Robert Burns 'The Address to the Haggis' Explained

Ready for Burns Night?

The high point of any Burns Supper is, of course, the Address to the Haggis. However, many people do not know what the poem, written in Broad Scots, means. Here's our brief synopsis and translation.

Many many thanks to Christopher Tait for allowing the use of his recitation.

Check out Robert Burns Live here:

Read the Address with a decent English translation here:

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[charlesperez]

My favorite line in this magnificent poem is the “like amber bead…”
It makes my mouth water, every time I hear it.

[andrewfraser]

Thank you so much. Terrific! I do the Address in Norwich Connecticut ea year and I still learned something from you !! ❤️

[karlheeren]

Thank you! While I have heard this address numerous times I have not always understood all the language. You have solved the mystery

[donm]

When we presented our case to the Lyon Court for formal recognition, we did it at Abbotsford House and that evening we had a formal dinner-Christopher Tait was there at our dinner! He did the Address to the Haggis, To a Mouse, Tam O'Shanter and John Barleycorn!!! It was an awesome presentation.

[MacMcCaskill]

A very interesting & entertaining explanation of The Address, the Haggis and Burns Suppers.
The split screen is very effective, and the inter-cutting of The Address with the translation works well.
As a Scot whose party-piece is The Address, I enjoyed this very much.

[patbrennan]

Very well out together :) An excellent resource for those keen to understand in some detail what's behind the words.🙂

[Crash]

Great video! Just attended a Burns supper last night. Very much enjoyed the address to the haggis! The address was given with great gusto. Was a fantastic evening all round. Though as we walked out to leave it was a bit chilly in the kilt!!

[mattsam]

My heart sank when you said ‘Scotch’ (it’s a drink!) but everything thereafter was the best explanation of the man, the food and the night I have ever heard (and I’m a native). Thank you for that. Tonight I will give the address for friends and family. More than fifty years after doing my first Burns poetry recital at school…
(great kilt and waistcoats btw)

[mattsam]

I watch this video, every year on the 25th prior to my own recitation at our family celebration. Over the years, our private dinner seems to have become bigger than our family Christmas, with our children, their partners and children demanding a bigger and bigger haggis (currently 12 pounds in weight), national dress and more pantomime in the performance. Luckily, coming from Fife means the pronunciations come naturally to me….
Your explanation is the best I have ever heard. Thank you.

[sdrawkcabsiemanym]

Thank you for covering our traditions & explaining them well 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🫶

[justinclark]

Another awesome and educational video. Thank you so much for keeping our heritage alive!!!

[lexm]

Please be advised that Robert never was, and never is, known as ‘The Immortal Memory’. The Immortal Memory is a speech, indeed the main speech, given during the Burns Supper. It celebrates the Man, his life and his works, drawing almost always on his humanity, wit and distaste for the ‘unco guid’ - in essence those who felt that they were better than the common population. In addition, Robert died on 21 July 1796, not 21 January. As in most societies, offal was eaten as necessity by the poorer classes, with Haggis simply being Scotland’s version. In Scotland, Haggis is still universally made from the original menu, although vegetarian versions are also commonly available. I hope you don’t mind these comments, but I guess you’d like to have accurate information. We Scots love the fact that Burns is so universally appreciated and this is merely intended to assist in your understanding and therefore enjoyment.

[richiethemage]

Booked a table for burns night. Awesome well produced video guys. Burns lived near me in walker Newcastle upon Tyne for several years as a customs officer. They have a statue of him in walker park. Learned loads from this video. Thanks. Scottish guy is incredible.

[dougieyoung]

Fantastic video and very well explained👍👏👏👏👏😃😃

[petterivenetjoki]

We had a Haggis this weekend. We made it by ourselves. We used only organs like heart, kidneys and liver. It was really tasty and rich.
Problem in here is that the law abandons the use of lamb stomach.

[MrMASSEYJONES]

Thank for sharing. I am about to photograph a Robert Burns supper and now have some background about how and why it runs as it does.

[chugwaterjack]

Eric, your commentary was great. For a real laugh, turn ON the Youtube closed captioning. First stanza, "gaminess" came out as "gay meanness" as an example. And, of course, the Scots accent and pronunciation absolutely baffles the CC translator algorithm.

[twwtb]

Very nicely done. Mr. Tait is a blast too. You are now a professor of Scottish culture at the University of YouTube!

[oliverstuart]

Interesting video, but just a slight correction. Yorkshire pudding isn't boiled meat, it's a batter of eggs, flour and milk poured into screaming hot fat in kind of muffin trays and put in the oven. If you haven't tried one yet, please hurry because you haven't really started living until you have.

[michaelstenger]

Well, another year is here…hosting my first Burn’s supper thank you