Five Clyde Valley pupils had major contributions at last week’s Motherwell Heritage Centre’s annual Burns Supper held at the Bentley Hotel in Motherwell. Callum Cowan, an experienced member of North Lanarkshire Schools Pipe Band, played a medley of tunes on the pipes and escorted the afternoon’s principal guest, the haggis!

Liam Dunnachie had the audience in fits of laughter with his sardonic ‘Toast to the Lassies’ in which he eventually paid tribute to those he reluctantly praised as ‘the fairer sex’. Niamh Speirs exacted sweet revenge, however, with her powerfully witty ‘response’ on behalf of the lassies. With bitingly ironic reflection, Niamh undoubtedly reinforced the position of our ‘bonnie lassies’ as holding the upper hand over the men!

Claire Megahy’s rendition of ‘Address to the Toothache’ wonderfully captured how Robert Burns was able to capture so accurately many of life’s irritations and in uniquely reverential manner that generated humour and empathy in equal measure. Amy MacFarlane’s beautiful voice was able to capture the emotion behind the flowing lyrics with her contribution ‘He left his land her sweetest sangs’.

Miss Claire Douglas, of the English Department, and school librarian Miss Marie McGough both worked with the Clyde Valley pupils beforehand and accompanied them to what they described as an ‘uplifting and inspiring celebration of the life and works of Robert Burns’.

The school would like to record its appreciation to the Heritage centre for its warm reception of our young people and to members, Bob Dalziel and Elizabeth Totten, the other principal contributors to what was a marvelous occasion.

The main contributors at the Motherwell Heritage Centre’s annual Burns Supper (from left to right) Bob Dalziel, Amy MacFarlane, Niamh Speirs, Elizabeth Totten, Claire Megahy, Liam Dunnachie and Callum Cowan.