Bow to the Bard

Today we celebrate the birth of one of Scotland's most notorious lotharios - no, not Allan MacGregor or Andy Goram - Rabbie Burns. Also known, and loved, as The Bard. Scotland's Favourite Son.

It's been 252 years since this wee Ayrshire loddie came into being, and almost 216 years since he died, but he's never been more celebrated or loved. Two years ago Scotland marked the 250th anniversary of his birth by making 2009 the Year of the Homecoming - celebrating Burns and everything Scottish.

Even people who don't know of the man himself will definitely know of at least one of his poems. The symbol of New Year across the world Auld Lang Syne. There are probably a million versions of it now, but just remember it was a wee Scot from Alloway who did it first.

"And there's a hand my trusty fiere,

And gie's a hand o thine,

And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,

For auld lang syne"



Rabbie Burns has always had a reputation of being something of a ladies man. He wasn't exactly what you'd call a hunk so I can only assume that his women were simply blown away by his words of seduction. And to be honest, who can blame them. If I was being courted by a man (back in the days of course) who directed the following words to me, I would be putty in his hands.

"As fair art thou, my bonie lass,

So deep in luve, am I,

And I will luve thee still, my dear,

Till a' the seas gang dry"

You can sort of see how he managed it...

Burns was an ambassador for Scotland's most famous dish - the infamous Haggis. It's often quite funny to tell non-Scots who ask about the haggis that the best way to catch it is to chase it the wrong way round a hill because it has one leg shorter than the other...watch their faces crumple up in a) confusion, b) fascination, c) sheer disbelief. It's even funnier when someone - I won't name names but someone did it to me - tries to demonstrate how they believe a haggis would look being chased the wrong way round a hill.

Anyway, Rabbie loved our haggis so much that he wrote Address to a Haggis in its honour.



"His knife see rustic Labour dight,

An cut you up wi ready slight,

Trenching your gushing entrails bright,

Like onie ditch;

And then, O what a glorious sight,

Warm-reekin, rich!"

The thought of haggis might give most of us the dry boak - I don't know many people who would willingly eat it throughout the year - but the time is almost upon us to sample that pudding of puddings once again. With Burns suppers popping up left, right and centre over the next couple of weeks, for many, a dish of haggis, neeps and tatties will be inevitable. Look on the bright side though - like the festive binge, it's only once a year.

Happy Burns Day 2011