Burns Night on TV

[Penny Tray]

I think I've maybe moaned about this before but the BBC and STV contributions last night, certainly for me, hit an all-time low.

Between 7.00 and 7.30 p.m. the BBC broadcast a programme called ‘BURNS, MY DAD AND ME', in which it was promised Kirsteen McCue would explore the links that bound her late father, Bill McCue, to Robert Burns. That wasn’t, in my opinion, how it turned out, and no matter how much you might admire Bill McCue and his wide range of music, it was more about him and his daughter, and Scottish Opera, than Robert Burns.

But what about STV? They advertised ‘A TOAST TO ROBERT BURNS’, a tribute, believe it or believe it not, to be broadcast between 11.09 and 11.10 p.m. – one minute – and that’s exactly what it was including introductory and final captions, interspersed by a few lines of Holy Willie’s Prayer and a wee, very wee, personal observation, by Kirsty Wark.

I was very disappointed.

[John Donnelly]

Hi Laurence,

I know the feeling. As a great Burns fan, it sticks in my craw too.
However, to a great extent, I think we Scots in general have only ourselves to blame.
How much attention do we actually pay to him and his works?
At most, probably something less than one per cent of the population will attend a Burns Supper once a year. We'll sing Auld lang Syne at New Year, weddings and parties, and for the rest, - not a lot.
I must confess that before I lived abroad and fell in with the ex-pat crowd, I was the same, and even now, I'm not really much better.
Maybe if he had written plays like Shakespeare, we would all be flocking to the theatres to be bored to cultural tears.
I don't think you can really blame the TV companies. The audiences any such programme would attract, would not be worth their trouble.
Be interested to hear others thoughts on this.

JD.

[morag]

Nothing on here..I'd'a been surprised. But there's nothing to stop you having yer own wee do, what we do, get the music going, the neeps, tatties and haggis (fake or no')...a wee dram and cheers to the bard.

[Penny Tray]

Thanks for these comments. I remain disappointed.

In November 2009, STV screened a series of programmes as part of the YEAR OF HOMECOMING, finally asking viewers to vote for THE GREATEST SCOT EVER.

ROBERT BURNS won!

It's a sad day when individual households, organisations, and clubs all over the world celebrate his work and our own national television company, despite knowing the positive depth of feeling among their own viewers, allocate him only one minute.

Albeit on the NEWS, there was substantially more time allocated on the same night to the forthcoming 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare on 23 April.

I was privileged some years ago to hear the renowned Lionel Daiches, QC, beginning an Immortal Memory thus -

"They don't have Shakespeare Suppers; they don't have Dante Dinners, but.....! He knew what he was talking about!

I'LL BE ALRIGHT TOMORROW

[Meg]

I agree PT - even if they had shown repeats of John Cairney - There was a Man, it would at least have paid lip service.

Meg

[5siamese7]

Well is been kind of done to death, and he wasn't a particularly nice person.

[5siamese7]

He was a member of a secret society , so how does that fit with brothers be for all , I guess he means his fellow masons.

[Retsum]

Should you be bemoaning what TV does for Burns? Should you not, like us, have been at a Burns supper? We have an ancient Burns club here in Turriff and I am sure there are Burns clubs in the three towns. On the rare occasions when we are unable to attend we have our own Burns Supper and we read aloud (I cannot sing) his poems and usually end up legless as he would have understood and doing what legless men and women and Burns would have done.

[Penny Tray]

Retsum,

I accept the point you're trying to make but I'll attend a final Burns Supper this year on Saturday 27 February - NOT ALL BURNS SUPPERS ARE HELD ON THE 25TH OF JANUARY - (principally because smaller clubs need to get in very early, or alternatively, delay, if they want to enjoy the best talent available on the after-dinner circuit).

I still think that if I'm at home on the 25th of January, I'm entitled to see STV devote more than one minute to Robert Burns, and be spared a programme on BBC2 which could quite easily have been entitled, "MY DAD AND ME" instead "BURNS, MY DAD AND ME" simply because Bill McCue sang parts of a couple of Burns songs during the thirty minutes. The programme, in my opinion, much as I enjoy the late Bill McCue, promoted Scottish Opera more than Robert Burns.

And Meg, I would any number of repeats of John Cairney in "There was a man".

And just when I was getting over it .

[George Ardrossan]

I am sure there are Burns Clubs in the three towns.

Retsum

As far as I know, there are no Burns Clubs in the Three Towns though there are several Burns Suppers. There has not been an Ardrossan Burns Club since at least the early 1960s and perhaps throughout the whole twentieth century.

The nearest Burns Clubs are in Irvine and Dalry. Dalry Burns Club claims a world record by having a Burns Supper for 191 consecutive years, the first one being on 25 January 1826. The twenty attendees at that first Dalry Supper were 'men of some intelligence and standing in the village'.

In the late 1800s, the Ardrossan Burns Club would 'come and go' as shown by these reports from the local newspaper.

ARDROSSAN BURNS SUPPER
On Thursday evening (25 January 1877), about forty gentlemen sat down to haggis and other substantials purveyed in excellent style by Mr Alexander McKenzie of the Eglinton Arms Hotel. Mr J H Mearns occupied the chair and was supported right and left by Mr Hugh Barclay, Mr Alexander Guthrie, Mr William Walls and Mr John McAusland. Mr Adam Cowan officiated as croupier. After the usual loyal and patriotic toasts had been given and duly responded to, the chairman, in an able speech, gave the memory of Burns. In the course of his remarks, he eulogised the Bard for his sturdy independence, his love of country, his tenderness for every living thing, his intense hatred of all that was mean, his strong love of truth and dilated on the halo of imperishable glory which his writing had shed around our land. The toast was most enthusiastically responded to. A large programme of toasts was gone through: Town and Trade of Ardrossan by Mr D Brown replied to Mr H Barclay; Town and Trade of Saltcoats by Mr Alexander Guthrie replied to by Mr James Aitken; The Provost, Magistrates and Town Council of Ardrossan by Mr John McAusland; Other Scottish Poets by Mr John McAusland; Bonnie Jean by Mr Cowan; The Land of Burns by Mr T Wallace; Ayrshire Lasses by Mr R L Alpine replied to by Mr George Barrie and Chairman, Croupier, Host and Hostess. Solos, duets and trios were sung by Messrs R L Alpine, W Reid, John Monie, Thomas Wallace, Gilbert McKie, James Barclay, Robert Barbour, R Harvey, etc. At the close, the company present resolved to form themselves into a Burns Club of which we will have more to say hereafter. A most enjoyable evening was spent.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 27 January 1877

ARDROSSAN BURNS CLUB
On Thursday evening (3 January 1878), a meeting of those favourable to the formation of a Burns Club in Ardrossan was held in the Eglinton Arms Hotel where it was unanimously agreed to form such a society. The following gentlemen were appointed office-bearers : Provost Barr - honorary president; J H Mearns - president; John McAusland - vice president; Thomas Wallace junior - secretary and treasurer; members of committee - Messrs A Cowan, George Barrie, R L Alpine, David Gillies and J Hepburn. From our advertising columns (shown below), it will be seen that a meeting will be held in the Eglinton Arms Hotel on Tuesday evening (12 January 1878) to arrange for the forthcoming celebration on 25 January 1878.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 5 January 1878

ARDROSSAN BURNS CLUB
This club celebrated the anniversary of the poet's birth by a supper which took place in the Eglinton Arms Hotel and was attended by about fifty gentlemen. The chair was occupied by Mr J H Mearns, publisher, president, the croupier's chairs being ably filled by Messrs John McAusland and George Barrie. After supper, the chairman in giving the toast of the evening, The Memory of Burns, referred to the fact that all Scotchmen worthy of the name were familiar with his works from which they had gathered many of their finest thoughts. Burns could never be taunted with a desire to hide his faults, though he had invariably kept his virtues - and these were many - in the shade. His memory would forever be kindly cherished in the hearts of the Scotch people and this formed the best monument he could have. A number of excellent songs were rendered during the evening by Mr J M Kay who also presided at the piano, R L Alpine, J Barclay, T Wallace, R Barbour, J Cunninghame, J Jones and others.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 2 February 1878

WHAT HAS BECOME OF ARDROSSAN BURNS CLUB?
What has become of the Ardrossan Burns Club, we hear it asked. It shot up like a gourd but it perished as quickly. During the past week, meetings were held in different parts of the world in honour of our great national poet. As the twenty-fifth returns, year after year, city and hamlet alike seem to vie with each other in raising a paean of praise to the memory of Ayrshire's peerless poet and bard. While this has become the case, Ardrossan has become silent and this need not surprise us seeing no tribute to respect the immortal memory comes from auld Ayr at one time so sincere in such demonstrations. Shame to the negligent.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 4 February 1882

FORMATION OF ARDROSSAN BURNS CLUB
At a meeting of a few local gentlemen held recently, it was resolved to form a Burns Club in the town. The following office bearers have been elected: honorary president - Dr Macdonald, president - James Fleming, vice president - William Marshall, treasurer - J Cameron, secretary - James Smith. It was agreed that the club should meet in the Rest.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 10 February 1893

A NIGHT WITH BURNS
On Friday evening last (24 January 1896), a number of townsmen sat down to supper in Mrs Fleming's, spirit merchant, Glasgow Street, Ardrossan in commemoration of the birthday of the poet Burns and also the centenary of his death. An excellent supper was purveyed by Mrs Fleming in grand style, the tables being decorated with plants and the Scotch haggis was introduced 'reekin'' with all pomp and splendour. Song and sentiment followed, The Immortal Memory being accepted with all honours. A very happy and pleasant evening was spent, the company separating when few were standing at the corner to the tune of Auld Lang Syne. We are pleased to note that an interest in such meetings is taken even though it be by but a few. Nevertheless, this should not be the case, especially with people living in such an important town as Ardrossan and a town in the county where the poet was born. A properly constituted Burns Club would add not a little to the credit of the town.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 31 January 1896

BURNS CLUB STARTING IN ARDROSSAN?
There are whisperings of a Burns Club - the genuine article - being made up of members who recognise that Burns was a poet as well as anti-teetotaller, being started in Ardrossan.
Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald, 21 January 1898

George

[meekan]

I had the pleasure today of watching and listening to to the children of Caledonia primary school performing Scottish poems, including those of Robert Burns, in their annual competition. I believe that the other schools in the three towns have their own competition with the winners from all schools going forward to a grand final.
So Penny at least North Ayrshire education department are doing their bit to honour Robert Burns and Scots poetry in general

[brian f]

Penny -Some Burns for you to watch, apologies if you have seen it before.Presented by my ex next door neighbour when i lived in Pennyburn . He is one of St Michael's Academy in Kilwinning famous former pupils.