Robbie Burns
While January might see a lot of New Year’s resolutions and a chance to recover from a busy holiday season, it also sees the first celebration of the New Year for Scots and Scottish at heart alike. We’re talking about Robbie Burns day.
January 25th is the anniversary of Robbie Burns birthday. While not everyone knows how Robbie Burns is, those who do, celebrate him it typical Scottish fashion.
Robbie Burns was a famous Scottish poet who was well known for not only his writing style, but also the stories of his womanizing ways and daily celebrations of life. Many people know his work, though they may not be aware that it was Robbie Burns who wrote it. “Auld Lang Syne”, the song many sing at New Year’s was written by Burns.
For those celebrating Robbie Burns day, the party will be filled with haggis, scotch, nips, and tatties. In other words they will be eating haggis, (a sheep’s stomach filled with oats, intestines, spices, and more), drinking scotch, (the older the better), and having nips and tatties, (or in normal English, turnip and potatoes) on the side.
On Friday January 24th, the Duke Pubs in Toronto will be hosting their annual Robbie Burns supper. This is an event held at all Duke Pubs in the city. It will feature the traditional meal, with a shot of scotch to wash everything down. Don’t worry if you’re not a scotch drinker. The Duke Pubs also have a large selection of beer on tap, and normally feature a traditional Scottish beer for the occasion.
To add to the festivities, there will be a Scottish Pipe Band, known as the Dukes of Hazard, who travel around to all the Duke Pub locations playing for the patrons. The pipe band also “pipes in the haggis”, which is a traditional parade with the tasty treat, and there is someone on hand to read Robbie Burns other famous poem, “The Ode to the Haggis”.
If you’re looking to make this a full night of fun, head to the Rockpile East after your meal. A rock ‘n’ roll bar in Toronto’s east end, (okay, Scarborough), Rockpile East is bringing in one of the biggest, craziest bands for Robbie Burns day. The Mudmen will be performing on January 24th and it is guaranteed to be a wild time. This band features some of the best rock music you’ll hear with two brothers in traditional kilts, playing bagpipes in accompaniment. Not only do the Mudmen have their own musical selections, but they also do some amazing covers from the likes of AC/DC and more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DH5vfUym3YQ
Brush off your kilts; grab your sgian-dubh and sporran, and head out for a night of Scottish celebrations unlike anything you will experience before. For this author it is a night that I am looking forward to, and you will be certain to find me out and about on this night.
Michael Chantler
Follow Mike on Twitter @mchantler
mike@lovethiscity.ca
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