A Burns Supper

The History Of The Burns Supper

A Burns Supper is done to celebrate and recognise the life and work of Robert Burns. The earliest documented celebration of a burns supper took place in Ayrshire in the summer of 1801 soon after Burns's death. This early event involved nine of Burns's closest friends who gathered to celebrate and remember their friend on his birthday and went on to organise another celebration a year later on the same day. At this earliest event a speech was given and haggis was served, reminiscent of the celebration today.

Due to a mistake in Curries diary's these early celebrations actually took place on the wrong day - this was corrected some years later. Due to various farming pressures the date began to fluctuate between winter and summer. Finally January was settled on, and this has remained till today.

The Alloway Burns Club
The celebration grew in numbers and notoriety becoming known as The Alloway Burns Club around the end of the 19th century. The number of Burns clubs grew, they are early documents placing them in Greenock, Paisley and Kilmarnock. The Burns club very quickly spread over the country, although still at this stage being an informal affair . Clubs began adding a burns supper to their list of events.

A Burns Supper As We Know Today
These burns clubs were forerunners of the official Burns clubs of today. The parent body of this world-wide association is the Burns Federation, based in Kilmarnock, which at present lists 300-400 affiliated clubs and between 200 and 300 individuals as active federation members.

The Difference Between A Burns Supper and The Burns Anniversary Dinner
There is an important distinction between a Burns Supper and The Burns Anniversary Dinner given by Burns clubs. Club Anniversary Dinners have the early format of