← NewsAll
Burns Night in Northern Ireland highlights Ulster-Scots cultural ties.
Summary
Burns Night is observed in Northern Ireland because 17th-century Scottish settlement brought Ulster-Scots language and traditions, and local communities continue to hold Burns suppers featuring haggis, music and poetry.
Content
Burns Night is marked in parts of Northern Ireland with dinners, readings and music. The custom reached Ulster through large-scale settlement from lowland Scotland in the 17th century. That movement brought the Scots language and cultural practices that developed into Ulster-Scots. Over time, Burns's poems were reprinted in Belfast and Burns suppers became established in local communities.
Key facts:
- Large numbers of settlers arrived in Ulster from lowland Scotland in the 1600s, which helped shape religion, language and culture in the province.
- The Scots language brought by settlers developed into what is known today as Ulster-Scots, referring to both the original settlers and their cultural heritage.
- Burns's poetry began appearing in Belfast papers soon after publication, and Burns suppers and Burns clubs emerged in Northern Ireland.
- A traditional Burns supper typically includes haggis served with 'neeps and tatties' and follows a running order of speeches, poems and music.
- Local groups, such as the Ballymena Services Club, now host Burns Nights, and organisers describe the event as drawing people across generations and communities.
Summary:
Burns Night remains a visible element of cultural life in parts of Northern Ireland, reflecting historical ties with Scotland and the continuing presence of Ulster-Scots traditions. Clubs and community events sustain the practice, and the custom continues to be observed both locally and among the wider Scottish diaspora.
