Burns night 2014
Burns night 2014
Legendary...
A somewhat smaller group this year, but more than compensated by our record-breaking auction, raising over 50,000 CZK (c $2500) for charity! A common consensus from repeat guests was that this was the best Burns Night yet -- befitting the celebration of our 10th annual Burns Night Prague!
The events:
•The Gathering, featuring celtic youth band “Ambiam” led by teacher Mark Johnston
•Piping in the company and Selkirk Grace by Vaclav Rout
•Reading of children’s story “Hamish the Haggis” by Jana Hrstková
•Recitation of “To a Mouse” in Czech by Lucie Bultova
•Piping in the Haggis and address to Haggis in Scots by Gordon Howell, in Czech by Jiři Knot.
•Recitation of “To a Mouse” in Scots by Carrie Reeb
•Several Czech recitations by actor Jiři Knot (aka “Winnie the Pooh”) including “Scots wha’ hae” & one of Rabbie’s more “colourful” poems
•The Loyal Toast by Scotsman Colin Glover
•Toast to the lassies by Gordon Howell (with a history lesson of a famous Scotswoman “Black Agnes” Randolf)
•Response from the lassies by Jana Hrstková
•Charity auction raising over 50,000CZK
•Dancing led by Jan Drastík and band Czeltic
•Post-event drinks until closing at the Blue Light!
The event deviated from “tradition” in just one other respect: it ran exactly on time! Fortunately at the closing (now 10 minutes behind schedule) we decide to hang out for an informal “finish all the remaining whisky session” and then a “celebrate at the Blue Light until closing session” and thus uphold the tradition of staying on ‘till the wee hours!
25 January 2013 • Palffy palac Prague 1
"She kept a stir in tower and trench,
That brawling, boisterous Scottish wench,
Came I early, came I late I found Agnes at the gate
- The Earl of Salisbury in 1338 following his abandonment of a 5 month siege of Castle Dunbar held by Lady Agnes Randolf, aka “Black Agnes”. The preface to the toast honouring the ladies.
Event credits:
Organiser and chairman: Václav Rout, Friends of Scotland
Organiser and master of ceremonies: Gordon Howell, Pole Position Travel
Organiser and treasurer: Jana Hrstková
Address to Haggis (in Czech): Jiři Knot
Palffy Palac proprietor and venue team leader: Roman Řezníček, Restaurant web site...
Piping: Václav Rout
Music:
Dance: Jan Drastík, Caledonian Club
Main sponsor: Remy Cointreau Czech Republic, Tomáš Merlik
Charity: Adopce na dalku
Photographs courtesy of:
(TK) MUDr. Tomáš Křiklán
(GH) Gordon Howell, organiser & web site
Please contact us if you would like to add your own photos, or send a link to your own gallery and we will publish here.