The Irish are Celtic. TheScots are Celtic. So it’s not a far stretch for an Irishman or woman to celebrate the 250th birthday of Scotland’s beloved poet, Robbie (or Rabbie) Burns.
This is a man (a very handsome man, if his portraits are any indication) who once wrote a poem to a haggis which, in case you didn’t know, is a Scottish dish made from sheep intestines stuffed with sheep’s heart, lung,and liver with spices and oatmeal. (Now, now, the Scots might experience a little bile in the craw if you told them about scrapple.)
Here’s how Rabbie felt about stuffed sheep’s intestine:
“Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin’-race!
Aboon them a’ ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang’s my arm.”
We wouldn’t be surprised if there’s haggis on the menu somewhere in Bethlehem this weekend as the city celebrates Burns’ big one. They’re kicking it off Friday night, January 23, with an art show, poetry reading, and other events at the Hotel Bethlehem. On Saturday, there will be a lecture and supper (look for the haggis there) at the Hotel on Bethlehem’s Main Street, and a whiskey tasting cross the street at Donegal Square/McCarthy’s Tea Room. On Sunday, at the Braveheart Highland Pub in nearby Hellertown, there will also be a Burns supper featuring kilts and music.
Sligo Pub in Media is still offering free Gaelic lessons on Monday nights. And on Friday, popular local duo Gerry Timlin and Tom Kane (we love them!) will be appearing at The Shanachie Pub in Ambler, where Timlin is part-owner and genial host.
Just a peek at the following week: Those wonderful pint-sized musicians called The Next Generation will be performing at the Garden State Discovery Museum in Cherry Hill next Saturday, January 31 for the museum’s Irish American Children’s Festival.
On Sunday, February 1, the Irish American Chamber and Business Network will be giving out its 2009 Ambassador’s and Taoiseach’s Awards to ICON PLC and ICON Clinical Research, headquartered in North Wales and Warrington, and John and Joan Mullen of Apple Leisure Group and AppleVacations respectively.
Speaking of business, we’re going to take this opportunity to again urge you to eat, drink, and buy Irish. If you’re a local business owner, let us know what you’re doing to bring in the crowds and separating them from their money and we’ll mention it here.
For example, we think Kildare’s idea of offering a bottomless bowl of stew for only $10.99 is great and we told you about it here last week. Brittingham’s Irish Pub in Lafayette Hill is offering “recession proof prices” for food and drink specials during the week: On Tuesdays, enjoy burgers and fries for less than $5 from 4 to 10 PM, and prime rib for under $20 on Thursdays, when appetizers are half price and beers are $3.
Can you say “free advertising,” boys and girls? Email us!
