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Ulster-Scots Agency to hold longest running...

21 January 2010

Burns recitals, Haggis sampling, Ulster-Scots music, Highland dance and more..

Monday 25th January will mark the 251st anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns (25th January 1759) and on this day, the Ulster-Scots Agency will officially launch the start of ‘Robbie Burns Season’. 

 

While people all over the world love the work and life of Robert Burns, he holds a special place in the hearts of the Ulster-Scots.  ‘Burns Week’, a week long programme of events will run until Friday 29th January, 2010 in venues in Belfast and Letterkenny, Co Donegal. 

 

Members of the public are invited to join the Agency in celebrating the life, works and spirit of the great Scottish poet in Belfast on Monday 25th, Tuesday 26th, Wednesday 27th or Friday 29th January or in Letterkenny on Thursday 28th January. Entry is free and everyone is welcome.

 

An exciting range of Ulster-Scots entertainment has been planned for each day including:

 

·          Burns poetry recitals

·          Highland dance displays

·          Piping displays

·          Ulster-Scots music

·          Haggis tasting (be among the first to sample a “Haggis pie”)

 

In Belfast the Ulster-Scots Agency will open the doors of its Visitor and Information Centre, located on the ground floor at 68 – 72 Great Victoria Street from 12.00pm to 1.00pm each day.

 

In Letterkenny the event will be held in Donegal County Museum, High Road between 1.00pm and 2.00pm giving those based in the north west of Ulster an opportunity to also join in on the Agency’s Burns celebrations.

 

It is hoped that ‘Burns Week’ will give members of the public, especially those who have not had an opportunity to attend an Ulster-Scots event in the past to come along and find out more about Burns, enjoy some Ulster-Scots music and dance performances and sample our unique “Haggis pies”.

 

Michael McCullough, Director of Corporate Services at the Ulster-Scots Agency said: “Robbie Burns is a very important figure in Ulster-Scots history and therefore it is very important for us to celebrate his life and works every January.  This year we plan to have the longest running "Burns Supper" of 5 days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 12.00pm to 1.00pm in the Ulster-Scots Agency Visitor and Information Centre and Thursday 13.00pm to 14.00pm in Donegal County Museum, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal)”.

 

Michael continued, “The event is free of charge and we encourage members of the public to come along and find out more about the charismatic Burns and sample one of our unique, freshly baked delicious "Haggis pies". It is a great honour for the Ulster-Scots Agency to launch ‘Robbie Burns Season’ and we wish all those organising and attending a Burns Supper in the coming weeks a very enjoyable evening."

 

The Agency’s ‘Burns Week’ will mark the first of many celebratory tributes to Robert Burns taking place over the coming period, a ritual that was started by close friends of the poet a few years after his death in 1796 as a tribute to his memory.  Burns Suppers have been part of Scottish and Ulster-Scots culture for over 200 years as a means of commemorating the much-loved bard.

 

For full details of the many Burns Night Suppers and events taking place in Ulster and further a field, visit http://www.ulsterscotsagency.com/events.