Carrick Sports Club’s Annual Burns Supper was held last Friday and was very well attended. Alan Murray chaired the evening and put the audience at ease with his competent and humorous manner. He made mention of the passing in the last year of Tom and Murray Cook who had been stalwarts of this event for almost 50 years. Alan was also impressed by the number of young people in attendance.

Bryce McCulloch piped in the haggis and addressed it with gusto in an excellent performance. Alex Meek recited the Selkirk Grace before the company enjoyed an excellent meal. The Fiddlers fae Ayr - Danny MacPherson, Kenny Turner and Danny Murphy - then treated the audience to a selection of Burns’ music. They also entertained at intervals during the evening.

The Immortal Memory was proposed by Robbie Duncan, from Kilmarnock, and he made reference to the Bard’s connections with Maybole and of the relevance of his words today in the troubled world we live in. It was a very humorous and thought-provoking tribute much appreciated by those present. Mervyn Stuart, from Ayr, then enthralled his audience with his interpretation of “Death and Dr Hornbrook “and later had them spellbound with his recitation of “Tam o’ Shanter”.

The Toast tae the Lassies was proposed by Scott Morrison who had his audience in tears of laughter when explaining how misunderstood the males of the species are by the lassies. Scott really emphasised the theme of humour, which permeated the whole evening. Robin (Gus) Geddes certainly added to that theme with his hilarious take on “Willie brew’d a peck o’ maut”. This was Gus at his very best and there was not a dry eye in the house!

Bill McCubbin, in proposing the vote of thanks to all the participants, recalled the history of this particular Burns Supper going back to the Maybole Toastmasters in the 1960s. This was carried on by the Carrick Speakers Club and latterly by the Sports Club.

Due to the uncertain future of the Sports Club, his hope was that a way could be found to continue the tradition of this Burns Supper in Maybole in the years to come. “It would be a tragedy if occasions like this were allowed to fade into the past,” he concluded.