21st October

We met Peter Kormylo at the Moreig Hotel  to discuss the launch of the book which he has co-authored and published gathering together the best translations of popular poem of Robert burn into ukrainian

Ми зустрілися з Петром Kormylo на Moreig готель для обговорення запуску книги, які він є співавтором і опубліковано збірку найкращих перекладів популярної поеми Роберта потрапили в українському

£21,000,000 at first glance it does look very attractive, modern yet traditional, inside it is nice and airy it does feel a pleasant place to be although the only thing open at the moment is the cafe and ye auld tourist shop although I almost bought a tie in the Burns tartan. It was interesting to be shown around the new facility and to be able to see the superb new climate controlled storage for the artifacts of our Bard.  Now what were we there for well in actual fact we, Hon. Sec. Smith and, I were there as part of a "FOCUS Group" I think that the only problem was that nobody had actually told this "Focus Group" what we were supposed to be focusing on. The building would be nice if...? Where does the words on... come from?  What is your intention to do with...?  - all of which were good questions, but nothing at all to do with the new website which is being developed and was the purpose of the gathering of these esteemed Burnsians in our little "Focus Group".  Ah well it was good to see the layout of the bew Birth Place Museum, and the project coming to fruition. Hopefully I get back before too long when I be able to look at the poets belongings and works. 

The season’s Winter Lecture Programme, now known as Winter Club Nights, opened on 30^th September with one of the best talks we have had for some time. My old friend Mac Creedon from Solway Offset took us back through the ages with his fascinating tales of “History of Printing with a Dumfries slant”.  As I had a loose connection with reprographics for North British Rubber, I well remember some of the personalities from those halcyon days of the 1960’s. The biscuits were excellent and the event washed its face. This was the last gathering at the Globe before it closes for further repairs.  Monday 4^th October, the Executive Committee met in plenary session at the Moreig where the tables were laid out boardroom fashion which meant the office bearers had to bellow to be heard but no matter. Tickets were produced by the president featuring a bat. Numbers were taken for Hallowe’en and the signs are that this will be a fantastic night. Peter Kormylo appeared with a copy of his book of Burns in Ukrainian with superb illustrations from John Clark. There is talk of a launch in Kiev in October and in Scotland at some other time.

Meanwhile, busy with preparations for the October issue of “Howff Club News” in conjunction with Andy MacKay whose expertise money can’t buy. Hope the president and treasurer can meet Andy’s deadline for copy.  Unfortunately most of the available photographs are unflattering.

As a member of a Focus Group, I had the pleasure of accompanying the president to the Birthplace Museum at Alloway for a look round before the official public opening followed by a snack lunch and a workshop. The £21M development is certainly impressive and state of the art but I wonder how it will be seen by Burnsians. Entertainment was supplied by Peter Westwood whom we collected at Castle Douglas on the scenic route to Ayr.  Peter’s retiral as editor of the Burns Chronicle is a great loss to the Burns Federation and to the Burns world generally as his knowledge, contacts and collection of manuscripts and other material cannot be replaced easily.  DS

The winter evening aren’t traditionally well attended but tonight we had over 20 people listening to Mac Creedon speaking about the art and skills of traditional printing, as well as some stories of the red tops and broadsheets and their escapades with the unions before the demise of the ‘hot metal printing’

A great evenings entertainment for just a couple of quid –

*** Highly recommended ***