Burns Night

Dunfermline SNP recently celebrated a rather later than usual Burns Night, with the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, as guest-of-honour.

Nicola joined around one-hundred other guests in the Keavil House Hotel, Crossford, and was on top form, despite suffering from a heavy cold.  Her amusing ‘Reply for the Lassies’ earned lots of laughs, in response to a ‘Toast tae the Lassies’ from Len Woods, an SNP candidate in the May Council elections.

I chaired the event and hope I acquitted myself half as well as our excellent participants. The Travelling People played a selection of Burns’ songs as well as some bluegrass numbers.  Brian Kelly piped in the haggis, while Ken Dow made the Address to the Haggis in vivid style.   Bill Lamond gave a wonderful Holy Willie’s Prayer, following his Immortal Memory.

My thanks go out to everyone who organised and took part in a great night.  The evening was a warm celebration of our national bard. However, it does raises the bar for the next Dunfermline SNP event! 

The above was originally written for Bill’s Dunfermline Press column. This version may vary slightly.