Schools' Project

Update: Visits in 2008 are based on previous programmes.

Update: Visits in 2007 have built on the work of 2006.

Visits to primary schools by Club Directors 2006

26 classes in 10 schools were visited during January and February. Each class was given a talk on the life and work of Burns. Emphasis was placed on particular aspects of his life and works e.g. his life in Irvine, his education (his father and John Murdoch), his love of Lallans and his great contribution to the song writing heritage of Scotland. Many questions were asked of the Directors who took part in these visits and these showed that the children are very keen to learn as much as possible about their National Bard. Some 1000 children were involved in these school visits.

The photo shows Aaron Stevens-Gray, P1/P2 Boys Winner, with President Raymond Fitzgerald, Director M Murray and Headteacher Margaret Boyd at Castlepark Primary School

Visits by primary classes to the Museum at 'Wellwood'

17 Classes from 8 schools visited Irvine Burns Club during January and February, when they learned much about Burns’ time in Irvine (in the Burns room) as well as learning about the history of the Club (in the Directors' Room). They were also shown many of the Club’s valuable artefacts. The visits, each lasting just over an hour, ended in the Music room. Here they were given a short talk on Burns the Songwriter and excerpts from a variety of songs were played. Each group was then given the opportunity to find a third verse for “Up in the Morning Early”. Burns had added two verses to the chorus of this old song and the children were asked to write (in groups of 4) the “missing” third verse. They were asked to write a verse similar in thought to the existing two verses or to write a verse which looks forward optimistically to Spring. This was to be completed in school. To date around 90 verses have been returned and a prize is being given to the best received by the end of March 2006. Curators David Smith and Ian Wight plus at least one Director were present at each of the visits. David took the groups in the Directors’ Room and Ian worked with the groups in the Burns Room. It was obvious that David and Ian had their audiences in the palms of their hands from the number of interesting questions that were aimed at them. However David was less than delighted when one boy asked him “Did you ever meet Robert Burns?”

Some 400 children were involved in these visits. The photo on the left shows a group sitting down for our audio-visual presentation - the Burns Room.

Verse Speaking Competition (six categories)

Seven schools were involved in these competitions, in all of which the standard was very high. For each of the three days, two Irvine Burns Club Directors and one member of Irvine Lasses Burns Club made up the panel of judges.

The photo shows Jake Barbour, M Murray and President R Fitgerald at St Mark's Primary School.

The winners were:

P1/P2 Girls - Katie Barlow (Lawthorn PS)
P1/P2 Boys - Aaron Stevens-Gray (Castlepark PS)

P3/P4 Girls - Ainsley Templeton (Lawthorn PS)
P3/P4 Boys - Gregor Cairns (Lawthorn PS)

P5-P7 Girls - Rosie Meikle (Lawthorn PS)
P5-P7 Boys - Jake Barbour (St Mark’s PS)

Each competitor was presented with an Irvine Burns Club Pin and the winners were each presented with a quaich, suitably inscribed with his/her name.
The presentations of the quaichs were made by Club President Raymond Fitzgerald at school assemblies during March.

Photo: Burns Club Director and President with Ainsley Templeton, Gregor Cairns, Rosie Meikle and Katie Barlow of Lawthorn Primary School.

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