Portrait of Robert Burns

250th Anniversary of the Birth of Robert Burns

25 January 1759 - 21 July 1796

This year is the 250th anniversary of Scottish poet Robert Burns also known as Rabbie Burns, Scotland's favourite son, the Ploughman Poet, the Bard of Ayrshire and in Scotland simply as the Bard. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, a cultural icon and is celebrated worldwide. He is the best known of the poets who have written in the Scots language, although much of his writing is also in English and a 'light' Scottish dialect. He also wrote in standard English, and in these pieces, his political or civil commentary is often at its most blunt.

His most notable works are Auld Lang Syne, To a Mouse, A Man's a Man for A'That, Scots Wha Hae and A Red, Red Rose.

	Celebration Events at Waitakere Library & Information Services
	Who was Robert Burns?
	Websites on Robert Burns
	Books on Robert Burns and Scotland
	Homecoming 2009

Celebration Events at Waitakere Library & Information Services

Who was Robert Burns?

Robert Burns was the eldest of seven children of William Burness, a self-educated tenant farmer from Dunnottar, The Mearns and Agnes Broun, the daughter of a tenant farm from Kirkoswald, South Ayreshire. He had little regular schooling and at age 15 was working as a principal labourer at Mount Oliphant. Robert joined a country dancing school in 1779 and in 1781 became a Freemason at Lodge St David, Tarbolton. He began unsuccessfully courting Alison Begbie at this time.

In 1781 he became a flax-dresser. He continued to write songs and letters and began a Commonplace Book in 1783. He married Jean Armour in 1788. She bore him eight children in all, but only three survived infancy. At the suggestion of his brother he published his poems in the volume Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, known as the Kilmarnock volume. The success of the work was immediate and soon he was known across the country.

Burns was invited to Edinburgh in 1786 to oversee the preparation of a revised edition which was finally published in 17 April 1787. His stay in the city resulted in lifelong friendships with Lord Glencairn and Frances Anna Dunlop, who became his occasional sponsor and with whom he corresponded for the rest of his life. He took a lease on a farm near Dumfries in 1788. Burns worked to collect and preserve Scottish folk songs. After he died in Dumfries a memorial edition of his poems was published to raise money for his wife and children, and within a short time of his death, money started pouring in from all over Scotland to support them.

There are many organizations around the world named after Burns, as well as a large number of statutes and memorials. The Royal Mail has twice issued Postage Stamps commemorating Burns. Robert Burns is pictured on the five pound banknote of the Clydesdale Bank, one of the Scottish banks with the right to issue banknotes.

Websites on Robert Burns

For more information on the life and times of Robert Burns explore the official Robert Burns site which includes all his poems and songs, the Burns encyclopedia and the Burns National Heritage Park.

The "World Burns Club" includes the letters of Robert Burns, and how to hold your own Burns Supper - the great Scottish feast.

For the story of the Scottish settlers and their impact on New Zealand explore Te Ara : the Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Books on Robert Burns and Scotland

Browse the library collection for Robert Burns

Browse the library collection for everything Scottish

Browse the library collection for Scottish Genealogy

Homecoming 2009

Homecoming Scotland 2009 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Scotland's national poet and cultural icon Robert Burns, whose message of friendship epitomised through the song 'Auld Land Syne' lives on. Burns is the inspiration behind Scotland's year long celebration of some of Scotland's great contributions to the world such as golf, whisky, great Scottish minds and innovation and Scotland's rich culture and heritage.