BURNS SUPPERS · YORKSHIRE & BEYOND
Burns Night.
A proper
Scottish occasion.
The pipes, the haggis, a few well-loved tunes and good company. I’ll help you bring it all together.
I play for Burns Suppers in pubs, restaurants, golf clubs, Masonic lodges and care homes, from a short visit to an evening of piping.
MORE THAN A DATE IN THE DIARY
A celebration to look forward to
Burns Night celebrates the life, poetry and songs of Robert Burns on his birthday, 25 January. People have been gathering for Burns Suppers for over 200 years.
You don’t need to know his poetry by heart to enjoy one. Scottish food, whisky, music, a bit of humour and sometimes dancing all help make it an occasion.
January can be a quiet month after Christmas. For pubs and restaurants, a Burns Supper gives people a good reason to come out. In care homes, it’s a chance for familiar tunes, a little ceremony and a change from the usual routine.
MY BURNS NIGHT STORY
From Rolls-Royce at 16
to returning every January
Burns Night has been part of my piping life since I was a teenager. Some bookings have become regular fixtures, and it’s lovely to return to familiar faces each year.
More about my piping background ↗I started playing at the Rolls-Royce Burns Nights in Derby when I was 16. After playing at different venues over the following years, I was booked by Loch Fyne in Sheffield and played its Burns Night for around five years running.
I was then invited to play for Baldwin’s, which held a whole week of Burns Nights. For several years, I played at each of those events. When Baldwin’s closed, I went on to Abbeydale Omega, where the team tried to keep the tradition going.
Since then, I’ve played for The Wee Dram in Bakewell and The Rambler Inn in Edale, as well as other Burns celebrations across the region.
I usually visit around 10–15 care homes each Burns season. Returning bookings include Aire View in Leeds and Sid Bailey Care Home in Brampton, Barnsley. I’ve also played for the Derbyshire Stroke Centre.
THE PIPES, THE WORDS & THE OCCASION
Where I can fit into your evening
Some hosts want the full traditional supper. Others are putting on their first Burns Night in the pub and want something a little less formal. We can talk through what would suit your guests.
- Welcome your guests with a few tunes as they arrive.
- Lead in the haggis and perform the Address to a Haggis.
- Play between courses, with timings agreed around the meal and speeches.
- Finish with some lively jigs and reels, and “Auld Lang Syne” when you’re ready to bring everyone together.
I’ll work with whoever is hosting or carrying the haggis so we know where we’re going, when to start and how the music fits around the rest of the evening.
Tell me what you’re planningA PRACTICAL RUNNING ORDER
What happens at a Burns Supper?
There’s a traditional order, but you can adapt it to your venue and guests. You don’t have to include every speech or reading to put on an enjoyable evening.
Welcome and grace
I can pipe as guests arrive. Once everyone is seated, the host welcomes the room and the Selkirk Grace is often said before the meal.
Pipe in the haggis
Everyone stands as the haggis is carried in to the sound of the pipes. “A Man’s a Man for A’ That” is a familiar choice, with guests often clapping along.
Address to a Haggis
The host, chef or piper recites Burns’s poem. The haggis is cut during the third verse, at “An’ cut you up wi’ ready slicht”, before a toast is raised.
The supper and a few tunes
Haggis, neeps and tatties are the traditional meal, with alternatives to suit your guests. Music, songs or readings can be fitted between courses.
The Immortal Memory
A speaker pays tribute to Burns’s life and work. It can be thoughtful and funny, and doesn’t need to turn into a long history lesson.
Toasts and entertainment
The Toast to the Lassies and the reply are often part of a traditional supper, alongside more music, poems or songs. A willing reader deserves plenty of encouragement.
Thanks and Auld Lang Syne
The host thanks everyone, then guests link arms and join in “Auld Lang Syne”. I can play it on the pipes to round things off.
BURNS NIGHT IN CARE HOMES
Familiar tunes and a visit to look forward to
Around an hour is usually enough for a care-home visit. I’ll play some well-known Scottish tunes, take requests where I can, and make time for a chat and photographs with residents who would like them.
If you’ve prepared a haggis, I can parade it in and perform the Address. You can make the visit part of lunch, an afternoon gathering or a Burns celebration of your own.
Some homes ask me to visit residents who can’t come to the communal room. We can discuss playing in a room or nearby, taking account of the volume, the space and what each person is comfortable with. A few familiar tunes can make a very personal visit.
I regularly return to care homes in Leeds and South Yorkshire during the Burns season. Let me know your preferred date, the time of your meal or activities, and whether you’d like a group performance, room visits or a mixture of both.
WATCH A FEW MOMENTS
A little of the atmosphere
A few moments from Burns celebrations and care-home visits. Choose a video to watch it here.
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A FEW PRACTICAL QUESTIONS
Planning your Burns Night
When should I book a piper?
As early as you can, particularly for 25 January and the nearest Fridays and Saturdays. Many regular events book again each year. If your date is coming up soon, it’s still worth asking.
Can you do the Address to a Haggis?
Yes. I can pipe in the haggis and perform the Address. Let me know if you already have someone doing the reading, so we can plan the entrance and piping around them.
Do we need a full formal Burns Supper?
No. You can include the parts that suit your event. A haggis entrance, the Address and a few tunes can work well for a smaller gathering or a care-home visit.
How much will it cost?
Tell me your date, venue and how much of the event you’d like me to be part of, and I’ll put a quote together. A short daytime visit and an evening with several appearances involve different timings.
Where do you travel?
I’m based in Sheffield and play across Yorkshire, including Leeds, Bradford, York, Huddersfield, Halifax and Doncaster. I also regularly travel into Derbyshire and the surrounding regions.
LET’S PLAN YOUR BURNS NIGHT
A date, a venue and a few ideas.
Let me know when and where you’re celebrating, your approximate start and finish times, and whether you’d like piping, the Address or a care-home visit. We can work out the rest together.