Burns festival launched

Nov 27 2009 by Lorraine Howard, Irvine Herald

IRVINE Burns Club’s campaign to gain worldwide recognition as the town that inspired Rabbie to have his work published was launched on Monday by another Robert Burns.

This time, 12-year-old Robert Burns from Stevenston officially launched the exhibition of honorary members’ letters at the Wellwood Club in Irvine’s Eglinton Street.

Dear Mister Burns... features almost 300 handwritten letters from leading historical figures, including Charles Dickens, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Theodore Roosevelt, as well as Hollywood star Sean Connery, along with crime authors Ian Rankin and Conan Doyle.

The exhibition, being held in the Burns Club and at the town’s Harbour Arts Centre, will be accompanied by a weekend of ceilidhs, concerts and entertainment across the town from Thursday until Monday, November 30.

One of the men behind the event, Bill Nolan of Irvine Burns Club, has high hopes that it will make the world sit up and recognise Irvine as the place that in 1781, inspired the Bard to have his work printed. The club wants to see Irvine cash in on the possible tourism potential this has.

Bill said: “When potential visitors with an interest in Robert Burns think of The Burns Country, few include Irvine on their itinerary.

“Yet in a letter written in December 1787, Burns himself identifies his stay in Irvine as being the time, “that gave me an idea of my own pieces which encouraged me to endeavour at the character of a poet”.

“Irvine can justifiably claim to be The Cradle of The Poet.

“Cultural tourism is a major economic growth area and the primary objective of this Dear Mister Burns initiative is to capture a share of that market by putting Irvine on the Burns map.

“Irvine’s major role in turning Burns from being an obscure Ayrshire farmer into an international icon deserves better recognition and we believe that this special event will be the start of that process.”

The giant boards featuring the letters from the honorary members were designed by Irvine’s Cameron Syme, who owns Think Creative Design.

Using input from the club’s Ian Dickson, who researched the letters from the collection, the boards will be available for libraries in the area to have after the exhibition is over.

The exhibition was backed by North Ayrshire Council, Irvine Bay Regeneration Company, Visit Scotland and Event Scotland.

And two pupils from Irvine’s Loudoun Montgomery Primary were invited along to the launch.

Five-year-olds Ben Murray and Alex Barclay couldn’t believe the size of the giant envelope when they arrived at the Burns Club on Monday.

The Dear Mister Burns exhibition opens daily from 10am to 4pm.