Burns for our younger visitors

Irvine Burns Club runs a programme of special openings for primary pupils during January and February. It also organises a verse-speaking competition in Feb./March. Plus some daft wee games.

School visits Verse Speaking Daft wee games

Some "daft wee games themed around Burns" by Chris Pless for our younger website visitors

The Haggis Hunter and Tae a Moose games are a bit of silly fun. Tam o' the Toon is a tam o' shanter story in a game and Flax Dresser is set in Irvine Heckling Shed.

This bit of fun may prompt young interest in some of the poems & history - they will run on a very simple tablet device !

Go to the games here Wellwood home page

School visits programme

Over the last ten years over 6000 pupils have visited the museum in January and February. For example, in 2019, 600 Primary Six children from sixteen schools were welcomed to our historical and audio-visual presentations, examining our artifacts and learning about Burns, Irvine and Irvine Burns Club. The visits are supported by our directors, assisted by Irvine Lasses Burns Club, and are well received. The programme is regularly reviewed and updated.

half-day visits 9.30 - 12.00

over 6,000 primary pupils in ten years

Verse-speaking competition

This competition is open to Irvine area primary schools, and most of the eleven schools take part. Entrants, around 110 each year, are those successful in each school’s internal Burns poetry competition. It takes place over two to three days in late February, and some winners continue into the Ayrshire Association and World Federation competitions. The programme is supported by Irvine Burns Club directors with help from Irvine Lasses Burns Club. Awards go to First and Second winners at each year stage and every participant receives a certificate.

Pictured: A previous winner, Melissa Anderson, now at Greenwood Academy, addressing the haggis at the 2020 Annual Celebration.

Enjoy Melissa Anderson's renditions on YouTube