University news

The 250th anniversary of the birth of poet Robert Burns is being celebrated at a major conference examining his life and work at the University of Glasgow.

More than 60 acclaimed academics, Burns scholars and enthusiasts will be taking part and sharing their views on Scotland’s favourite bard at the conference organised by the Centre for Burns Studies at the University. 

As part of the conference, which runs from the 15-17 of January, the Centre joined forces with publishers Itchy Coo Education to encourage children and young people to read, speak and write Scots and appreciate Burns’ work. 

School pupils were invited to take part in drawing and writing competitions focusing on the Bard’s wit and insight. Hundreds of entries were received and the winners will be presented with their prizes during the conference on January 17.

Frances Hendron, conference co-ordinator, said: “The colour, the fun, the cleverness and inherent Scottish cultural identity rooted in his work is interpreted wonderfully by each of the winning entries.

“This competition will give academics from all over the world an insight into the attraction children and young people have for Robert Burns work. Burns’ poetry is a powerful introduction to indigenous Scottish culture.“

There were four categories in the competition: Birdies & Beasties; Banks, Braes & Bogles; Burns’ Voices; and Bringing Burns Tae Life.

Banks, Braes & Bogles judge Janice Forsyth put the competition into perspective: “The entries demonstrated more talent than the X-Factor and more colour than Strictly Come Dancing. They were superb.”

Writer Liz Lochhead and designer and children’s publisher Andrew Wolffe identified the winners in the other three categories.

The conference will also see seven distinguished academics present plenary papers on Burns:

• Leith Davis (Simon Fraser University) – Transatlantic Burns
• Jon Mee (University of Warwick) – Why the English had to invent Robert Burns
• G Ross Roy (University of Columbia, South Carolina) – ‘Fifty Years of Robert Burns and Burns
• Susan Manning (University of Edinburgh) – ‘Ae spark o’ Nature’s Fire’: Was Robert Burns a Transcendental Philosopher?’
• Fiona Stafford (University of Oxford) – Robert Burns Addresses
• Chris Whatley (University of Dundee) – ‘Pale Scotia’s Way: Memorialising Burns in Victorian Scotland’
• Robert Crawford (University of St Andrews) – Burns and the Mind of Europe

Further information on the conference can be found at: www.gla.ac.uk/departments/robertburnsstudies/conference/

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• On 25 January 2009 we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns. 
• This is the first major event in a year officially dedicated to celebrating Burns and Scottishness.
• It is the biggest event of its kind taking place in Scotland in 2009 with academics coming from Canada, the US, Australia, all over Europe and of course throughout Scotland gathering in Glasgow .
• Website:  www.gla.ac.uk/departments/robertburnsstudies/conference/
• Website:  www.itchy-cool.com

For more information contact Stuart Forsyth in the University of Glasgow Media Relations Office on 0141 330 4831 or email s.forsyth@admin.gla.ac.uk

First published: 24 December 2008