FOREWORD FROM MIKE REID
ASSISTANT EDITOR, ST ANDREWS VOICE & GUIDE
“Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o’ the pudding-race!” The spirited words of Robert Burns’ famous ‘Address to a Haggis’ fill St Andrews as the town gathers to celebrate Scotland’s national bard on January 25th. In a night of haggis, whisky, and songs, the Burns Night creates a spirited ode to Scotland’s rich cultural heritage and the enduring legacy of Robert Burns.
In 1801, this tradition began in Burns’ family home in Alloway with a modest group of Burns’ nine closest friends gathering on the fifth anniversary of his death. In subsequent years, informal Burns clubs came together to follow the festivities of the first celebration, although on his birthday instead.
The traditions of that night including the food (except the sheep’s head) and the poem readings have held up to this day over 200 years later.
The night begins with the host reciting the ‘Selkirk Grace’ before the feast: “Some hae meat and canna eat / And some wad eat that want it; / But we hae meat, and we can eat, / Sae let the Lord be thankit.” After dining on a starter, Scotland’s national dish is brought forth on a decorative platter for everyone to stand and see as a piper announces its entrance. Once set down, a brave soul performs the ‘Address to Haggis’ with dramatic enthusiasm as a ceremonial knife cuts into the sheep’s stomach to reveal the haggis—a pudding including the minced liver, heart, and lungs of a sheep along with beef suet, oatmeal, and seasonings. This main course is served with mashed neeps and tatties (turnips and potatoes) along with the first of many drams.
During the meal, one man will give the ‘Toast to the Lassies’ which was traditionally used to thank the women for cooking but now has evolved to a humorous speech about women and their influence on men, often catering towards the specific group present. In response, a woman will stand to deliver the ‘Reply to the Laddies’ and address the previous speech with counterpoints about men. At the end of the first speech all the men collectively toast ‘To the Lassies!’ and after the second, the women toast ‘To the Laddies!’. To conclude the night of laughter and feasting, the host gives the ‘Vote of Thanks’ and everyone joins together to perform Burns’ ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and express everlasting friendship before drinking into the night.
In St Andrews, anyone can participate in the tradition as restaurants hold special Burns Night events with four-course meals, traditional music, and plenty of whisky. Some places even hold ceilidhs to further celebrate with traditional Scottish dancing. Whether a local or just stopping by Burn’s Night creates the perfect environment to socialize and celebrate Scottish heritage through the country’s national bard.
