Robbie Burns Dinners 2009 - 2014

The Clan Mac Neil in Canada enjoyed getting together to celebrate a Robbie Burns Supper for a number of years.

We first gathered, with a few friends, at The Crows Nest Restaurant, in Newmarket.

Soon our numbers out grew the nice little room, at the top of the stairs, and we were forced to move to a larger establishment, also in Newmarket.

However, that proved too costly. At the same time the weather got particularly mean towards the end of January, deterring  a few older members, so we went in search of a more reasonable location for the die heart few that remained.

We finally found Cousins Deli, also in Newmarket, and this became our final resting place.

I took over from Alana Mac Neill in 2008 with “The Address to the Laddies”. I decided to do it ” My Way ” which was in verse. I also made a costume fitting to my subject.

In 2008 I started off as Jean Armour, wife of Robbie Burns and dressed in a plain black hooded cape.  In 2009 my costume was of the executed Mary Queen of Scots with my head under my arm. The following year, 2010, I had fun as a Haggis. Next came Half Devil & Half Angel in 2011 when I mimicked all the executive board in my speech. They all took it with laughs and smiling faces. In 2012 I was Robbie Burns himself. Ebenezer Scrooge who believe it or not was a Scotsman followed in 2013. Finally, in January 2014, our last year for holding this celebration due to falling numbers and bad weather I was Princess Ka’iulani Victoria of the Hawaiian Islands. What has this to do with Scotland ? My mother was Princess Likelike and she married a Scot, Archibald Scott Cleghorn from Edinburgh. Although Princess Ka’iulani’s life was cut short at twenty three she was a great ambassador for Hawaii until it became part of the U.S.A. in 1898 just months before her death.

Although we, unfortunately, do not hold this occasion any more a lot of fun was held by all.

Stop a minute and take a walk down memory lane.