Each year the Society holds its own Burns Supper for members andtheir guests (maximum three guests per member). They arememorable occasions with first-rate speakers, properly run butnot solemn. Cars are left at home... Bear in mind that numbersare limited to sixty by the size of the room.
The first recorded Burns Supper was held a mere five yearsafter the poet's death, in the summer of 1801. Then, as now, itspurpose was to recollect and celebrate his life and work. Thevenue was Burns Cottage in Alloway, which was an ale-house atthat time; present were nine of Burns' closest friends; acommemorative speech was given; haggis was served. It wasdetermined that future annual suppers should be held on Burns'birthday, which was erroneously thought to be January 29th (infact it was four days earlier).
By 1810 the nine friends had been joined by many others andwere known as the Alloway Burns Club. Other clubs sprang up inGreenock, Paisley and Kilmarnock, and by 1830 Burns Suppers werewidespread all over Scotland. Today, the Burns Federation, basedin Kilmarnock, lists nearly 400 affiliated clubs throughout theworld.
The programme at Burns Suppers varies only slightly from oneto another. When the company is seated, the evening's Chairmansays a few words of welcome and then recites The Selkirk Grace(or calls upon a clergyman to do so, if one is present).
Cock-a-leekie soup is served. Then comes the haggis (servedwith 'champit tatties' and 'bashed neeps' or 'clapshot' (i.e.mashed potatoes and mashed turnips/turnips and carrots'). It isborne in on an ashette, preceded by a piper, and (traditionally)followed by someone carrying two bottles of whisky. Havingprocessed round the room the haggis is placed before theChairman, who invites the piper to join him in a glass of whisky,and pours some over the haggis itself. [It is customary, andsensible, to drink whisky throughout the meal, by the way]. Theyraise their glasses in the Gaelic toast slainte mhath and drainthem. I once attended a smart Burns Supper in Aberdeenshire,where the piper toppled over as he drained his glass and fellupon the haggis itself, dead drunk! Then either the Chairman or anominated guest recites Burns immortal address To a Haggis.
It is customary at some dinners to serve a main course(usually roast beef) after the haggis, but purists frown on this.A traditional dessert like 'Tipsy Laird' (sherry trifle) or'Cranachan' (cream with whisky, heather honey, oatmeal and softfruits) is then presented, and possibly Scottish cheese andoatcakes. The Loyal Toast concludes the meal.
Now come the speeches. First, following, a brief intermissionand an introduction by the Chairman, is 'The Immortal Memory'.This can be light-hearted and humourous or seriously literary,but, as one expert puts it "the speeches have one aim incommon: to make everyone in the room want to go home and readBurns" (Nancy Marshall).
After the Immortal Memory there is often a musical interlude,usually on the pipes, then a short 'Appreciation' of the lastspeech is delivered, either by the Chairman or a guest. This isfollowed by the two other 'compulsory' speeches: 'The Toast tothe Lasses' and 'The Reply'.
The Toast to the Lasses was originally merely a vote ofthanks to the ladies who had prepared the food for the evening.Today it is usually a humourous and somewhat disrespectfulobservation on the Fair Sex. The Reply, which is delivered by awoman, turns the tables, detailing mens' lack of virtue. Bothspeeches should draw inspiration from The Bard.
Other toasts can follow - a common one is 'The Toast to the[Scottish] Nation', which will be included in the Society'sSupper programme. Various songs and recitations from Burns' workfollow, or intersperse, the speeches.
"At this point", concludes one Guide to BurnsSuppers, "unless a dance is planned for the rest of theevening, the supper draws to a close and the guests depart havingthoroughly enjoyed a unique and uplifting occasion". Quiteso.
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