Burns Night 2009
So its official, DSDC, has a Chieftain and not a Chairman after Jim Darbyshire led 70 guests through what was apparently the first DSDC burns night ever.
Guests arrived in the chill Dubai evening to the warmth of smoking braziers and a welcoming
traditional drink and then the formalities started.
Ian Barron delivered the traditional grace in so superb a manner that guests
immediately realised they would not understand a word of what was going to be said over the next 2 hours unless they grew up in their
Granny's house on the hairy side of Annoch Moor.
What was much more comprehensible was the food. After a heart warming soup prepared by Mr Lockie no less, the wee beastie was paraded behind the pipes for all guests to see by the event organiser Nancy Wakeham.
Steve Lockie did his duty by addressing the blessed thing and yours
truly learnt a thing or two when the real Scots used the Whiskey bottle rather than the gravy boat so their neaps, tatties and haggis slipped down all the more easily.
After dinner the Chieftain proposed two loyal toasts, one to the Queen and one to our hosts, the leaders of the UAE Shk Khalifa and Shk Mohammed.
New member Michael McMillan delivered a speech that took us along a wonderful journey of what Burns night is all about.
Stuart Wakeham delivered one of the funniest speeches I have heard for years as he addressed the lassies on behalf of us all - it cant have been censored by his wife?
Ruth responded on their behalf with a poem targeted at all us handsome DSDC divers.
The speeches were then rounded up by a tear jerking
rendition of Tam O'Shanter by the Chieftain that left the audience dumfounded as he recited the last half of this moral story by the bard himself, from memory. Perhaps the half drunk bottle of Whiskey in front of him was a good clue.
Craig McKay had the tables shifted and rounded up the party to a bout of
Scottish reeling that had the lads and lassies bray for more.
If you weren't there - pity.
Heart warm thanks to Nancy, Tina, Ruth, Max, John Deuten and all the other helpers for such a great night. We hope your headaches were not too bad the next day!
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