Celebrating Burns’ Night
Burns’ Night is celebrated in Scotland on or around the 25th January each year, in honour of the bard, Robert Burns. The man responsible for Auld Lang Syne has his birthday marked by Scots and their descendants all over the globe, as they meet for Burns’ Night Suppers.
A Burns’ Night Supper can be formal or informal and different organisations host them solely for men, solely for women and for guests of both genders. During the course of the evening, guests dine on haggis, neeps and tatties (turnips and mashed potatoes) and participate in toasts and readings of The Bard’s work. The main event at any Burns’ Night Supper is the arrival of the haggis, which is brought to the table accompanied by pipers playing traditional Scottish music. Once the haggis has been given pride of place, a speaker will recite Burns’ ode to the foodstuff, “Address to a Haggis”.
Burns’ Night is certainly one for celebrating Scottish heritage as the Saltire is flown; men don their kilts and the ladies dress up to the nines. As well as the haggis, neeps and tatties, traditional Scottish food such as cranachan (whipped cream, raspberries and sweet oat wafers), cock-a-leekie soup (chicken and leek soup) and bannocks (bread cooked on a griddle) tends to be served at the suppers. Of course, we cannot forget the national drink; whisky.
Although Burns’ Night is most commonly celebrated in Scotland, there are several events planned in London to mark the occasion. Fans of the Gay Gordons can dance the night away at one of the Ceilidh Club’s events in Hammersmith, running from 25th January until 2nd February. At the time of writing, the 25th is sold out but there are plenty of tickets available for the other dates.
Vinopolis, next to Shakespeare’s Globe on Bankside will also be hosting an evening in honour of Rabbie Burns, offering a two-course meal featuring plenty of haggis and whisky to partygoers. The evening will also feature a whisky master class.
Those planning to celebrate the event in a larger group can book a table of 10 for the five-course feast and entertainment at Butchers’ Hall near Barbican station. Cullen Skink, Arbroath Smokies, Scottish smoked salmon and, of course, haggis all feature on the menu for the evening.
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