Today is a big day for Scotland. Every year Scotland celebrates the life of Scottish poet Robert Burns.
He lived from 1759 to 1796, he was only 37 years old when he passed, but boy, did he pack a lot into his short life!
He is known as Scotlands greatest poet and wrote some of our best and most cherished poems and songs.
Tonight, as per tradition, there will be Scots all over the world eating haggis, neeps and tatties for dinner (haggis, turnip and potatoes) but not without performing one of his most famous poems first.. address to a haggis.
If you have never heard or seen this poem being performed (and it is quite a performance) before dinner is served, I really recommend you try to seek out a Burns night supper if you are in Scotland, it is worth seeing. Of course you will also be served a wee dram of whiskey too! It is said that when his friends came together to celebrate his life after he passed, they served haggis..... and so became a tradition!
Robert (or Rabbie as he is also called here), is probably most famous for the song we all sing to bring in a new year, auld lang syne. Its a globally recognised and loved song. His birthday is not just celebrated here in Scotland, but all over the world.
Some of his most famous poems/songs include:
Auld lang syne
Scots Wha Hae
Tam O'Shanter
A man's a man for a that
A red red rose
Love or hate his work, you can definitely not deny that his volume and quality of work was remarkable, and he has become truly entwined with our Scottish identity.
I wish you all a wonderful Burns night tonight x