| Jan 28, 2015


The Central Frontenac Volunteer Fire Department often provides bartending services for public events at the Oso Hall in Sharbot Lake. They provide a selection of two or three brands of beer, rum, vodka, rye whiskey and mixes, soft drinks, water, etc and the profits all go to the department.

Last Saturday night, Jan. 24 it was the same story, except this time there was a number of large bottles of single Malt Scotch Whiskey on the front counter; smooth, sweet Highland Glenmorangie and Singleton, and smokey, peaty Islay Laphroig Quarter Cask among them.

That, along with the preponderance of kilts and tuxedos, as well as the odd bit of Scottish brogue flowing off the tongue in some cases but clearly put on in others, testified to the fact that the celebration of Burns night was on.

The local Masonic Lodge were the hosts for the evening, which was dedicated to Keith Hawley, who became both a Freemason and a volunteer fireman in 1951, and has served both organizations with distinction for almost 64 years.

A number of Masons from further afield also attended. If everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day it seems, even those of Irish descent, as is common in Frontenac County, declared themselves Scottish for the evening.

The ceremonial start came with the arrival of the Haggis, which was piped in by Jeff Donnelly. Bill Robertson delivered Burns' “Address to a Haggis” with considerable flourish. I can't say I caught much of the meaning of the invocation, but the spectacle of the steam rising from the Haggis after it was sliced open, which was then followed by a toast and a sip of whiskey from a silver chalice, struck the chord of tradition in much the way ceremonies do in ancient cultures.

While the meal was being finalised, Ross Morton performed the famous Burns poem Tam O'Shanter, with much aplomb. Again, I cannot say what the plot was all about, nor its resolution, but I could say with some confidence that Tam O'Shanter drank a bit too much and paid the price. In fact he ends up being chased home by witches and only escapes because the witches cannot cross the River Doon - at least that’s what the Wikipedia entry on the poem says. The joy of Burns poetry comes from the rhythm and the rhyme and the sense that his poems invoke, that there is always a battle or a party - or both - around the corner.

Tam O'Shanter was followed by a roast pork dinner, served with the usual fixings as well as the haggis, of course, and then the Blue Skies Community Fiddle Orchestra performed a set of mostly Celtic tunes as an after-dinner treat.

The toast to the Lassies was delivered by Ian Reid and the toast to the Laddies by Janet Gutowski, who delivered a poem herself in her best brogue, which sounded a bit like her imitation of Queen Elizabeth and was well received by the audience, some of whom were by then a bit into their cups of single malt.

It was all good fun for the Masons and all their guests, and with care everyone was returned home safely through a clear and cold winter's night.

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