Halton Peel Burns Club – Canada
Over these past years, under the leadership of our Club Presidents Chrys Ballantyne and Alan McKenzie, the Halton Peel Burns Club in Oakville, Ontario, has been building a catalogue of multimedia presentations on a wide range of topics related to Robert Burns and things Scottish.
This has grown into quite a significant body of work and one that the executive committee and members of the club would like to offer and share with other Burns Clubs and interested Burnsians around the world.
The majority of the presentations are in PowerPoint format and most have a script to accompany each presentation. However, for those unaccustomed to PowerPoint, the presentations can also be sent in PDF format. The only disadvantage of PDF is that the presentation slides lose their animation features but other than that the content is the same.
These presentations took many hours to produce and, in addition, have involved hundreds of research hours to compile the stories and information related to each topic. Some of this work is of course a process of compiling information that is already in the public domain or on the internet but other information has been put together by the members through their years of study, personal research and interest in different aspects of Burns life and works.
From Dr. David Murray we have a number of presentations related to Burns and the Medical profession, Burns and Germany, Burns and Mrs. Dunlop. Ron Ballantyne has produced presentations on Burns Tours and Burns Monuments. Alan McKenzie took on Burns and the French Revolution, Bob Ritchie produced several presentations on a wide range of subject matter and Ronnie O’Byrne produced an eclectic choice from Burns and Ireland to Burns and the Scots Musical Museum to Burns and Abraham Lincoln.
Several of these presentations have also been presented at RBANA Conferences in the past few years including “Burns World” (as presented by Scott Reid from The Robert Burns Society of Kilmarnock-Canada).
Other club members including Jim Cunningham, Jean Cunningham, Una Murray, Pierre Arnold, Vincent Leahy, Chrys Ballantyne, David Campbell, Jim Steel, Maggie McEwan, Roy Cummings, Harry Ferguson and Jim Reston added additional presentations – full list below.
As well as putting together these topic presentations the members of Halton Peel have produced short background presentations and analysis on a number of Burns poetry and musical pieces. Again these are listed below.
The Halton Peel Burns Club would be delighted to share these presentations with any Burns Clubs and interested Burnsians around the world.
For additional information on accessing this information please contact Ronnie O’Byrne who is co-ordinating this activity on behalf on the Halton Peel Burns Club. Ronnie can be contacted at canadiandirector@rbwf.org.uk
Topic Presentations
Bannockburn and Scots Wha Hae - The story of Bannockburn and Scots Wha Hae
As Presented at RBANA conference 2010 – Dr. David Murray
Burns Border Tour - Details on Burns Border Tour
Burns and Edinburgh - Burns in Edinburgh – people, places and connections
Burns and Germany - Burns German connections
As Presented at RBANA conference 2013 – Dr. David Murray
Burns and the Medical Profession (Part I) - Burns Medical Connections
Burns and the Medical Profession (Part II) - Burns - what caused his death?
Burns and The Twa DOCS - Dr. Maxwell & Dr. Currie
Burns and Religion - A look at Burns & Religion
Burns and Abraham Lincoln - Connections between Burns and Lincoln
As Presented at RBANA Conference 2012 – Ronnie O’Byrne
Burns Bairns - Burns Children
Burns Descendants - A deeper look at Burns Descendants
Burns Excise & Whisky - Burns in the Excise and the Whisky Trade
The Burns Exhibition 1896 - Information on the 1896 Burns Exhibition
Burns Galloway Tour - Details on Burns Galloway Tour
Burns Irish Connections - A look at Burns connections with Ireland
Burns Life and Society - Burns and the late 18th century
Burns Music - Burns musical legacy
Burns Scotland - Scotland & the World during Burns life
As Presented at RBANA Conference 2010 by Scott Reid
The Covenanters - Burns and the Covenanters
William Creech - Burns and Creech
Burns Portrait & Carving by Jim Steel - Burns Portraits & the carving produced by Jim Steel
Dundas Family - Dundas Family history
Burns and the French Revolution - An analysis and look at Burns and the French Revolution
As presented at RBANA Conference 2010 by Alan McKenzie
William McGonagall - Ah! The Silvery Tay!
Seamus Heaney - Seamus Heaney on Robert Burns
Highland Mary - The story and myths behind Highland Mary
Highland Tour - Details of Burns Highland Tour
James Hogg - The Ettrick Shepherd
Jean Armour - Burns and Jean Armour
John S Clarke - The story behind John S Clarke – 12th President RBWF
The Jolly Beggars - The story and everything to do with “Love & Liberty”
The Lowland Clearances - The story of the Lowland Clearances
Burns and Maria Riddell - Marie Riddell’s view on Burns
Burns Monuments (Part I) - Ron Ballantyne’s research on Burns monuments
Burns Monuments (Part II) - Updated information on Statues and Monuments
Burns and Mrs. Dunlop - Burns and his relationship with Mrs. Dunlop of Dunlop
Burns and the Rev. John McMath - The Epistle and background info on Rev. John McMath
Burns and Robert Service - The connections between Burns and Robert Service
The Real Sam McGee - Follow up presentation on the Robert Service poem.
The Scots Language Debate - A Club debate on Burns use of Scots and English
The Scottish Parliament Debate - Re-enactment of S1M-1506 in the Scottish Parliament
James Johnson & George Thomson - Analysis of the SMM – James Johnson & Grg. Thomson
As Presented at RBANA Conference 2013 – by Nils Brown & Ronnie O’Byrne
Lady Nairne - The music and poetry of Lady Nairne
The Scottish Album - A presentation The Scottish Album
Thomas Muir of Huntershill - The Thomas Muir story
Thomas the Rhymer - The story of Thomas of Ercildoune
The Forth Bridge - Jean & Jim Cunningham’s look at this iconic bridge
The Muckin’ o’ Geordies Byre - Pierre Arnold’s review of this old piece of Scots music
The Bruce & Scots Wha Hae - Short presentation on The Bruce and Scots Wha Hae
The Cutty Sark & Nannie - The Witch and The Clipper connections
Burns Muse Coila - A short presentation on the new Coila Statue in Ayr
Poems & Song Analysis
Adown Winding Nith
Awa Whigs Awa
Bonnie Wee Thing
Craigiburn Wood
Death and Dr. Hornbook
Epistle to a Young Friend
Halloween
Holy Willie’s Prayer
I Maun Hae a Wife
It was a for Our Rightfu’ King
John Barleycorn
O Kenmure on and awa
Silver Tassie
Sir John Cope
Sir John Cope – Two song versions
Tam o’Shanter
The Campbell’s are Comin’
The Holy Fair
The Twa Dogs
To a Mouse
Up and Warn A Willie
Thou Gloomy December
The Cotter’s Saturday Night (Abbreviated)
Address to Edinburgh (Abbreviated)
