The new Robert Burns Birthplace Museum opened in late January as part of the ‘Burns weekend’ and just prior to Burns Night on the 25^th of January; the bard’s birthday.  The new museum is in Alloway, adjacent to the other Burns sites – the Burns Monument, Burns Cottage, Auld Brig O’Doon and Auld Kirk – and they are linked by Poet’s Path, a pedestrian walkway.  Alloway is a short distance from Turnberry and Troon and is definitely a worthwhile break from golf.

Robert Burns died in 1796 and is regarded by many as Scotland’s finest poet, so it was fitting that the museum should be opened by the present Makar (national poet), Liz Lochhead.

Burns Suppers will be held all over the world this week, wherever Scots or followers of the poet are together.  The first Burns Supper was held by his friends in 1797 on the anniversary of his death and although the date has moved to the anniversary of his birth, it has become a national custom ever since.  The meal consists of soup, followed by haggis, neeps (mashed turnip) and tatties (mashed potato) and the highly-flavoured savoury pudding is ceremoniously piped into the dining hall.  The host, or a chosen speaker, will “address the haggis” through a traditional poem before plunging in a dirk (dagger) at the appropriate line.

Toasts are, of course, made with whisky!

By Yvonne Shaw.  Yvonne has been with PerryGolf for over 10 years and is a member of our admin team.