Resources and information on Robert Burns and on Irvine, grouped under the five menus below
 

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for the current office-bearers and Directors - see below

Honorary President James W Wilson, OBE

Irvine Burns Club has an unbroken history stretching over 185 years back to 1826, when twelve men of this old Scottish Royal Burgh founded the Club.

Our first President was Dr John Mackenzie, who had attended Robert Burns' father in his last illness, and our first Vice-President was David Sillar, a friend of Burns from his early twenties.

We welcome visitors from home and abroad. Special visitors have included members and partners of the Burns Club of Atlanta (2009: reported here - see pages 3/4) and during 2010 Chrys Ballantyne, President of the Robert Burns Association of North America (RBANA, on our contacts page), with her husband Ron.

 

The Club maintains a healthy membership. Activities vary from year to year, the main time for meeting being the Annual Celebration dinner on the Friday nearest to the anniversary of the poet's birth, 25th January. The 183rd Annual Celebration, in the 250th anniversary year of the poet's birth, in 2009, was attended by 248 members, friends and guests. It is open to members, guests and any others who would like to attend.

Membership can be applied for at any time of the year. Life membership costs £20 (foreign rate, including badge and booklets, £30). Application can be made (a) in person at the Annual Celebration (b) by post to the Honorary Secretary, Irvine Burns Club, 'Wellwood', 28 Eglinton Street, Irvine KA12 8AS or (c) by payment through our support page.

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Directors and officials 2020-2022

President - David Burns
Vice President - Margaret Greenlees
Secretary - Bill Nolan
Treasurer - Billy Dickson
Immediate Past President - Archie Chalmers

Directors - Fr William Boyd, Matthew Brown, Jim Burns, James Butler, Robin Campbell, William Cowan, Michael Diamond, Billy Dickson, Ian J Dickson, Iain Doole, Raymond Fitzgerald, Margaret Greenlees, Robert H Haswell, Hugh Hutchison, Graham Hyslop, John Inglis, Jack Lovie, Bill McGregor, J Derek Murdoch, Michael Murray, William A Nolan, Allen Paterson, Annie Small, Tim Swan, James Wilson, OBE, Ian H Y Wood

Club Curator - Graham Hyslop

The lapel badge shown on the right was designed by Past President Jim Butler
but the animation is on the website only, not on the badge! The design also appears on the Club tie.

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Some photos (hover over for the caption; click some to enlarge)

Flashback to Annual Celebration 2005 - that year's local 'worthies'
Back row, Andy Howat (Past President); Raymond Fitzgerald (Vice-President-Elect), and others including personal guests
Middle row: ....; Hugh Kerr (Captain, Irvine Carters Society); Rev. Robert Travers, Bobby Campbell (Vice-President, Rotary Club of Irvine Seagate); Fraser Murray (President, Rotary Club of Irvine), Judith Storm (Head Girl, Greenwood Academy); ...; Christine Maguire (Head Teacher, Greenwood Academy), James Wilson (Director), Hugh Hutchison (Hon. Secretary)
Front row: David O'Neill (Councillor); Moira Ewing (President, Irvine Lasses Burns Club); Bill Frew (Deacon Convener, Irvine Incorporated Trades); Janey Gorman (Depute Provost, North Ayrshire Council); Willie Boyd (President, Irvine Burns Club), Irene Oldfather (MSP), Jack Carson (Councillor); Brian Donohoe (MP)
(Official positions stated are those at the time, 25 Jan. 2005)