'Dear Mister Burns' goes on tour

A unique exhibition which formed part of the Homecoming Scotland celebrations, supported by Irvine Bay Regeneration Company, is coming to a library near you.

Together with Homecoming Scotland and North Ayrshire Council, Irvine Bay backed the Dear Mister Burns event staged by Irvine Burns Club in November last year.

The event formed the heart of a celebration weekend in Irvine, featuring ceilidhs, concerts and other Burns-related activities, including an exhibition of a collection of handwritten letters to Irvine Burns Club from leading historical figures, including Charles Dickens, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Theodore Roosevelt, and Sean Connery.

It included letters of acceptance dating from 1828, shortly after the Club was formed, until the present day and demonstrates the global legacy of Burns as an international Scottish icon.

If you missed the exhibition, it is now going on a tour of North Ayrshire libraries:

• From Monday 25 January 25, Kilwinning library
• From Wednesday 24 February, Bourtreehill library, Irvine
• From Wednesday 24 March, Dreghorn library, Irvine
• From Wednesday 21 April, Saltcoats library
• From Wednesday 19 May, Kilbirnie library
• From Wednesday 16 June, West Kilbride library

Irvine Bay Regeneration Company Chief Executive Patrick Wiggins said: “Urban regeneration is about changing attitudes as much as changing landscapes and “Dear Mister Burns” and its associated events and activities helped to create a sense of civic pride in their town for the local community in Irvine as well as providing an opportunity for visitors to experience and enjoy something that is quite unique.”