Burns in Helensburgh

The Bard and I braved the snow and freezing fog today en route to visiting Lomond School in Helensburgh, in the West of Scotland. This proved to be a modern building and a keen group of pupils, some of whom had learned more than one poem or two.... They also had some splendid paintings of the Bard around the hall as can be seen here...
They were happy to join in the singing and we even had a soloist who performed a lovely version of Ae Fond Kiss, to the delight of her classmates.
Another student was happy to recite To a Louse, after I explained about Lunardi, showing they are taking the Bard's works seriously. At the end I was given a warm, spontaneous and prolonged round of applause which was gratefully received!

A special thanks to the two soloists and to the teacher who took the photos.

Burns in Airdrie

The Bard and I travelled westwards today to Plains near Airdrie. There we visited the new school of St David's Primary - in its smart premises. We spent a very pleasant hour and half with P5-7 who are very well up on their Burns!

Rantin Rovin Robin

Listening hard

In fact they had held a supper just last night performing songs and poems themselves. At the start they managed to name more than 15 songs and poems - an excellent number as most schools manage only 2 or 3.
The young folks were keen to show off their talents too. They performed the Selkirk Grace, Ae Fond Kiss and extracts from Tam O Shanter! So, well done to them all. I also managed to scare my Louse volunteer! So bravely done to him for being targeted...

Auld Lang Syne

Finally, a huge thanks to the boys who helped me set up and to load the car afterwards, and to the teacher who took the photos!

Burns in Kelty

Ceasar and Luath do it again!

The Bard and I made it to Kelty today - a small town in Fife near the M90 and where a room full of P5-7 listened to the life and times of Rantin Rovin Robin.

The young people were very attentive and joined in well with the songs, gaining a 7/10 on my totally arbitrary scale. ;o) As ever the Twa Dugs scored well.....with multiple 'aaahhhhss'

P6 listening well....

Thanks to the teachers for joining in and taking the photos.

Burns in Sauchie

The Bard and I visited Craigbank Primary school today in Sauchie near Alloa. A lively school in the middle of a housing scheme with very enthusiastic youngsters. Over 150 packed into their hall this afternoon to listen to the bard's tale, interwoven into some other Scottish history as usual.

As ever Ceasar and Luath are a hit!

The younsgters were keen to sing and appreciative of the poems and humour. Well done to the young man who played the louse! ...and a big thanks to the teacher from NI who took the photos.

Burns in Dalgety Bay

The Bard and I had a great trip to Dalgety Bay Primary school in Fife today. A busy morning saw 2 shows; one for p3-4 and one for p5,6 & 7 and a special guest appearance at p1-2 assembly! We are both exhausted ;o)

This is a big school and we managed to see lots of youngsters this morning. All were very enthusiastic and well behaved - a credit to the school.

some attentive listeners from p6/7!

For the first time we were asked for some more 'modern' Scots songs with p3/4 so we had some fun with Granny being shoved off the bus - or not- and three craws sitting on a wall!

Three craws sat upon a wa'

p3/4 loved the Louse and well done to the young man who heroically played the Louse's part! Although I think I sacred the living daylights out of him ;o)

I am sure Burns would have loved it! As ever a big thanks to the teachers who took photos and for the biccies and coffee....and a HUGE thanks to the young people who made it all worth while.

Burns in Glow

The Bard goes high tech!

The Bard and I went online today! Something of a unique experience delivering a short version of the show using online conferencing software. We had 26 schools taking part from as far away as the Island of Lewis to Dundee to Dunoon with myself in Fife and Jennifer, the Glow expert, in Edinburgh. To my mind this is what technology is all about and what Glow should be doing much more of. We had pupils from 26 schools all singing Auld Lang Syne together although many hundreds of miles apart....cool or what! There were many questions showing how keen the young people were to take part and the whole thing has been saved for future broadcasts.
A definite success ;o)

Burns in Bo'ness

The Sonic screwdriver does it again!

The Bard and I visited the delightful small town of Bo'ness on the banks of the River Forth today. We were in Kinneil Primary where an enthusiastic group of p4-7 were given the Bard's life story. They were already well informed especially p7 who are currently covering this in some detail but also the younger ones, one of whom managed to recite To a Louse in a very convincing manner! Indeed the whole class joined in with the bulk of the poem in a very enthusiastic way.... Well done to all concerned ;o)

Auld Lang Syne

As ever a big thanks to the teachers for taking the photos....

Burns in Cardenden

The Bard and I visited Cardenden Primary today (currently sharing premises with Denend School) here in Fife to talk to a group of around 50 enthusiastic young people.

This town hosts the Burns Club I am currently president of - Bowhill People's Burns Club - so it was great to see the young people well informed and able to list a good range of works of the Bard. These pupils take part in the annual competition run by the Club and it was wonderful to be able to give them some new ideas for songs and poems.

As ever the Mouse and Twa Dugs were a hit....

....but Lousey caused many laughs this time too!

A classic Burns piece and one well worth the learning for any budding competitors.
The pupils were especially enthusiastic during the singing so well done to them all for that! Finally, a big thanks to the teachers who took the photos for me too.

Burns in Blairgowrie

The Bard and I visited Rattray Primary in Blairgowrie today to talk to around 100 very interested youngsters and some interested teachers too! The pupils were very well behaved and sat on a hard floor for well over an hour listening most attentively and joining in where invited.
P5 at the front were especially vocal during the singing and their enthusiasm was well appreciated by yours truly!

Keen to answer questions and fairly knowledgeable these young people did the school proud.
Hopefully we have given them some enthusiasm for the bard and they will go onto some further study of RB's life and works. Thanks to John for the photos and to the canteen staff for lunch!
As ever the mousey and the Twa Dugs elicited a BIG awwwwww and were well received by young and old.

His hair, his size, his mouth, his lugs, Shew'd he was nane o' Scotland's dogs
But whalpit some place far abroad, Whare sailors gang to fish for cod.