LAC LA BICHE - Each year on Robbie Burns Day, Heather Dempsey takes pride in celebrating her Scottish heritage.
On March 9, Dempsey will be at the head table of Robbie Burns dinner in Lac La Biche, which is taking place at the Royal Canadian Legion, McGrane #28 branch in Lac La Biche at 5:30 p.m.
Although the official Robbie Burns Day takes place on January 25, marking the 1759 birthdate of the historic Scottish poet, the Lac La Biche party has been held over the last few years within weeks of the actual date.
Whatever the day for the actual celebration, Robbie Burns Day, Dempsey says, brings back fond memories of childhood days spent with her cousins, aunts, and uncles.
“I think it's important to remember our heritage,” she stated. “The celebration here is so much fun - from the entrance of the Haggis to the pipers ... I love bagpipes ... to the rousing and fun toasts and recitations, good food, camaraderie, and taking part in some entertaining Scottish music.”
During this year’s celebration of the legacy of the iconic Scottish poet and lyricist, Dempsey will be doing the ‘Toast to the Laddies’, which she says is somewhat of a rebuttal of the ‘Toast to the Lassies,’ a speech usually made by a man in honour of women.
“The toasts should gather a few laughs in fun, and can often entail some humorous repartee in response to the toast given to the lassies,” she told Lakeland This Week.
Growing up, Dempsey says, Robbie Burns Day was an occasion celebrated by her family.
“It was something my dad and his family always celebrated…I can remember his brothers and him reciting Robbie Burns poems and toasting in Gaelic,” adding that her cousin plays the bagpipes on Robbie Burns Day and that during reunions, members of her family pull out their kilts.
While for many years after leaving home she didn’t take part in the traditional Burns dinner, recently, since the event has been celebrated in Lac La Biche, she happily participates every year.
Dempsey stated that she is a Scot by birth. On her father’s side of the family, she is descended from the Gordon clan, one of the more prominent clans in Scotland.
“Gordons were first lieutenants to Bonnie Prince Charlie, and have several castles in Scotland,” she explained. “Our clan were Jacobites, fighting in the rising of 1745, which ended in the famous battle at Culloden.”
While her Scottish roots run deep, her mother was of Irish descent. As a child growing up, Dempsey, learned songs of both origins, and added that this music was quite prevalent in her home.
“St. Patrick's Day celebrates my Irish roots, while Robbie Burns celebrates my Scottish roots,” she said.
Scottsman at the table
Angus Campbell has become a familiar face at the head table during the annual Robbie Burns night. This year, he will be addressing the haggis and delivering the Immortal Memory, while Molly Fyten, who has been the lead organizer of the event since its inception in 2020, will be piping in the haggis.
Campbell, who is from Scotland and now lives in Fort McMurray, has been celebrating the Burns celebrations on both sides of the Atlantic for about 55 years.
“We arrived in Canada in August 1981, and celebrated our first Burns supper the following January of 1982,” he stated. “A Burns’ Supper celebrates the greatest and most influential Scot of all time. Robert (Rabbie) Burns’s work is intrinsically linked to Scottish culture.”
Local night
Fyten said she was inspired to introduce the Robbie Burns night to Lac La Biche by Campbell, who is her bagpipe instructor. Over the past four years, she says, the event has grown in popularity.
In general, it is an evening of many laughs, drinks, good company, food and Scottish entertainment,” she stated. “It really is a culturally unique experience like nothing else in this community.”
While Fyten has garnered a considerable amount of support from local businesses and individuals in the community, she says her mother, Ruth, has been one of her biggest helpers. Not only has the eldest Fyten assisted with prep and setup, but she also plays the role of the ‘haggis bearer’ during the annual tributes to Robbie Burns.
“She brings in the haggis on a silver platter as I 'pipe in the haggis' - this is a formal entrance of this Scottish dish which forms the highlight of the evening,” Fyten explained. “We also have additional toasts and speeches throughout the evening, in addition to Celtic music, decorations, and even sometimes dancing! And of course, we have a traditional meal, with tons of food- it isn’t just limited to haggis, but of course it is there for anyone to try.”
While Robbie Burns Day took place on Jan. 25, Fyten says organizers pick the date for the annual event based on what works for the legion as the venue, but also for the main volunteers, especially Angus Campbell, who she says gets fairly booked up attending numerous Burns events.
“We do try to have it sometime between late January and late March though,” she said. “I’m hoping that we can eventually have it on the same weekend each year going forward. We also try not to compete with any major community events.”
