Burns night: Celebrating Rabbie Burns

‘Fair fa’ you honest, sonsie face’

We had a lot of fun at the Merchant Adventurers annual Burns Night celebration on Friday (the 26th, a day after Burns Night.)

The medieval Merchant Adventurers Hall, built in 1357, hosts a wide range of events for members, raising money for it’s Education Trust.

Burns Night celebrated the life and poetry of Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland. 

Guests arrived to a fizz reception whilst Jazz vocalist Poppy Houlihan entertained in The Undercroft. Poppy’s set included classics; ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?’ (Carole King) and ‘At Last’ (Etta James.) Along with some Scottish tributes such as ‘The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond’.

The evening was rife with tradition, the guests piped to their supper in the majestic Great Hall. Ahead of Poppy’s recital of ‘Address to the Haggis’ by Robert Burns himself. 

Piper on the steps to The Great Hall.

“Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,

And dish them out their bill o fare,

Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware

That jaups in luggies:

But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,

Gie her a Haggis"

Address to a Haggis, Robert Burns

‘The lassies’ seemed pleased to have a fellow lassie deliver the poem, at an organisation that had it’s first female Governor only last year. 

The evening was brought to an end with traditional dancing from the Scottish Country Dance Club followed by ‘Auld Lang Syne’ (perhaps the most famous of Burns’ works.)