An institution of Scottish life, Burns Night, or Burns Supper, brings a spark of celebration, warmth, and inspiration to the cold, dark days of January every year. It is named famously after Robert Burns, a Scottish poet and lyricist who pioneered the Romantic movement and stands as the most prominent poet to write in the Scots dialect. Born 25 January 1759, Burns authored several influential poems in his youth, such as Auld Lang Syne, To A Mouse, and A Red, Red Rose that have become an integral part of the cultural and literary fabric – not only in Scotland, but globally.
Born in South Ayrshire, Burns was the eldest of seven and a son to two farmers. The poet spent his early years working in the field – lending him the alternate title of the “ploughman’s poet.” Burns was home-schooled by his father and gained expertise in arithmetic, geography, reading, writing, and history. At the same time, Burns had begun to try his hand at poetry and after years marked by effort, trials, and misfortunes, he published his first collection titled Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish dialect which granted him fame and recognition across Scotland.
Though quickly enjoining polite, aristocratic circles of high-class Edinburgh, Burns shortly moved to Dumfriesshire with his wife Jean Armor in 1788 where he leased Ellisland farm and worked as a tenant farmer and an exciseman. Here, he maintained correspondence with notable social figures and was even offered a place in London on The Star newspaper and Chair of Agriculture at the University of Edinburgh – both of which he declined. At the risk of alienation, Burns expressed support for the French and American revolutions and advocated for Parliamentary Reform. Burns died in Dumfries on 21 July 1796, at the age of 37.
Five years later, the first Burns Supper was held in Ayrshire on 21 July 1801, by Burns friends in memoriam. They feasted on sheep’s head and haggis while reciting “Address to a Haggis” in a celebration of his memory. In 1803, the Supper was shifted to 25th January, Burns’ birthday. This was the beginning of a tradition that is celebrated even today, more than 200 years later, and consists of traditional Scottish delicacies, including haggis, neeps, and tatties. We remember and celebrate Robert Burns who has influenced generations of poets – including Wordsworth and Coleridge – and garnered a worldwide appreciation for Scots.
Oidhche Bhlas Burns!
Illustration by Erin Dirom