Norwegian Burns society are special guests at Perth's salute to the Bard
A Norwegian group of Burns enthusiasts will be special guests at Perth celebrations for the Bard’s birthday.
The Haggis Society of Norway, based near Oslo, hold Burns Nights annually, but every fifth year they aim to attend an event in Scotland.
On Saturday, January 25, they will attend the Perth Burns Club supper in the city’s Salutation Hotel, which also marks the Norwegian club’s 40th anniversary.
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Some members of the Haggis Society of Norway learned about Burns suppers while studying at Glasgow University and took the tradition home.
They are no strangers to Scotland and enjoy visiting the country’s distilleries and golf courses.
Perth Burns Club honorary life president Donald Paton said: “Although these visitors will not be arriving in Viking longships, it is appropriate that this group have chosen Perth to celebrate their society’s fortieth anniversary as it was the 1266 Treaty of Perth that ended military conflict between Norway and Scotland over the possession of the Hebrides.”
A toast to Norway and Scotland will be proposed by Mr Paton and Rolf Kjoennerud from the Norwegian club will give the reply.
Mr Kjoennerud said: “We have 17 members now.
“There have been a few changes in the membership over the years – but there is a core of 12 members that has been there since the beginning.
“We are honoured to be invited to this year’s main event – The Burns Supper.
“I visited Perth in April to plan the trip and met Donald and Perth Burns Club members.
“The Perth Burns Club is a very important cultural club, professional in their work on the heritage of Robert Burns and flying the St Andrew’s cross.”
Other features of the evening will include broadcaster and journalist Lesley Riddoch as principal speaker and proposer of the Immortal Memory.
It will be the third time that a woman has been principal speaker at the event which was founded in 1873.
The Toast to The Lasses is to be proposed by Muthill farmer Forbes Gauld and replied to by Lara Haggerty, the Keeper of Books at the historic Innerpeffray Library near Crieff.
The music comes from singers Paul Vaughan, Fiona Brownsmith, accompanist Edna Auld, fiddler Douglas Sime and piper Martin Bristow.
And verse speaking will be from Alan Telfer and Donald Paton.
The evening will be chaired by the current club president Alan Telfer.
Tickets for this popular Burns Night celebration cost £38 and are available by contacting the club secretary Elliott Boyle at 07709 225480.
Bookings can also be made by visiting the club’s website at www.perthburnsclub.org.uk