Children’s storytelling, a tale of a tragic queen, and insights into artisan milk production are among the free events at Robert Burns Ellisland Farm this month.
This Saturday, literature professor Gerry Carruthers will explore Mary Queen of Scots’ influence on Robert Burns. Tess Harper, who recently won gold at the Dumfries & Galloway Burns School Competition, will perform Burns’s ‘Lament of Mary Queen of Scots on Approach of Springtime’.
This Tuesday, 13th August, local storyteller Renita will host a sessions as part of Dumfries & Galloway’s Amazing Summer programme. It will also feature music, arts, and games. Free lunch will be provided for children attending.
Saturday, 17th August, will celebrate the role of Burns’s wife, Jean Armour, who ran the dairy at Ellisland. Catherine Czerkawska, author of ‘The Jewel’, a historical novel about Jean, will speak. Bryce and Ashlea Cunningham of Mossgiel Farm will share their experiences of producing organic milk and their efforts to honour Burns’s legacy.
Refreshments will include cheese from the Ethical Dairy.
Bookings can be made through the What’s On page of the Robert Burns Ellisland Museum and Farm website here: https://www.ellislandfarm.co.uk/whats-on/
The programme is made possible thanks to funding from Historic Environment Scotland, Museum Galleries Scotland, The Holywood Trust, The People’s Postcode Lottery, Dumfries and Galloway Council Summer Programme, and the Live Literature scheme.
Siobhan MacDonald, who is managing the events programme for the Robert Burns Ellisland Trust, said:
“All the events are free thanks to our funders and the quality is really high. We want to welcome as many people as possible to the farm that Burns built.”
The events follow a successful Sunny Burns Bash on 21st July to celebrate the anniversary of the world’s first Burns Supper which attracted 200 people half of them children.
The celebrations come as the Robert Burns Ellisland Trust welcomed another new board member. He is Duncan Dornan, head of Museums at Glasgow Life, who recently announced his retirement after a highly successful career, which included the transformation of The Burrell Gallery. Duncan has a degree in agriculture and has a particular interest in farming heritage as well as Burns.
Joan McAlpine, Project Director at Ellisland, said: “It’s an incredible coup to get Duncan on board. His experience of capital projects will be invaluable as we work to save the buildings and collection here. We have applied for a National Lottery Heritage Fund Grant to realise our vision for Ellisland and Duncan’s appointment comes at a perfect time. It’s a great vote of confidence that professionals of Duncan’s calibre want to get involved.”
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