burns Club travelled by coach to Mauchline and Alloway in Ayrshire earlier this month for a spring outing.
But the first stop was at Ballochmyle Golf Club – for a welcome breakfast roll and tea/ coffee.
The bus then headed to the centre of Mauchline where the group was met by John Chalmers from Mauchline Burns Club.
Mauchline has a great significance in Burns’ life as it was the town where the love of his life, Jean Armour, was born and lived.
He also lodged in the town with Armour between 1784 and 1788 while he prepared the nearby Mossgiel Farm.
While living in and about Mauchline, he was inspired to write many of his most famous poems such as The Holy Fair, To a Mouse, Holy Willie’s Prayer and the Jolly Beggars.
Mr Chalmers led his guests around the kirkyard of Mauchline Parish Church, where many friends and foes that Burns made during his time there are buried.
At each significant grave, he gave the company some background of the occupant’s life and connection to Burns.
From the kirkyard, Mr Chalmers and the Kilbryde visitors moved to the nearby Burns House museum which is housed in the building where Burns and Armour lodged.
Once again, Mr Chalmers moved among his guests in the small museum highlighting different aspects of Burns and Armour’s time there.
Giving their fond farewells to the guide and Mauchline, the party then headed through the beautiful Ayrshire countryside to the Burns birthplace museum at Alloway.
On Wednesdays, the museum provides a Burns-related production and the Kilbryde group were fortunate to enjoy some of the museum volunteers reciting and singing Burns works in costumes of the day.
Following this most entertaining performance, the final stop of the day was a relaxing drink and high tea at the nearby Brig O’Doon Hotel.
The day was rounded off with entertainment from club regulars John Mitchell, Colin Macdonald, May Lobban, Harvey Littlejohn, Jim Leslie, Ian Ross and Denys Docherty.
This was the final meeting of members for this session.
The club will resume on Monday, October 1 with a new syllabus of events for 2018/2019.
Anyone wishing further information should contact the secretary, Patricia Leslie, on (01355) 235189.