I'm sending out a happy Burns Night to everyone. Burns Night, which was actually last night, is a celebration of the life of Robert Burns, a Scottish Poet. My wife and I went to the house of a Scottish friend for dinner, where we were treated to the traditional welcome speech and the Address to the Haggis. Yes, we ate haggis-- and it was nowhere near what you hear it to be. Although it was made up of oats and ground-up sheep, it was, quite frankly, delicious. Perhaps the whisky helped.
If you ever get the chance, attend a Burns Night. It's good food, good fun, and good poetry. Imagine The Simpsons' Willie the groundskeeper reciting poetry, and you'll have some idea of what Robert Burns' literature sounds like (with apologies to my Scottish host, Grant).
Comments (4)
January 27, 2008
05:40AM | #
Robert Burns' literature sounds like Groundskeeper Willie because that's how people used to speak (and in some cases, still do) - the character might make it sound amusing but Burns Night is a celebration, not a cause for amusement.
There's also a notion (not pointed out by yourself, I should add) held that Scots are a nation of haggis-munchers, when the truth is that people rarely eat it outside of January 25th. The shops being full of half-priced haggis today would attest to that!
One last point - if we're talking in Scots, then there's no "e" in "whisky" :-)
January 27, 2008
08:20AM | #
"whisky!" WHISKY??? (whether with an "e" or no)...
the shear mention of Robbie Burns brings forth staunch Presbyterianism and a conservative and puritanical outlook on life.
there'll be none of this heathen whisky drinking mentioned in the same breath as Robert Burns, ach kin tell ye!
January 27, 2008
21:47PM | #
David, you're right-- I was wondering which was the proper 'Scots' way to spell whisky. 50-50 chance and I picked the wrong one. You're right that Burns Night is a celebration, and I didn't intend to demean it at all-- but it's also pretty amusing.
January 28, 2008
04:47AM | #
Tom - no problem, just wanted to give people the fuller impression of what it's all about! Burns is amusing to most Scots too, I suspect - many of us were brought up at school having to recite poetry that even we didn't understand [some of us had to sing it on stage, I might add!!]. I recall having to sing something I could barely pronounce :-)
Having mentioned the lack of haggis sales through the year, you might find that it's still very popular deep fried in batter with chips, as a fast-food meal (called a "Haggis Supper") all year round...