Robert Burns - The Ulster Connection

By Nelson McCausland, Director, The Ulster-Scots Heritage Council

Burns holds a central position in the Ulster-Scots literary tradition and had a profound influence on the later 18th and early 19th century group of Ulster poets known as the "rhyming weavers."

When the first edition of Burns poems, known as the Kilmarnock edition, was published in July 1786, extracts were printed in the "Belfast News Letter" - the first paper in Ulster and probably the first in the British Isles to do so.  Thereafter Burn's poetry appeared frequently in the pages of that newspaper.  Indeed it published many pieces from the "Ayrshire Ploughman" before they appeared in any collection edition of hiw works!

For a' that and a' that
It's coming yet for a' that
That Man to Man the warld o'er
Shall brothers be for a'that
(A Man's a Man for a'that)

Such was the impact of Burns in Ulster that the first edition of his poetry printed outside Scotland was in Belfast.  The Edinburgh edition appeared in 1787 and James Magee of Bridge Street, Belfast, reprinted and republished it in the same year.

The influence of Burns in Ulster was such that it was said there was a time when there were but two books in Ulster homes, the Bible and Burns.  Ulster people read his poetry and understood it.  So much so, that in many old copies there was no need for a glossary since many of the Scots words were common in Ulster and needed no explanation.

The Linenhall Library
Andrew Gibson was a native of Ayrshire who settled in Belfast.  He was a governor of the Linenhall Library and one of the Presidents of the Belfast Scottish Association.  A Burns enthusiast, he collected over 2000 volumes of Burns and Burnsiana.  The collection was purchased by public subscription in 1901 and placed in the Linenhall Library, Belfast.  It is rightly regarded as one of the best collections in the world.

Robert's granddaughter, Eliza Everitt, had lived in Belfast's York Street area.  Her daughter kindly entrusted Eliza's collection of books and portraits to the Linenhall Library.

Burns Clubs

Robert Burns World Federation Ltd.,
Dean Castle Country Park, Dower House,
Kilmarnock, Scotland, KA3 1XB
Chief Executive - Shirley Bell
Assistant - Margaret Gregg
Tel/Fax 01563 572469

Belfast Burns Association,
32 Cumberland Park,
Dundonald BT16 2AZ
Secretary - Anne Allen

Harland and Wolff Burns Club,
2 Harland Park,
Belfast BT4 1HZ
Secretary - James Herron
Tel - 028 (048) 90282184