Robert Burns (1759-1796) was a poet and lyricist and is regarded as the National Poet of Scotland and is celebrated throughout the world.  He is a pioneer of the Romantic Movement and became an inspiration to the founders of both Liberalism and Socialism and is a Cultural Icon in Scotland and wherever Scots live.

Portrait of Robert Burns by Alexander Naysmyth (1758-1840)

Throughout Scotland and elsewhere in the world, Burns Nicht (Burns Night) is celebrated on Robert Burns Day with a Burns Supper where traditional foods, including Haggis, are eaten together with the playing of Scots music and readings of his poems.  This celebration of the life and works of Robert Burns occurs on the 25th January, which was his birthday.

Haggis is served with Neeps, & Tatties (Boiled & Mashed Potatoes) and a Dram (a glass of Whisky)

-oOo-

Click here to read the poems of Robert Burns 

Click here to watch the BBC Documentary, The People’s Poet

Poems of Robert Burns set to music and sung by Ewan MacColl

-oOo-

The first Suppers were held in memoriam at Ayrshire at the end of the 18th century by Robert Burns’ friends on 21 July, the anniversary of his death.  These Suppers have been held each year on this date.  Each Supper begins with The Selkirk Grace:

Some hae meat an canna eat,

And some wad eat that want it;

But we hae meat, and we can eat,

And sae let the Lord be thankit.

The Grace was known in the 17th Century, but became known as The Selkirk Grace sine it was said that Robert Burns delivered it at a dinner given by Dunbar Douglas, the fourth Earl of Selkirk (1722-1799).

-oOo-

There are many Memorials to and Statues of Robert Burns Around the World

-oOo-

The statue of Robert Burns in the Main Gardens was the third cast of Sir John Steell‘s work and was a gift from John Gordon Crawford and unveiled by Lord Rosebery (1847-1929) in July 1884.  Sir John Steel also made casts that are now installed in Dundee and Central Park in New York City.  He was commissioned to produce the statue in 1883 with the money being collected by public subscription, as a Shilling Subscription.   A number of busts based on the statue were made by Sir John Steel and one of them is present in Westminster Abbey, at Poet’s Corner.

Statue of Robert Burns by Sir John Steell (1804-1891) in the Main Gardens

On the front of the plinth are the following words:

The poetic genius of my country found me at the
plough – and threw her inspiring mantle over me she
bade me sing the loves, the joys, the rural scenes and
rural pleasures of my native soil in my native tongue:
I tuned my wild, artless notes as she inspired.

On the paper at his feet on the left:

O sweet to stray, and pensive ponder a heartfelt sang.

-oOo-

ROBERT RAIKES