Burns’ Night a blazing success

The annual “Alternative Burns’ Night Supper” organised by the Carlisle Socialist Party was described by a journalist from the local paper as his best ever night out in the city. Mind you, that was at 1.30am, after six hours of music, poetry, singing, eating – and, yeah, OK, a wee bit of drinking – by over 40 people.

Our address to Burns, the “immortal memory”, rescued the revolutionary democrat and internationalist from the parochial conservatives who have partly sanitised and partly vilified him since his death. How many guests at the Mayor’s much-publicised supper knew Burns supported the American and French revolutions against the Hannoverian monarchy? Who knew he sent cannon to France, and formed a secret branch of the “Friends of the People” in nearby Dumfries?

After some poems and live Scottish and Irish music, we enjoyed haggis, neeps and tatties, followed by more modern music in open mic and karaoke sessions. What an enjoyable way to raise £132 and bust our fighting fund target!

I’m still recovering.

Brent Kennedy, Carlisle Socialist Party