PORTSTEWART GOLF CLUB CELEBRATES BURNS NIGHT
On Saturday night past Portstewart Golf Club held their annual celebratory tribute to Robbie Burns. About seventy lucky members turned up to feast on haggis and neeps all washed down with the odd wee dram of best scotch.
The night got under way when the guests and later the haggis were piped into the hall by piper for the night Hugh Duncan. Our foolhardy chairman, a member of the Coleraine Branch of the McDonald Clan, introduced the Captain who welcomed the guests and recited the Selkirk Grace.
Hector Sutherland, looking respondent in Scottish Tartan, then addressed and toasted the Haggis and the lovely evening meal got underway. Chris, Delwyn and their staff were on hand to ensure that everyone feasted on good Scottish fettle well washed down with plenty of ‘uisce beatha’.
Throughout the night the gathering was entertained by a mixture of dance (Innova Dance Troup), singing from Aine Trolan accompanied by Robert Rainey on piano and a rendition of Tam O’Shanter by memory from Hector Sutherland. Of course no Burns Night would be complete without an oration on the life of the ‘Great Man’ and this was very well delivered by our Chairman with just the right amount of serious intent and sparkling wit.
Guest speaker for the night Karl Monteith next gave his ‘toast to the lassies’. This is meant to praise the role of women in the world but me thinks that with Karl the message got lost in translation. Karl did however keep the by now ‘unruly mob’ well entertained.
The lassies were not to be outdone and in her reply Lynn McCartney got her revenge through a wonderful mixture of rhyme and wit – this was certainly a time of the evening for the men to keep their heads very low.
The very entertaining evening was brought to a close by a vote of thanks and toast from the Captain and Chairman McDonald then invited everyone to join in Auld Lang Syne. The guests then took ‘the high way’ or ‘the low way’ home – no doubt determined to brush up on a few verses of Robbie Burns for next year.
Captain – Gerry Hassan
