Burns Lunch 26th January

Gordon Wowk will introduce proceedings as MC

Dennis Hopper - a short spell of Piping

Frank Quinault - Address to the Haggis

Alan Mac Donald - Immortal Memory

Ann & Bela - Burns Songs

Angela Fowlis - Toast to the Laddies

Jimmy Spankie - Reply

Ann & Bela lead all in Auld Lang Syne

Vote of Thanks - Colin Mitchell

Club Members were able to celebrate via Zoom the birth of Scotland’s national Bard with a very enjoyable and well attended Burns Lunch. The Master of Ceremonies was Rotarian Gordon Wowk, a role he carried out with skill and much good humour.

The meeting opened with some splendid pipe music from Club Piper Denis Hopper. This was followed by a spirited rendition of the ‘Address to the Haggis’ by Frank Quinault. With knife in hand and an enormous haggis before him, he fluently - and indeed theatrically - recited this iconic poem.

Alan MacDonald, who was invited to deliver the ‘Immortal Memory’, cleverly avoided the common mistake of too lengthy an address by delivering this briefly and in rhyming couplets. This excellent toast highlighted key moments in the Bard’s life and incorporated appropriate quotations from some of his best-known poetry.

Music and singing were provided by club member Ann Baird and her husband, Bela, who sang, among others, one of Burns’ best short songs, ‘John Anderson, my Jo’, followed by ‘The Deil’s Awa with th’ Exciseman’.

Angela Fowlis gave an eloquent and thought provoking ’Toast to the Laddies’ referring to Rotary’s decision in 1989 to permit women members, something not fully embraced by all clubs until equalities legislation in 2010 made it necessary. She was in little doubt that such changes were of benefit to all. On balance she gave the Laddies ‘a good report’.

Jimmy Spankie, in replying, thanked Angela warmly, highlighted Burns’ well known affection for the Lassies and ended with a brief history of Burns Clubs and how they had proliferated across the world. The meeting closed with an enthusiastic rendering of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ and a generous vote of thanks to all participants from President Colin Mitchell.