The Robert Burns Collection

The Burns Supper: A Concise History by Clark McGinn, paperback, 9781912147830

As Others See Us edited by Tricia Malley and Ross Gillespie, paperback, 9781906817527

About The Burns Supper:

This annual celebration of the life and works of the poet Robert Burns is held in Scotland and across the globe around the anniversary of the poet’s birthday in the form of a convivial dinner with particular, some may say peculiar, ritual traditions.

When the Reverend Hamilton Paul agreed to arrange the first anniversary dinner for Robert Burns’ patrons and friends in July 1801, he began a tradition that quite soon became a global celebration.

Over two hundred years later, Burns Suppers are held all over the world to commemorate the life and work of a poet beloved wherever people celebrate life, love and liberty. From its beginning with nine Scotsmen in Burns Cottage,  to today, where over nine million people join in the Burns Supper festivities, from the USA to Russia, Australia to China, and somewhere near you. The long and happy story of Burns Night is explored in this history of the annual event which has been called ‘the biggest party in the world’.

About the Author: 

CLARK McGINN was born and brought up in Ayr, being educated at Ayr Academy where he spoke at his first Burns Supper. He has performed at over 200 Immortal Memory speeches in 32 cities in 17 countries, travelling nearly a dozen times round the globe in the process. He was President of the Burns Club of London during the Burns 250th Celebrations in 2009, when he gave the Eulogy at the National Service of Thanksgiving for Burns at Westminster Abbey. In 2014, he was awarded a PhD by the University of Glasgow for his research into the history of the Burns Supper and has had several peer-reviewed articles published on various aspects of Burns. 

He has published several books on the Burns Supper, including The Ultimate Burns Supper Book, The Burns Supper: A Comprehensive History and The Burns Supper: A Concise History. Clark lives with his wife, Ann, in Harrow-on-the-Hill and Fowey. Their three daughters live outside London and New York.

About As Others See Us:

As Others See Us is based on a new photographic exhibition from Tricia Malley and Ross Gillespie, who together form the renowned partnership broad daylight. It forms part of Homecoming 2009, celebrating the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns' birth.

The exhibition consists of 20 portraits of prominent and influential Scots, including Eddi Reader, Edwin Morgan, Peter Howson and Janice Galloway.

The portraits capture a unique insight into the sitter, enhanced by the accompanying text, as each was asked to contribute their favourite poem from Robert Burns, and to explain why it is special to them and what they think it means to Scots today.