Rabbi Burns

Rabbie Burns is Scotland's national poet and his life and legacy are celebrated each year around his birthday on January 25th. Burns Night celebrates many Scottish traditions, eating haggis, neeps and tatties and sipping whisky, reciting well-known Burns poems and, of course, toasting the man known as "Immortal Memory". Bagpipes and a ceilidh are also important parts of a great Burns Night.

Burns was born on January 25, 1759, in Ayr, Scotland, the son of a farmer and the first of seven children. In his short 37 years, he wrote hundreds of songs and poems. These were enjoyed during his lifetime and have been celebrated for over 200 years as part of the Burns Supper, when Scots celebrate his work.

Did you know?

Burns wrote one of the most famous and most sung songs, “Auld Lang Sang”! It is listed in the Book of World Records as one of the three most popular songs in the entire English language.

Auld Lang Sang

Should also acquaintance be forgotten,
and never brought to mind?
Should also acquaintance be forgotten,
and auld lang syne?

Chorus :
For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

And surely ye'll be your pint-stoup!
and surely I'll be mine!
And we'll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

Chorus

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pou'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,
sin' auld lang syne.

Chorus

We have paid for it in the burn,
early morning sun till dinner;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
sin' auld lang syne.

Chorus

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
and gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll take a right gude-willie waught,
for auld lang syne.

Chorus