The Hail Six Incorporated Trades held their annual Burns Supper on Saturday night at Arden House and in as in the long tradition of the Incorporated Trades, it was the last of the season.
Deacon Convener Ian D Swan welcomed a sell-out audience which included guests from Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Irvine and York. The haggis was piped in by Journeyman Coll Marshall and addressed in some style by Stacy Whan. This was Stacy’s first time addressing the haggis and she started the proceedings off in impeccable style.
Deacon Convener Billy Dickson of Irvine Incorporated Trades toasted “The Incorporated Trades”, celebrating the long history of the organisations and the close friendships formed between Irvine and Kirkcudbright Trades.
Journeyman the Rev. Graham Finch had the audience spellbound with a light but spell bounding Immortal Memory in which he asked the question, “Burns, what is the fuss all about?” Graham received a standing ovation from an audience he had so skilfully engaged for the principle toast.
Colin Gibson, Past President of the Burns Howff Club in Dumfries and current President of Thornhill Burns Club toasted the Lasses O’ in a toast which was both hilarious and poignant. Another relative newcomer to the Burns circuit, local lass Susan Martin, replied in a skilled and humorous fashion which was received well by both sexes.
Jimmy Law, a renowned Burnsian from Skelmorlie in Ayrshire recited “A hens a hen for a that”, “John Barleycorn” with an amazingly skilled translation from Scots to English throughout the poem and “Old Lochgelly”. Jimmy received an standing ovation for his contribution to the night’s programme.
Jimmy plans to take his performances to the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh in August. The musician and accompanist for the evening was Iain Smith.
