Resources and information on Robert Burns and on Irvine, grouped under the
five menus below
Welcome to Wellwood
Burns Centre and Museum
- the home of Irvine Burns Club, established 1826, Scottish
Charity No. SC018485
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While Wellwood is closed at this time of coronavirus
worry,
take our Virtual Tour (courtesy of North Ayrshire Council) then visit when museums re-open
To support us in this difficult year, your donation would be welcome.
The popular Verse-Speaking Competition
continued, in a different format, with local schools. Congratulations
to this year's award winners - in the P1-P4 section (any Scots poem) HATTIE
McCLORY (Glebe Primary), KATIE McCUBBIN (Woodlands Primary) and ISLA HOBSON
(Woodlands Primary) - and in the P5-P7 section (any Burns poem) LAUREN
WYLIE (Glebe Primary), ISOBEL DUNLOP (Woodlands Primary) and LOUIE BOYD
(Woodlands Primary). Thanks to all those who took part in this year's
challenge.
Congratulations to Margaret Cook, Honorary Member of Irvine Burns Club,
seen here after being presented, on behalf of the Queen, with the British
Empire Medal, by the Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire and Arran, Sheriff Iona
McDonald.
The award was in recognition of her longstanding
support for the Ayrshire Hospice. Margaret is truly a worthy recipient.
Matthew Fitt runs a Scots language education project
and has just (Apr.2021) launched a new
resource on Tam o' Shanter. With his permission, you, especially
our younger visitors, can enjoy it here
Watch the video as writer and actor Hamish MacDonald reads Tam o Shanter
illustrated by comic artist Gary Welsh
In the Footsteps of Burns and Galt: Irvine-born author and explorer John Galt founded Guelph in Ontario in 1827. Today, the City of Guelph continues to recognise its links with Scotland; a Canadian group visited Irvine in May 2018 to celebrate Galt’s birthday. In December, the Civic Museum team from Guelph invited Irvine Burns Club to become involved in its on-line celebration of Burns’ Birthday - the outcome is a 28-minute video for Guelph’s City Museum. Watch it on YouTube. The credits on the film include the names of the Irvine team (members and friends of the Club) who contributed to this achievement.
Instead of a Burns Supper, we offer Address to a Haggis - on YouTube - as you've never seen it before.
Fraternal greetings to Burns clubs across the world, on the occasion of the celebration of the birth of our national bard, with particular thanks to those Clubs who have sent us greetings.
Below: A few of the exhibits and events at 'Wellwood'
Email: honsecy@irvineburnsclub.org
Music @
Wellwood
Once the Wellwood Burns Centre & Museum
re-opens we hope to arrange a new series of concerts.
Meantime, stay safe. We look forward to welcoming you back in due course.
Parking: off East Rd (alley
to Eglinton St. beside SNP office),
or just at start of Quarry Road, parking next to bowling green.
Buses through Irvine stop at 'Wellwood' (ask for 'Eglinton
St.').
In Irvine, Capt. Richard Brown
encouraged Robert Burns to publish his work, and bookseller William Templeton
welcomed him in his shop, and, in this chair,
in the back shop. Burns, while working at flax dressing, found Irvine a
'wonderfully educative place' (Carswell)
Other photos appear on our News page.
<--
2020-22 President David Burns
with Vice-President Margaret Greenlees
A
few website pages
Newest
honorary members,
the Schools page,
'Burns and Irvine'
by Rev Henry Ranken,
William Templeton's bookshop and chair,
extra information on our 1834 & 1846 President Capt
Charles Gray,
and a support page offering postcards, subscriptions
and Annual Celebration tickets.
"The A-list Burns Club", 'Scottish Daily Mail', 24 Nov., 2009.
Past President Bill Nolan was 2018-19 President of the Robert Burns World Federation and Immediate Past President Annie Small served as 2018-20 President of the Ayrshire Association of Burns Clubs.
--- On the web for for 21 years (launched Jan. 1999) ---
President
Archie Chalmers welcomed a Deputation from The Grand Lodge of Scotland headed
by the Grand Master Mason Ramsay McGhee including members of Masonic Lodges
from across Scotland to Wellwood on 3rd August. The President, Vice President
David Burns and Directors Bobby Haswell and Iain Doole are pictured with
the visitors and with Bill Nolan, Hon Secretary of Irvine Burns Club and
the President of the Robert Burns World Federation. Our visitors were all
suitably impressed.
to come:
The 2003 Annual Celebration as seen through the eyes of Chinese Channel Europe, who came north to film our event, and Ian Duncan, butcher, as a result of our presence on the web.
. . and, in development, a page on Wellwood and the Paterson family ...