Robbie Burns Supper

Robbie Burns
Born January 25, 1759

Last night we attended a Robbie Burns Supper as guests of my brother, Ken, put on by his Lodge at the Masonic Centre.  This has been a wonderful family tradition for over 4 years now. 

The program follows the order of service for Robbie Burns suppers, so after the piping in of the head table guests and the Toast to the Queen, there is the traditional "Selkirk Grace" written by Robbie Burns:

"Some hae meat and cannot eat.
Some cannot eat that want it:
But we hae meat and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit.'

 

This is followed by the "Parade of the Haggis" when guests stand and clap their hands while welcoming the haggis which is accompanied by bagpipes of course, and the platter is set down on its own table at the front of the room:



Parade of the Haggis

Each table then received their own haggis:

Our Haggis

The tradition then requires a proper "Address to the Haggis" in gaelic before the knife is plunged into the haggis to rip it open:

Next, we had the traditional supper of:

Cock-a-leekie soup

Roast Beef (prime rib), with gravy, bashed neeps,

mashed tattie and wee green things, with haggis of course:

After dinner there is always entertainment, and this year the North Shore Celtic Ensemble was featured.  I had never heard of this group before and they were wonderful.  A group of young students, mainly from the North Shore of Vancouver playing traditional Scottish and Irish music, fiddle music as well as original compositions:

You can find out more about this group from their website:  http://www.nsce.ca/

The evening carried on with the "Immortal Memory" - a speech in honour/memory of Robbie Burns, a toast to Robbie Burns, a "Toast to the Lassies" and a response.  Robbie Burns Day is celebrated all around the world.