Robert Burns Anniversary BIrthday Weekend - 2

As Scotland celebrated the 250th anniversary of the birth of their bard, Robert Burns...see previous two blogs...not a sign of the occasion was evident in Princes Street, Edinburgh, heart of the capital.

The 250th anniversary was meant to be the start of a year-long spectacular entitled 'Homecoming Scotland 2009', a celebration of Scotland's contributions to the world designed to attract people, especially those with Scottish ancestry, to visit the country, trace their roots and embrace their ancestral culture.

Finlay, a man in his fifties, who works in the tourist industry didn't celebrate Burns Night 'because it's not something I'm used to doing, although I've nothing against him! I think it's fantastic the way it's been celebrated. It's known around the world. It's absolutely brilliant,' he enthused.

But regarding this 250th anniversary weekend, he said, 'I think there should have been more publicity about it because he (Burns) did stay in Edinburgh for a time.'

Finlay knew about the Homecoming Programme, because, he said, he takes an interest in such things. But he was critical of the way it was being run.

'There's no publicity. Local people don't know about it although there's lots of brilliant events,' he said.

How effective did he think it would be?

'As far as moving back to Scotland, I don't think so, but it should encourage tourism,' he said.

I told him about a new quest to establish a DNA profile of Burns that might then be used in a search for his descendants, reported in the Times Online - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article5581505.ece. Burns fathered 12 children known to him by four women, six of whom died in infancy, but it is thought there could well be others.

The study is being conducted by Glasgow Caledonian University, who have been given permission by the National Trust for Scotland to collect the DNA from artefacts. They are doing this not only out of academic interest but also with the idea that it might draw more Scots back to the country this year.

'From what one hears, he (Burns) was a "bit of a lad",' said Finlay. 'It's interesting for me to find out more about Burns. I find it fascinating.'

Further along the street, Elizabeth was one of the staff in Romanes and Paterson, one of a pair of tourist shops selling plenty of gifts with Burn's picture on them.

Did she celebrate Burns Night?

'I didn't, but normally I would,' she said. 'Haggis isn't something we normally have on a Sunday. I had the family coming and I'm the only one who likes it!'

She knew about the year-long celebrations, but to my criticism that there was no information about the festival in the centre of Edinburgh, she said, 'You're right. We actually had great difficulty getting posters or anything to advertise it.'

It seems that while suppliers for shops have plenty of general souvenirs on the poet - Romanes and Paterson has a table laden with them - they have not prepared for this event.

'We did think about it,' said Elizabeth, and shops in general are struggling (to get anything). I don't even think anything happened here in the city. There was a picture in the newspaper of George Square and one of the buildings was lit up with a picture of Burns.'

I thanked her and left, and then wandered into Waterstones. Suddenly, I found a glimmer of what I had been searching for. In a fairly prominent position near the checkout desk were two displays of books on Robert Burns, with purple cardboard signs above them announcing, albeit in small print, the 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF THE BARD!!!

Tessa MacGregor, their Marketing Manager said, about the lack of publicity on Princes Street, 'it must seem odd that it's the 250th anniversary of the birth of Burns!'

She explained that the Scottish government have already come under criticism for lack of publicity in Edinburgh, but with a £500 million marketing budget, they have realised it's not enough.

'A lot of literary festivals will be programming events,' she added.

The Princes Street branch of Waterstones, she said, were enjoying success in promoting Burns' titles separately, with two books selling particularly well: A Night Out with Robert Burns: The Greatest Poems by Andrew O'Hagan, award-winning novelist and Scottish essayist writing about his favourite poems, and a biography, The Bard, by award-winning novelist Morgan Llywelyn and eminent poet and creative writer, Robert Crawford.

'Normally we have a very small window to promote Burns titles, but this year we'll continue to promote some of the titles and continue to see an uplift in sales,' Tessa said.

On another positive note she said there had been a lot of press coverage on Burns and that one of the concerns of Homecoming Scotland was 'not to burn - no pun intended, I'm sure - out too quickly, while admitting that the campaign had been 'very much marketed abroad rather than at home.'

Which made the point succinctly. For I discovered that if you look up the official website, www.homecomingscotland.com, you are welcomed to a vibrant site with not only a feast of info but the sight and sound of Lulu singing in Argyll and Sean Connery singing in front of Edinburgh Castle.

You can browse a mini-biography of Burns, details of the birthday anniversary celebration in his home town of Alloway, and information on hundreds of other events planned so far that reflect Scotland's culture, heritage and intellectual achievements and the nation's contributions to golf and whisky. For lovers of the 'wee dram' there is a 'whisky month' coming up in May!

To my disappointment, though, I also learnt that I had missed a major touring exhibition of the national collection of Burns' memorabilia; only some 36,000 manuscripts, books, art and artefacts that had been in the National Library of Scotland behind Princes Street!

But the biggest disappointment remains the lack of any sense of a giant birthday anniversary party for the nation's Bard in its capital. The party in Alloway, Burns' birthplace, seen on the news that night was far away and the majority of tourists, I would guess, are in Edinburgh and at some point on Princes Street!

Edinburgh should be awash with the hundreds of poems and songs that Robert Burns wrote. His words should be streaming from lampposts, and filling shops windows and tourist sites. They should be printed on buses and shopping bags and inscribed on plaques on pavements.

The country should be celebrating...on the streets!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

pics show Waterstones displays; Princes Street; Burns on a tea towel in Romanes and Paterson

Robert Burns Anniversary Birthday Weekend

As Scotland celebrated the 250th anniversary of the birth of their bard, Robert Burns, not a sign of the occasion was evident in Princes Street, Edinburgh, heart of the capital.

The 250th anniversary was meant to be the start of a year-long spectacular entitled 'Homecoming Scotland 2009', a celebration of Scotland's contributions to the world designed to attract people, especially those with Scottish ancestry, to visit the country, trace their roots and embrace their ancestral culture.

But for visitors who were there, Princes Street was bare with no indication of the festival. There were no pennants on lampposts, banners across the street, posters. Even the Harvey Nicks Robert Burns Lunch was birthday bare...see previous blog.

How did I find out about it? I happened to google Burns Night. So the following day, I went back to Princes Street to find out what was happening...or not...


The first people I met were Lynda and Steve, a middle-aged couple from Leeds who were spending a few hours shopping in Princes Street and who were staying in Glasgow.

They were here because they had spotted a bargain weekend and jumped at it.

'It wasn't Burns night, it was the trip and the package that appealed to us,' said Steve. 'But the package was for Burns Night.'

What about the bard's 250th birthday? 'We didn't know it was a special anniversary,' he said, saying there had been no publicity about it when he booked.

I told them there was a programme of events that will run until 30 November, St Andrew's Day.

'You don't get the impression there's a rolling programme,' said Lynda.

'I didn't know there was a rolling programme,' said Steve.

But their Burns Supper had been a success. The haggis had been piped in - 'We like haggis!' said Lynda - and they had the traditional 'tatties and neeps.'

Next, I spoke to Nicky. Just tipping thirty-years-old, she was on her way back to work after a lunchbreak.

Did she celebrate Burns Night?

'I did Saturday night. I went to a friend's home for a Burns Supper,' she said.

And what was on the menu?

'Haggis, neeps and tatties, and shortbread!'

What did she think of Homecoming Scotland, I asked, telling her that a newspaper article I'd read online had said there were hopes that the programme might not only attract people to visit Scotland but encourage some of the diaspora to return permanently.

'I'd be surprised if it encouraged them to come back to live. They may come for a holiday,' she replied.

And the publicity. Did she know there was a rolling programme of events?

'I know there is, but I couldn't tell you what things there are, to be honest.'

Skye and Sarah were two Australian girls in their twenties working in Edinburgh as part of a work-travel round-the-world trip.

They had been in the city for a few months, but Burns?

'Never heard of him apart from yesterday on the telly,' said Skye.

'Even though they say "Burns Night", I had no idea what it involved,' said Sarah. 'I asked someone at work last week and he told me he (Burns) was a poet. That was it!'

But she was optimistic about the Scots.

'I think Scottish people do know who Burns is. One boy at work had a haggis party...whatever haggis is to do with Burns!'

Cameron and Robbie were two young professionals.

Cameron celebrated Burns Night 'with family in the home,' with haggis, neeps and tatties.

'I had a drink of whisky but no shortbread!'

About the Homecoming Scotland, he was positive. 'That's a good thing,' he said, although adding, 'I don't know how effective it will be. It's hard to gauge.'

He thought that the widespread TV coverage through sponsorship of the Scottish FA Cup, named for this season the 'Homecoming Scottish Cup,' would have an impact.

Robbie, however, didn't participate in Burns Night.

'To be honest, I didn't notice when it was. My family don't really celebrate anything traditional. I only know about Homecoming Scotland. I worked on one of the councils and did a bit of work on Homecoming Scotland.

'I think it's a great idea for people to trace their families and things,' he said.

In my next blog, I meet some people who work in shops and the tourist industry in Princes Street, and find one literary chink of light...

pics show: a piper on Princes Street in front of the Scott Monument, by Julie; Edinburgh Castle; Princes Street taken from the Scott Monument

Robert Burns Lunch - 250th Anniversary of Birth of Bard

It was Burns Night in Scotland on Sunday, 25 January, and not just any Burns Night, but one celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of their national bard, Robert Burns.

Haggis is the focus of the feast - the national dish. Across the country there were full-ceremonial Burns Suppers, while many restaurants and bars served a much simpler offering of the revered 'beastie', and families and friends gathered in homes for informal festivities.

Burns Suppers were started by friends of the Bard in 1801, five years after his death, at Allowway in Ayr where he was born and where the family cottage is now a national monument.

In Edinburgh the day before Burns Night we saw that the luxury store Harvey Nichols - known as Harvey Nicks - would be celebrating with a Robert Burns Lunch as part of their usual Sunday Jazz Brunch. Enticed by the mysterious-sounding haggis and clapshot, and cranachan, we went along to savour the celebration.

The lunch was in the Forth Floor Brasserie, whose name emanates from the views of the Firth of Forth. Set on the fourth floor, it is an informal restaurant with huge glass windows that give a magnificent panorama of the city.

And being Sunday, as we sat there we were accompanied by the soft swing of live jazz.

Scotch Broth was first on the menu. This was a delightful, lightly-coloured concoction of what seemed to be lamb stock with pearl barley, finely-chopped onions, carrots, and 'neeps' - the Scottish colloquialism for yellow turnips otherwise known as swedes.

Served in a small bowl, it was tasty and a much slimmer version of the traditional recipe being without mutton or lamb or as many vegetables.

The original broth is not extinct, however, for the website of Traditional Scottish Recipes says, 'In modern times many Scottish households still serve Scotch Broth as a main meal rather than a starter soup.'

But with our broth as a forerunner for 'haggis and clapshot', our attention soon turned to 'what is clapshot?!' Ye olde beastie with a relic of cannon shot? A uniquely preserved recipe handed down through the clans?

'Mashed potato,' said our friendly waiter, diffusing the romantic image that a piece of ancient Scottish tradition was about to appear before us in something more than dialect.

More particularly, Traditional Scottish Recipes describes clapshot as a 'traditional Orkney recipe of tatties (potatoes) and swede (yellow turnip) and is usually served with haggis', adding that it is sometimes called Clapshaw or Orcadian Clapshot.

Orcadian Clapshot sounds so much better than mash!

As for the haggis, the haggis in its full glory at a Burns Supper is an enormous entity heralded by a piper and carried high on a platter by the chef, with a bearer of whisky for the 'wee dram' following behind.

This is where the poet is honoured. Robert Burns' ode 'To a Haggis' is recited, and on the line, 'An' cut you up wi' ready slight,' the haggis is not only sliced into but on occasions, attacked. A vivid description of the capers of the ceremony is in Hugh Douglas' The Burns Supper Companion, which we picked up in a coffee shop earlier that morning.

But this was not a Burns Supper!

Our dish arrived, a smoothly whipped, yellowish round of mash atop an equally rounded, well-tamed offering of 'the beastie.'

At best, a large bagel of a beast that slipped in quietly to the strains of bebop without a note from a bagpipe.

Neither was the ceremonial Selkirk Grace, falsely attributed to Burns in the 1800s, said over it, a Grace that we used to read in a childrens' book of prayers and graces:

'Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it:
But we hae meat and we can eat
And sae the Lord be thankit.'

In trepidation, I forked my haggis, for the contents of the original haggis are not for the squeamish. To Burns it was the 'great chieftain o' the puddin race', in other words, a sausage!

But what did they used to put in it? They raided the carcas!

Heart, lights - lungs - liver, beef suet, oatmeal and onions, all minced and sewn into the large stomach bag of a sheep.

Even the name tells you what it is, for 'haggis' probably comes from the old Scottish word 'hag' meaning to hack, says Hugh Douglas quoting from F. Marian McNeill in The Scots Kitchen.

Though he also quotes food specialist Clarissa Dickson Wright in her book, The Haggis: a Little History, who says that haggis was possibly taken to Scotland by the Vikings with the root of the name in Old Norse, Icelandic or even Norman French.

No-one knows for sure. But I had heard that these days a sheep's stomach bag isn't used, and as for the rest...

It was do and die?!

The haggis met my mouth...it was sweet and spicy, light in texture, meaty and.....Quite delicious.

Looking up recipes afterwards, A Cook's Tour of Scotland by Sue Lawrence shows that today it can be made with lamb kidneys and shoulder, and beef suet and liver.

So there is hope, glorious hope!

The very interesting fact about haggis is that it is no longer made at home but bought in butchers, the Master of them being John MacSween who supplies superior haggis for formal occasions across the country.

And from then on, it was easy. Dessert of cranachan is another national recipe that features in the Scottish New Year and Burns Night Suppers. Also called Cream Crowdie, it is a sort of raspberry mousse made, in a recipe taken from Maw Broon on the Traditional Scottish Recipes website, from oatmeal, raspberries, cream, whisky and honey.

And accompanied by that great Scottish favourite, shortbread.

The meal was topped off with coffee and 'homemade tablet'...recipes of which show tablet to be little squares of toffee made with condensed milk, but which I would say here was an upmarket version of chocolate and nuts.

All for £15. And we left, without the crossing of hands and singing of the bard's most famous song, Auld Lang Syne.

For those of us not involved with Scottish culture and the full poetic versions of a Burns Night, where speeches are made and the bard's poems recited to preserve the Immortal Memory, the simpler lunchtime events contribute to the national day.

In Harvey Nicks, the food was excellent, the service friendly and efficient, the views stunning, the jazz great...but there was one detail missing...This was the 250th ANNIVERSARY of the BIRTH of their NATIONAL BARD - and there were no posters, pictures or decorations...it was as if the store were on autopilot with their usual Burns Lunch on the annual calendar.

Where were the birthday banners and a piper for the special occasion?

Afterwards, as we walked up Princes Street, the heart of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland...not a sign of the Bard's birthday celebrations.

So the following day, I went back to Princes Street to investigate. See next blogs.

Pics of haggis and clapshot; cranachan; and coffee and homemade tablet, taken by Julie