Exactly one month after another big birthday bash, Burns Night on 25 January commemorates the life of Scotland’s national poet Robert (or Rabbie) Burns, who died in 1796 aged just 37.
While it’s now a merry affair, the first Burns supper, held in July 1801, would have been more subdued. Nine of Burns’ friends gathered at Burns Cottage in Alloway to mark the fifth anniversary of his death and pay tribute to the lyricist who did so much to preserve Scotland’s cultural heritage. Reverend Hamilton Paul took notes on the proceedings, so we know that today’s rituals have barely changed over the centuries.
After the host read the Selkirk Grace (see page 39), a haggis and a toasted sheep’s head were ceremoniously served, while the friends recited Burns’ poem ‘Address to a Haggis’. Burns’ songs were sung, his memory was toasted with drams of whisky, and a speech about the bard, his work and his legacy – now known as the Immortal Memory – was made.
The night was such a success that the friends decided to hold it again, eventually settling the date on Rabbie’s birthday. Burns clubs soon sprang up locally, beginning a tradition that quickly spread across Britain.
Now a global celebration of Scottishness, Burns Night proceedings often follow a traditional running or
