Welcome to Celtnet's Burns Night Recipes Page — This page details the story of Robert Burns, Scotland's national poet as well as why January 25th became Burns Night, the night of the Burns Supper. You will learn a little about Robert Burns' history, as well as seeing the order of events for a Burns Supper. Below the information, there are links to classic recipes that can be served for a Burns Supper.

Below is a brief history of Robert Burns as well as an order of events for a Burns Supper. There is also a list of links for recipes typically used to celebrate a Burns Supper (the recipes are given at the very end).

Robert Burns (also knows as Rabbie Burns, Scotland's favourite son, the Ploughman Poet, Robden of Solway Firth, the Bard of Ayrshire and in Scotland as simply The Bard) was a Scottish poet and lyricist who wrote in 'Lalans' the lowland Scots dialect, as well as English and 'light' Scots dialect. He is widely regarded as Scotland's national poet and is celebrated world-wide.

Robert Burns is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement and after his death became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism. Burns grew into a cultural icon in Scotland and amongst the world-wide Scottish Diaspora.

The History of Robert Burns

As well as creating original compositions, Burns also collected traditional folk songs from across Scotland, often revising and adapting them. His song, Auld Lag Syne is often sung by Scots and non-Scots alike at Hogmanay and New Year.

Robert Burns was born on 25^th Januray 1759 two miles south of Ayr, in Alloway, South Ayrshire, Scotland, the eldest of the seven children of William Burnes and Agnes Broun (or Brown) where he lived until Easter 1766 when his father took the tenancy of the 70-acre Mount Oliphant farm, southeast of Alloway. Though Burns had little formal education, his father taught his children reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and history and also wrote for them A Manual Of Christian Belief. But he was also taught by John Murdoch (1747–1824), who opened an 'adventure school' in Alloway in 1763 and taught Latin, French, and mathematics to both Robert and his brother Gilbert from 1765 to 1768 until Murdoch left the parish).By the age of 15, Burns was the principal labourer at Mount Oliphant. In the summer of 1775, he was sent to finish his education with a tutor at Kirkoswald, where he met Peggy Thomson (b.1762), to whom he wrote two songs, Now Westlin' Winds and I Dream'd I Lay. But Mount Oliphant was unsuccesful and William Burns migrated with his large family to the 130-acre farm at Lochlea, near Tarbolton. In December 1781, Burns moved temporarily to Irvine, North Ayrshire to learn to become a flax-dresser, but during the workers' celebrations for New Year 1781/1782 (which included Burns as a participant) the flax shop caught fire and was burnt to the ground. This venture accordingly came to an end, and Burns went home to Lochlea farm.

After their father's death, Robert and Gilbert made an ineffectual struggle to keep on the farm, but after its failure they moved to the farm at Mossgiel, near Mauchline in March, which they maintained with an uphill fight for the next four years. Burns was in financial difficulties due to his want of success in farming, and to make enough money to support a family he took up a friend's offer of work in Jamaica, at a salary of £30 per annum. However, Burns lacked the funds to pay for his passage to the West Indies, Gavin Hamilton suggested that he should 'publish his poems in the mean time by subscription, as a likely way of getting a little money to provide him more liberally in necessaries for Jamaica'. On 3rd April Burns sent proposals for publishing his 'Scotch Poems' to John Wilson, a local printer in Kilmarnock, who published these proposals on 14 April 1786.

On 31 July 1786 John Wilson published the volume of works by Robert Burns, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish dialect. Known as the Kilmarnock volume, it sold for 3 shillings and contained much of his best writing, including The Twa Dogs; Address to the Deil; Halloween; The Cotter's Saturday Night; To a Mouse; Epitaph for James Smith and To a Mountain Daisy, many of which had been written at Mossgiel farm. The success of the work was immediate, and soon he was known across the country.

On 27 November 1786, Burns borrowed a pony and set out for Edinburgh. On 14 December William Creech issued subscription bills for the first Edinburgh edition of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish dialect, which was published on 17 April 1787. Within a week of this event, Burns had sold his copyright to Creech for 100 guineas. The new edition of his poems brought Burns £400.

On his return to Ayrshire on 18 February 1788, he took a lease on the farm of Ellisland near Dumfries on 18 March (settling there on 11 June) but trained as a Gauger, or in English, an exciseman; should farming continue to prove unsuccessful. He was appointed duties in Customs and Excise in 1789 and eventually gave up the farm in 1791. After giving up his farm he removed to Dumfries itself. Burns described the Globe Inn (still running today) on the High Street as his ;favourite howff' (or 'inn'). It was during this period that he produced Tam O'Shanter and wrote over 100 songs for The Melodies of Scotland.

Burns's worldly prospects were now perhaps better than they had ever been; but he had become soured, and moreover had alienated many of his best friends by too freely expressing sympathy with the French Revolution, and the then unpopular advocates of reform at home. As his health began to give way, he began to age prematurely and fell into fits of despondency. On the morning of 21 July 1796, Robert Burns died in Dumfries at the age of 37. The funeral took place on Monday 25 July 1796. He was at first buried in the far corner of St. Michael's Churchyard in Dumfries; his body was eventually moved in September 1815 to its final resting place, in the same cemetery, the Burns Mausoleum.

Burns Night and the Burns Supper

Burns Night (also known as Burns Supper, Burns Nicht and Robert Burns Day), Jamuary 25^th is a celebration of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns.

These suppers are typically held on (or near) the poet's birthday, the 25^th of January. Burns suppers are most commonly held in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but they can occur wherever there are Burns Clubs, Scottish Societies and expatriate Scots (for example the New Zealand city of Dunedin which was actually founded by Burns' nephew, Thomas Burns).

The very first suppers were held in Ayrshire at the end of the 18^th century by Robert Burns' friends on the anniversary of his death (21^st July 1796). The first Burns club, known as The Mother Club, was founded in Greenock in 1801 by merchants born in Ayrshire, some of whom had known Burns. They held the first Burns supper on what they thought was his birthday on 29 January 1802, but in 1803 discovered from the Ayr parish records that the correct date was 25 January 1759. Subsequently the suppers have been held on 25^th January.

Burns Suppers can be either formal or informal affairs. Informal suppers typically include a haggis, whisky and the relation of a selection of Burns' poetry. Formal dinners tend to be hosted by Burns clubs and follow a standard format, which is given below.

The Order of a Formal Burns' Supper

Initially all the guests gather and mix together. When all are assembled, the host says a few words of welcome and may state the reason for the supper. The event is then declared open. Once all the guests are seated, grace is said. Typically this is the Selkirk Grace.

      The Selkirk Grace
     Some hae meat and canna eat,
     And some wad eat that want it;
     But we hae meat, and we can eat,
     And sae let the Lord be thankit.

The supper then starts with the soup course. Typically a Scottish soup such as Scotch Broth, Potato Soup or Cock-a-Leekie is served.

Entrance of the Haggis

Once the soup corse is cleared away, everyone stands as the main course is brought in. This is always a haggis, borne on a large dish. It is usually brought in by the chef, whilst the piper lays plays bagpipes and leads the 'pudding' to the host's table where the haggis is laid down. Typically the piper plays 'A man's a man for a' that', 'Robbie Burns Medley' or 'The Star O' Robbie Burns'. The host, or a guest used to making addresses then recites the Address to a Haggis.

Address to a Haggis

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the puddin-race! Aboon them a' ye tak your place, Painch, tripe, or thairm: Weel are ye wordy o' a grace As lang's my arm. The groaning trencher there ye fill, Your hurdies like a distant hill, Your pin wad help to mend a mill In time o' need, While thro' your pores the dews distil Like amber bead. His knife see rustic Labour dicht, An' cut you up wi' ready slicht, Trenching your gushing entrails bricht, Like ony ditch; And then, O what a glorious sicht, Warm-reekin, rich! Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive: Deil tak the hindmaist! on they drive, Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve, Are bent like drums; Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive, 'Bethankit' hums.

Is there that o're his French ragout Or olio that wad staw a sow, Or fricassee wad mak her spew Wi' perfect scunner, Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view On sic a dinner? Poor devil! see him ower his trash, As feckless as a wither'd rash, His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash, His nieve a nit; Thro' bloody flood or field to dash, O how unfit! But mark the Rustic, haggis fed, The trembling earth resounds his tread. Clap in his wallie nieve a blade, He'll mak it whistle; An' legs an' arms, an' heads will sned, Like taps o' thristle. Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill o' fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinkin ware That jaups in luggies; But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer, Gie her a haggis!

At the line, His knife see rustic Labour dicht the speaker traditionally draws and cleans a knife and at the line An' cut you up wi' ready slicht he plunges it into the haggis and cuts it open from end to end. This ceremony being the highlight of the evening.

At the end of the poem, a whisky toast is proposed to the haggis, then the company sits and enjoys the meal. The main course, of course, is the haggis which is typically served with clapshot (tatties and neeps [mashed potatoes with mashed swede). This can be followed by a dessert course, a cheese and oatcake course, coffee and liqueurs. Each course uses a traditional Scottish recipe.

When the meal reaches the coffee stage, a umber of speeches and toasts are given. The main speeches (in order) are given below.

Immortal Memory
One of the guests will rise to give a short speech, in memory of some aspect of Burns' life or poetry. Depending on the audience this can be light-hearted or serious. At the end of this speech everyone will drink a toast to Robert Burns.

Appreciation
The host now says a few words to thank the previous speaker and it is traditional to comment on some of the points raised.

Toast to the Lasies
Originally this was a speech given by one of the male guests to thank the women who had prepared the meal. But these days it typically covers a male guest's view on women. Typically it is amusing and light-hearted. At the end of the speech the men drink a toast to the women's health.

Reply to he Toast to the Lassies
Here a female guest gives her view on men and replies to the previous speaker. Again this should be amusing but not offensive. Sometimes this is called, tongue-in-cheek, the 'Toast to the Laddies'. More often than not the speaker of this speech and the previous one will collaborate so that the speeches complement one another.

Other Toasts and Speeches
Depending on the oragniser, a number of other toasts and speeches will follow. It is most common to toast the locality or nation in which the supper is held.

Recitals of Works by Burns
At the conclusion of all the speeches, there may be singing of songs by Burns (often Ae Fond Kiss, Parcel O' Rogues, A Man's a Man and others) and the recital of more of Burns' poetry, such as: To a Mouse, To a Louse, Tam O' Shanter, The Twa Dugs, Holy Willie's Prayer etc.

Closing
At the end of the recitals (which can go on for as long as the guests wish it) the host will rise to conclude the evening's events. Typically this involves calling on one of the guests to give a vote of thanks, after which all those assembled are asked to stand, join hands and sing Auld Lang Syne, the end of which brings the evening's events to a conclusion.