Well! For those who COULD have come and chose not to, YOU MISSED A GRAND NIGHT! The owners of J. McCloskey's Irish Pub and Grill in Hickory, NC outdid themselves in producing a proper Burns Night. All the food is cooked on site, and they had the Cock-a-leekie soup, "Haggis warm reeking", rich wi' Champit Tatties, Bashed Neeps Tyspy Laird (sherry trifle)......and it was GOOD! They had a full house - some saw the advertisement for the Burns Night and had no idea what it was but had to come and see and enjoy the Belfast Boys entertainment, and the others were Scots celebrating. The owners were enjoying the night right along with us and the Stewarts who came in kilt/sash also. There were others there with Scottish backgrounds, but not in their tartans.
Sherry (our membership secretary) paraded the haggis around the pub, and a woman from Scotland who was there read the Ode to a Haggis and did the cutting to the applause of the crowd. We downed a fair amount of various local and national beers, Glenlivit and other beverages, and had a great time.
The pub said they enjoyed it thoroughly and love to do 'specialty nights' and plan on doing it again next year. If you missed THIS ONE, don't miss THAT ONE!!!
Thanks to Billy Thompson for encouraging the pub to DO a Burns night and for the month he spent with them getting all the parts together and working. We'd love to have had a lot more Thom(p)sons there in kilt and sash......I can't imagine you would find more gracious and fun hosts at any event.
We're already planning to be there next year! Come join us!