The great Scottish poet Robert Burns got an early sendoff for his 252nd year Saturday night at the Peint o’ Grwr in the Columbia County town of Chatham. Where pipes were played, his poetry was read and his favorite food was eaten, all in honor of the great Scottish poet’s birthday on Jan. 25, 1759.

Fair fa’ your honest sonsie face,
Great chieftain o’ the puddin-race!

begins Burns’ “Address to a Haggis,” as quoted in a story on the event in today's Register-Star.

Well are ye wordy o’ a grace
As lang’s my arm.

Both original and a vegan version of haggis were served, John Mason reports, with the latter consisting of lentils, mushrooms, carrots, nuts, oats, spices and the beef-like yeast extraction, marmite. Traditional haggis consists of sheep’s heart and liver, onion, oatmeal, suet, spices and salt. Also on the table, to soften those loads, were rutabagas and mashed potatoes with green onions. Tom Hope, who owns and runs the pub, said he went through 30 pounds of potatoes, 20 pounds of rutabagas, five pounds of haggis and 10 pounds of vegan haggis.

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 lyke drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
"Bethankit!" 'hums.

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