General Chat

We used to Taff ...

We'd all have a Burns Night Supper with the Piper piping in the haggis, Address to a Haggis being made, then then the dirk ...

Can see so many family members, most gone now ... feel the 'pride', the warmth and love and then ... the dancing!

Oh gosh, such memories ...

Right then my 1st lesson for the day is.....whats Neap and Dirk please?

Hi Taff

That made me smile....our funny Scots slang.

Neaps is turnip and Dirk is a small dagger.

Burns Nights are good up here.....we go to the local.

Thanks for the education Katty!
Have a wee dram for me then!

Neap is swede, mashed with lots of butter and pepper

The dirk is the small dagger which used to hang from the kilt belt, yet if I remember correctly, on Burns Night was in the top of the long socks ... am sure I could just see the handle ..

Just looked it up, neep is the scottish name turnip which is swede if that makes sense ... they are related.

would I be right in saying, whoever Addresses the hagis, then uses the Dirk to cut it?

LOL, Shimms, I just thought,.... if the Swede and turnip are related would they be members of GR? LOL

Yes, you are correct :)

Tis a moving moment I think when the haggis is addressed, then the dirk is used.

Am laughing here Taff, in my family tree ... yes! Perhaps tis why I'm so dippy lol! roflol

Taff

Correct.

The dirk is used for slicing the haggis...this is done at certain parts of the adressing.

Years ago the dirk was used as a swearing of the oath.....they then sort of used the haggis for a mocking (while slicing the haggis in certain ways the inside would fall out) as the person reciting is due to be loud and funny.

Address to a Haggis, Rabbie Burn

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
The auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
'Bethankit' hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect sconner,
Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit:
Thro bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll make it whissle;
An legs an arms, an heads will sned,
Like taps o thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:
But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,
Gie her a Haggis!

Its amazing what you can learn on here! Who says its for family history!!

Aye!

We'll be doing a Ceilidh next!

I hope thats a jig/reel Shimms?

Yeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, tis Scottish dancing, can hear the females of the family all 'hooping' ...

Oh Taff, it was such fun, so happy ...

It sounds very similar to the Irish kayley.(sp)
Great fun!!

Hi All

Great read this morning loved it
Ceilidh would that be like our clog dancing Taff lol

Good Morning from a cold wet windy West Wales

Love the :)) Shimmer

Jenxx

oh right Jen!! never thought of that!!
morning to you flower.

And Good morning to you

24 you say coming to meet look out Swansea here we come lol

Jenxx

Yep, Great, isnt it!!