Burns Night

In an email to my Chicago friends last week, I explained what Burns Night is:






Are you Scottish--even a little? Irish? Cornish, Breton, Manx? Even if no Celtic blood runs through your veins, I guarantee you'll have a MARVELOUS time if you come with me to Burns Night. Think bagpipes, kilts--and whisky.

What's Burns Night, you say? Why, it's been celebrated nigh on these 200 years, my friends! It commemorates Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. He's the whole reason why we sing "Auld Lang Syne." A Burns Supper starts with Burn's poem "To A Haggis" (which is majestically cut open with a small sword), continues with a "Toast to the Lasses", and ends when everyone is drunk off scotch. Learn more here.

If you're feeling adventurous and want to try haggis--and perhaps some Scottish strathpeys or reels--then please come with me and my former flatmate Elizabeth. We attended a Burns Night in London, and boy, was it memorable!

Did I mention there will be lots of whisky?

Love,
Theresa (of Clan Boyd, and Clan Kirkpatrick, sept of Clan Colquhoun)
Elizabeth (of Clan Turnbull)

Globe Pub - Wednesday 25th January - 7pm

Burns Night !

You are cordially invited to a Robert Burns Supper on Wednesday 25th January 2006 at 7pm.

Enjoy real Haggis, Tatties and Neeps as you Toast the Haggis, Lassies and of course, The Immortal Memory with a fine scotch.

All around the World, Burns Suppers are held to recite his Poems and to sing his Songs. Born January 25th 1759, he wrote an amazing amount of poetry, songs and music, some of which will be performed on the night.

There will also be a Bagpiper on hand, to Pipe in the Haggis!!

There will be no cover charge but we will accept, in lieu, a donation to charity. Casual or Kilt attire.

There ended up being over 15 of us at the Globe Pub to celebrate Scotland's bard. From a genuine Englishman raised in Scotland, to two Jewish girls, to a Cuban-American guy, everyone had a rollicking good time. We had our own section of the bar overlooking the stage, and when the owner did his speeches he kept looking over at us to explain what 'football' was (not knowing that half a dozen of us have lived in Britain or Ireland).
Toasting everything from the "immortal memory" to Burns fathering many children, we imbibed Robert the Bruce ale, Strongbow cider, and whisky while eating authentic haggis. (The real haggis can't be shipped from Scotland, as FDA regulations prohibit lung being imported. Luckily, a place on the South Side makes it here in Chicago.) Neeps and tatties were in abundance, and I was thrilled to eat a Scotch egg or three. Finally, we ended up on the main floor of the pub, attempting to finish our cloying bowls of homemade sherry trifle. The bar's owner, Stuart, befriended us, and we made merry.

I can't wait till next year. Wherever I am, I'm going to find a Burns Night. I suggest you do, too.

From left: Jason, Nora [Clan Turnbull], Colin [Clan Boyd/Kirkpatrick],
Katie, Andy, Allison, Dan, Sam, Theresa [Clan Boyd/Kirpatrick],
Stuart (the owner, just visible), Ilina, James [Clan Scott], Emily
MIA: Elizabeth [Clan Turnbull] and Rory
Slainte!