Reflections from the President of the Robert Burns World Federation
As we all now know, the outbreak of COVID-19 has certainly disrupted our programme of events, meetings and most recently the RBWF schools national finals. It was indeed a great pity given that we had a number of kids from the Allanton Jolly Beggars group of winners who were eligible firstly to take part in […]
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ” when I reflect on this line from A Tale of Two Cities it somehow makes me think of our situation today in that when I reached the “presidential chair” I was looking forward to an immediate trip to visit our friends in […]
Our arrival in Winnipeg was met by my 93year old aunt, cousin Shauna, and her husband Laurie who took us to their home in Carman about an hours drive from the airport. We enjoyed a leisurely couple of days with visits to the zoo, ( polar bears et al ) and the human rights museum. There […]
Following my promotion to the president’s post we have been busy keeping up with the constant spiral of requests for visits and appearances at events within the Burns’ fraternity throughout the country and beyond. The presidential journey began with a full weekend of entertainment organised by the Glasgow Association of Burns Clubs who in conjunction […]
The dust has settled after another hugely busy and very enjoyable and successful conference at Irvine. I would like to thank Bill Nolan, Jane Brown, Irvine Burns Club, Irvine Lasses and of course Margaretann, Bev and the conference committee for running the event on very professional lines. The many hundreds of people Moira and I […]
“The heather was blooming, the meadows were mawn, Our lads gaed a-hunting, ae day at the dawn” These lines from “The heather was blooming” are listed under the 1st of September in “The Best of Burns” a book of daily quotes I mentioned in my July Blog. I find myself composing my final blog in […]
Burns is reported to have commented on “the kind hospitality and most agreeable little party” when he visited Covington Mains en route to Edinburgh in November 1786 and met with Archibald “Baldy” Prentice. My good friend David Smith rode shotgun for me on a beautiful summer’s Sunday for the Covington Mains ceremony. The welcome and […]
“Simmer’s a pleasant time” the Bard told us in the love song “Aye Waulkin’ O”. The recent spell of incredible weather certainly lifts the spirits and has allowed Burns Clubs and Associations with various summer commemorative events to plan with some confidence. June started off for me with the Dumfries and Galloway Burns Association Annual […]
‘I’m gaun tae Mauchline Holy Fair To spend an hour in daffin Gin you’ll go there, you rankl’d pair We will get famous laughin’ At them this day’ Tae Mauchline Holy Fair I did go and spent a good part of it laughing with friends. The Holy Fair is a colourful and spectacular occasion. […]
Moira and I have just returned from a trip to the USA. Burns is weel kent and popular in this massive country. Burns was a great admirer of George Washington for whom he wrote ‘An Ode For General Washington’s Birthday’. Washington to Burns was the epitomy of liberty, strength and freedom for the individual. I […]
