Rabbie Burns celebrated with style by lassies and laddies

It was a braw bricht moonlicht nicht at the City Club and many a wee deoch an doris was consumed  when local Scots gathered on Friday, (Jan 29) to join The St Andrews Society in celebrating  Rabbie Burns Day.

 It was four days after the traditional celebration of the Scottish bard’s life and times, but this is Panama. On the other hand, the first Burns’ Supper in 1802, six years after his death, was held on January 29, and that included people who had known him but got the date of his death wrong. Deoch an doris can do things like that.

 

There were many kilted laddies at the gathering of the clans, which followed the tradition established over 200 years ago, and is now celebrated around the world.
First the Chieftan’s welcome by Jonathan Jones and the loyal toast to the Queen by UK Ambassador Richard Austen.

 

The Selkirk Grace:
“Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit,“

was followed by the Piping in of the Haggis; The Address to the Haggis by John Paul;  the Toast to the Lassies by Ken Campbell;, and the Lassies Reply by Bobbie Jones, giving both sexes the chance to roast each other.The Immortal Memory was presented by Neil Macoll.
Scottish dancing and Auld Lang Syne, rounded off a truly braw bricht nicht and the moon was shining when the celebrants headed home.
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For more photos, go to the picture gallery.