Celebrating the life of Robbie Burns

Shannon LeClair
Times Contributor

 

Each January, the life of famous Scottish poet and lyricist Robert Burns is celebrated in true Scot fashion, with scotch and haggis. This year will be no different when the Strathmore Masonic Lodge once again hosts a Robbie Burns dinner.
Burns’ poem ‘Auld Lang Syne’ is still often sung on New Year’s Eve. Burns’ birthday was January 25, 1759, and due to the number of dinners being held in his honour they are spread throughout the month of January.
“Why should people come? Because it’s part of Scottish heritage if they’ve got any in them,” said Right Worshipful Brother Joe Bratton, District Deputy Grand Master Alpha District 2014 – 15 and Strathmore Lodge # 53 member.
The dinner begins with a welcome and announcements, followed by the Selkirk Grace. After the grace is the piping by a bagpiper, and the cutting of the haggis, where Burns’ ‘Address to a Haggis’ is read and the haggis is cut open.
The evening promises to be filled with fun, and is a great way to be a part of a bit of Scottish tradition, and for those who don’t like haggis, there will be roast beef available too. The dinner will be held at the Legion this year on Jan. 17. In addition to haggis and the roast beef dinner, there will be cock-a-leekie soup, a Scottish soup made with leeks and chicken stock.
“We’re going to have maybe three or four pipers this year so there will be a period within the night where the pipers will just walk about playing,” said Bratton.
Tickets are $40 per person and are limited. Tickets can be purchased by going to the Legion, or by contacting Joe Bratton at joe@thistlephoto.ca.