Burns Supper 2022
Written by: Andy MacCulloch
So many Burns Suppers around the world were cancelled again this year, victims of the ongoing pandemic. The Scottish Society of Ottawa (SSO) also were not able to hold a live event. The team at the SSO were undaunted and determined and pulled off a wonderful celebration and tribute to the Bard, a traditional piece of our 4th Annual OttScot Festival. Chairman Jane Torrance paid tribute to Jen Hill and all the SSO volunteers and expressed her gratitude for the support of our sponsors who helped make it happen.
We all wondered if the essence of the evening tribute to Robert Burns could be captured online. Well ask no more! It is difficult to put into words the high spirits and energy of this years’ Burns Supper. We heard that everybody loved it at home. I was at home with my family and truly enjoyed it as a big part of our own supper, and with a wee bit of whisky. It was fun and uplifting.
The theme was built around nature and the limited live-recorded festivities were held at The Barn in Glengarry; apropos as so many had walked and reconnected to nature in our social distanced and quarantined existence. Excellent readings of Burns poetry made evident the profound effect nature had on Robert Burns from his farm in Ayrshire to his later days by the River Nith. All the requisite Burns Supper elements were present. The Address to the Haggis, the Toast to the Lassies, and a brilliant response to the Laddies, and finally the Toast to the Immortal Memory of Robert Burns were well played.
This year, the different Celtic wide variety of music was simply outstanding: solo guitar and vocal by Bobby Watt and Michael Yellowlees and an outstanding fiddle set by Anna Ludlow, and guitar by Graham Lindsay. The dinner would not have been complete without the Pipes and Drums of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, and graceful Highland Dancers accompanied by piper Bruce McCuaig. It was song and dance the Bard would have appreciated and enjoyed to the fullest.
Festivities could not end with the customary hand holding and singing. Instead, it was capped by a brilliant solo performance of Auld Lang Syne by vocalist Ellen MacIsaac. This was followed by the exuberant young group The County Lads offering brilliant ceilidh dancing music, harking us back to the days of dancing lessons for a young Robin at Tarbolton. It was delightful and uplifting with the message: the pandemic is difficult, but we stand remotely but together, and sing and dance.
We partnered with The Glen Scottish Pub and Restaurant and Montgomery Scotch Lounge to offer delicious and traditional take-out Burns Suppers, even including a few wee drams!
Mr. Burns would have loved it...and nobody needed a ride home.
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