Robert Burns

ALEXANDRIA BURNS CLUB NEWS

February 2017
Youngsters at a local school held their inaugural Burns Festival and the event was hailed a huge success. More than 30 talented children at Christie Park Primary took part and wowed the judges with traditional Scottish poetry, song and music.

In the P4 and 5 categories, Freyja Kelly won a prize for poetry, and Arryn Embelton and Jack McClafferty won the award for singing. In the P6 and 7 categories, first place for singing went to Ben Miller with his beautiful rendition of A Red, Red Rose. The top award in the poetry section went to Charis Lyons who recited Tam O’Shanter, and Innes Wilkinson took the top prize in the instrumental category.

The winner of the outstanding achievement in portraying the work of Robert Burns was awarded to Ben Miller, who took home a shield, kindly donated by the Alexandria Burns Club. The judging panel included local minister Rev Ian Miller and former deputy head of Christie Park Primary Linda Clark. Completing the trio of judges was chairman of the Alexandria Burns Federation, and chief executive of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Ian Embelton.

School Burns competition

Laura Penny, head teacher, praised all of the competitors for their hard work in learning a wide variety of songs, poems and music, and for their confident, entertaining and polished performances. She said: “We have been overwhelmed by the number of children who came forward to participate in this event. “In the month of January our school celebrates all things Scottish so this is the perfect end to our celebrations of Scottish culture".

Judge Mr Embelton, added: “Robert Burns is generally accepted to be Scotland’s greatest poet and there is a long history of Burns appreciation in The Vale of Leven. Alexandria Burns Club was formed in 1884 and is registered number two in the world wide Burns Federation. It was wonderful today to see so many young people carrying on that great tradition and celebrating Scotland’s poetry, music and song.”

(Story and image courtesy of Lennox Herald)

 

Burns Supper 28 January 2017
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 28 January 2017. (Report)

St Andrew's Night 2016
The annual St Andrews Night took place in the Vale of Leven Bowling Club on Friday 25 November 2016. (Report)

Burns Supper 23 January 2016
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 23 January 2016. (Report)

St Andrew's Night 2015
The annual St Andrews Night took place in the Vale of Leven Bowling Club on Friday 27 November 2015. (Report)

Burns Supper 24 January 2015
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 24 January 2015. (Report)

St Andrew's Night 2014
The annual St Andrews Night took place in the Vale of Leven Bowling Club on Friday 28 November 2014. (Report)

Burns Supper 25 January 2014
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 25 January 2014. (Report)

St Andrew's Night 2013
The annual St Andrews Night took place in the Vale of Leven Bowling Club on Friday 29 November 2013. (Report)

Another Local Connection
The background to this Burns connection, which is admittedly a bit tenuous, is through Mauchline Belle, “Miss Smith”. (View

Burns Supper 26 January 2013
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 26 January 2013. (Report)

St Andrew's Night 2012
The annual St Andrews Night took place in the Vale of Leven Bowling Club on Friday 30 November 2012. (Report)

Burns Supper 21 January 2012
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 21 January 2012. (Report)

St Andrew's Night 2011
The annual St Andrews Night took place in the Vale of Leven Bowling Club on Friday 25 November 2011. (Report)

Burns Supper 22 January 2011
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 22 January 2011. (Report)

St Andrew's Night 2010
The annual St Andrews Night took place in the Vale of Leven Bowling Club on Friday 26 November 2010. (Report)

Burns Supper 23 January 2010
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 23 January 2010. (Report)

Burns and the Tartan
Billy Scobie
, the well known local historian and author is also an authority on tartans. Billy wrote an article on Burns and the Tartan for the Tartan Herald. He has kindly contributed this to our website. Download now >

St Andrews Night Celebration 2009
The annual St Andrews night took place in the Vale of Leven Bowling Club on Friday 27 November 2009. (Report)

Burns Supper Image from Late Sixties/Early Seventies
Duncan McLean gave us a picture taken at a supper back around 1970 when we used to have the supper in the Bungalow Tearoom in Balloch. You will probably know a few of those in the picture. Get in touch if you can tell us exactly when it was taken or if you can fill in the gaps in the names.

Burns Supper in Bungalow Tearoom Balloch
Click the image for an enlarged version

Back Row from Left

Andrew Smith, Andy Melville, David Kirkpatrick, Robin Lindsay, Duncan McLean
William Crichton, Alan Duncan, Jimmy Duncan, Unknown

Seated From Left

James Hempstead, Bill Livingstone, Bill Dempster, Tom McKay, William McLaughlin
William McKim, Tim McAuley, Bobby Wood, Jim Archibald.

Burns Supper 24 January 2009 (250/125 Anniversary Supper)
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 24 January 2009. (Report)

St Andrews Night Celebration 2008
The annual St Andrews night took place in the Vale of Leven Bowling Club on Friday 28 November 2008. (Report)

Burns Supper 26 January 2008
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 26 January 2008. (Report)

St Andrews Night Celebration 2007
The annual St Andrews night took place in the Vale of Leven Bowling Club on Friday 24 November 2006. (Report)

Burns Supper 27 January 2007
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 27 January 2007. (Report)

St Andrews Night Celebration 2006
The annual St Andrews night took place in the Vale of Leven Bowling Club on Friday 24 November 2006. (Report)

Burns Supper 28 January 2006
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 28 January 2006. (Report)

Burns Supper 22 January 2005
The Annual Festival took place in the Masonic Temple, Gilmour Street Alexandria on Saturday 22 January 2005. (Report)

St Andrews Night Celebration 2005
The annual St Andrews night took place in the Vale of Leven Bowling Club on Friday 25 November 2005. (Report)

1993 Supper
This is a page that was created from a picture that Fergus McLellan provided of the 1993 supper that was held in the Alexandria Hotel.

 

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