We just wanted to share the recent fabulous evening for Burns Night at Welbeck Manor and Golf.
This was an absolutely fantastic night and we’re really pleased with how the entire evening went!
Burns Night at Welbeck started with the arrival of the South West Bag Piper to welcome our guests from the Hallway as they all arrived in their Burns Night finery.
Piping for the arrival of the guests at the Burns Supper is traditional. It sets a Scottish tone to the evening and establishes the sense of cermony required for such an important occasion.
What does a bagpiper for Burns Night do?
The Piper can perform at all the important parts of a Burns Supper and give a theatrical recital of Burns’ Address to a Haggis.
- Ceremonial Full Highland Dress
- Play for guests’ arrival
- Pipe in the Haggis
- Explain the history of the Haggis
- Bagpiper’s Address to the Haggis
- Burns Supper Bagpiper Recital
- Available for photographs
The 25th of January each year marks the anniversary of Scotland’s national bard, Robert Burns. On this day or close to it, sees the traditional Burns Supper held. An event celebrating the life and work of Robert Burns – combining haggis, whisky, poetry and of course, a Burns Supper bagpiper!
Our guests were seated and the starter of Cullen Skink or ‘cock-a-leekie’ soup was served. Then it was time for the exciting bit of piping in the Haggis!
Piping in the Haggis is the beginning of the formal ceremony of the Address to the Haggis. This is where the star attraction of the Burns Supper arrives – the Haggis!
Playing the Burns song A Man’s a Man, For All That, the Piper enters in to the Dining Room leading the Chef carrying the Haggis on a platter. The Haggis is set down on a table in view of the guests, at which point the piper stops playing.
Now it’s time to start the formal proceedings of the evening.
Some hae meat and canna eat, And some wad eat that want it; But we hae meat, and we can eat, Sae let the Lord be thankit.
Words to the Selkirk Grace
The Address to a Haggis is the most important part of the official proceedings.
To a Haggis, spontaneously when asked to say Grace at a dinner in Edinburgh. It became tradition to recite this in front of a haggis when Burns Suppers in the bard’s honour began to be held in the early 19th century.
ADDRESS TO A HAGGIS
Poem by Robert Burns
Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o’ the pudding-race!
Aboon them a’ yet tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy o’a grace
As lang’s me arm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o’need,
While thro’ your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An’ cut you up wi’ ready sleight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like ony ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin’, rich!
Then, horn for horn, they stretch an’ strive:
Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive,
Till a’ their weel-swall’d kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
Bethankit! hums.
Is there that owre his French ragout
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad make her spew
Wi’ perfect sconner,
Looks down wi’ sneering, scornfu’ view
On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckles as wither’d rash,
His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash;
His nieve a nit;
Thro’ blody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread.
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He’ll mak it whissle;
An’ legs an’ arms, an’ heads will sned,
Like taps o’ trissle.
Ye Pow’rs, wha mak mankind yer care,
And dish them out their bill o’ fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if ye wish her gratefu’ prayer
Gie her a haggis!
Near the end of the Address the Piper raises the Haggis on its platter and asks the guests to raise their glasses, and toast “To the Haggis”.
Upon laying the Haggis back on the table, a whisky is presented to the Chef, and the Piper raises a glass toasts the Chef and guests. Then he takes up his pipes and starts piping to lead the Chef and the Haggis back out of the room.
This is the signal for the main course of your Burns Supper dinner to begin.
The main course was then served!
Haggis, Neeps and Tatties of course (a vegan version was available).
A wonderfu dessert of Cranachan Trifle or Candied Clementine vegan shortbread followed by Cheese and Oatcakes with a wee dram of Whiskey!
All in all a fabulous evening where everyone had an amazing time celebrating this wonderful tradition.
Keep your eyes peeled for our next event. you won’t be disappointed!