First Minister’s praise for Irvine event

A unique Homecoming Scotland event supported by Irvine Bay Regeneration Company has won praise from Scotland’s First Minister.

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.

In a letter to the event organisers, First Minister Alex Salmond said: “I am writing to thank you for the part you have played in making Scotland’s Year of Homecoming a resounding success.”

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.”