Celebrate Burns Night with Scots & Gaelic!

It is an immense source of gratification that one of the world’s most recognisable songs, which we hear as the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, originates from a Scottish poem dating back to . In spite of its limited size and population, Scotland has undeniably had a paramount influence on worldwide culture. Another contingent around the globe is the annual celebration of the poet and author of “Auld Lang Syne”, Robert Burns. ‘Burns Night’ (otherwise known as ‘Burns Supper’is held annually in honour of the poet’s th January birthday and includes traditional readings of his poetry, eating haggis and giving toasts, yet it is far more than just that.

One of the lesser known facts about Scotland is that Scots and Scottish Gaelic are not one in the same. Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language, native to the Scottish Highlands, and is the source of terms such as “sassenach” (recognizable in particular to fans of Outlanderand the phrase “sláinte” used in toasting. Scots, however, is a Germanic language — much like English – which originates from the Lowlands, and as such often displays an overlap of expressions borrowed between these two languages, although they remain distinct. Robert Burns is an example of someone who wrote his poetry in Scots.

I am an enthusiast of cataloguing my life’s exquisite sandwiches, one of my all-time favourites being a grilled veggie haggis, brie, and caramelized onion sandwich I encountered in a cafe attached to a gas station on the Isle of Skye. Haggis truly is something special; it is neither savoury oatmeal nor sausage, yet still exhibits characteristics of both, often being sliceable like meatloaf. Furthermore, it can also be easily adapted for vegetarian preparation with legumes, nuts, or other savoury ingredients providing texture.

Having decided to venture into the realm of labor in a flax shop, he ultimately returned home to his father’s farm where he found favor with a sea captain who persuaded him to take up poetry, obviouslt despite his lack of success when attempting farming. Money being scarce, Robert Burns was forced to sell his first book of poetry, Poems Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, in order to pay for voyage to Jamaica, intending to work on a sugar plantation. Fortunately, his literary works were received so positively that he was able to avoid this position and move instead to Edinburgh, where he published another edition of his works thereby earning additional funds, while also finding a patron.

Robert Burns was a renowned Scottish poet, famed for his role as one of the leadi
ng figures in the Romantic movement, influencing later writers such as William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Percy Bysshe Shelley. His poetry is characterised by its directness and often comical nature. As a lyricist, he sought to create meaningful, lasting songs by incorporating many traditional folk melodies, some of which are still recognised to this day, such as “A Red, Red, Rose” and the renowned “Auld Lang Syne”. His deeply ingrained patriotism for Scotland was communicated through various poems and songs, ultimately leading to his designation as the national poet of Scotland.

The gathering of people in Jamaica to celebrate the life and poetry of Robert Burns is one that occasioanlly overlooks his less desirable qualities, rather focusing on his Scottish heritage – bagpipes, whisky, haggis and music. A Burn’s supper is typically carried out with an elaborate order of events, prominently featuring the haggis, which is presented by bagpipers after a blessing is said. It should be noted how important the haggis is to a truly authentic experience of a Burn’s night.

What we can learn

To conclude, Robert Burns is one of the most influential figures in the world of literature, not just due to his writing, but for his ability to craft meaningful songs and poems about his homeland. His work has not just gone on to influence later writers such as Wordsworth and Shelley but can still be heard in some of our oldest and most recognisable folk melodies. Robert Burns’ legacy lives on and continues to shape modern literature today.