Tae The Bard

Robert Burns is Scotland's most successful cultural export and this episode of Tae The Bard celebrates 'Auld Lang Syne' - without doubt his most well-travelled work. His version of this traditional song has become an intrinsic part of a range of occasions, from weddings and new year parties to, of course, the Burns Supper. While the song is much loved, many misunderstand its true meaning and perhaps miss its deeper significance. Our guests have close links to the song that has become a global anthem. Folk singer and musician Mairi Campbell's recording made an appearance in the first 'Sex & the City' movie and even inspired her to create a one woman show.

Ask anyone to name some Scottish foods associated with Robert Burns and you can be sure haggis will be on the tip of their tongue. This traditional Scottish dish was so beloved of Burns that it boasts its own tribute - Address to a Haggis. So it makes sense that it is a centrepiece of the traditional Burns Supper and will be served up at events all over the world. This episode of Tae the Bard will discuss what makes haggis such an important part of this cultural celebration. Our guests are well acquainted with the 'Great Chieftain o' the Puddin-race'. Colin Bussey is a former Executive Chef in The Gleneagles Hotel and a haggis enthusiast. James Macsween is a third-generation member of Scotland's first family of haggis and owns Britain's number one haggis brand.

Robert Burns is the world's favourite poet and each year he is celebrated across the globe, as people sit down together at Burns Suppers to share in his work and his legacy. While poetry is a key part of these celebrations, food and drink also plays an intrinsic role. In this episode of the Tae The Bard podcast series we discuss how Scotland's national drink whisky has become synonymous with celebrating Scotland's national bard. Our guests know better than most how a wee dram has woven itself into Scotland's cultural fabric. Jaclyn McKie has worked for Isle of Arran Distillers for 14 years, the only working distillery on an island that was once home to many of the illicit stills on the west coast of Scotland. Graham Littlejohn is deputy director of the Scotch Whisky Association, which is tasked with promoting and protecting the whisky industry in Scotland.

On the 25 January each year millions of people across the world will attend Burns Suppers to honour Scotland's National Bard. Quite simply, no other literary figure is commemorated in the way that Burns is worldwide. In this episode of the Tae The Bard podcast series we look at ways in which Burns Night Celebrations have evolved since the early nineteenth century, all the time retaining Burn's poetry and song at their heart. Our guests today offer different perspectives on both performing and organising the Burns Supper. Catherine Wilson is an Edinburgh-based poet and writer, known for her reflections on the everyday, blended with a sense of humour and solemn questions about the big things in life. Jack Finlay is the associate producer of the Big Burns Supper, an 11-day festival in Dumfries with an eclectic mix of music, comedy and performance. Professor Gerard Carruthers, Francis Hutcheson Chair of Scottish Literature at University of Glasgow, has performed at Burns suppers around

Robert Burns was a unique, gifted individual who continues to inspire people to create, write and perform more than 200 years after his death. So what makes the cultural impact of Scotland's national bard so enduring? Our guests have drawn direct inspiration from his work to create modern, contemporary art. Craig Black is a Scottish born graphic designer, lettering artist and typographer whose work has been exhibited across the globe from London to Dubai. Susan McGill is a Scottish ceramic artist whose beautiful black and white designs incorporate well-known lyrics and favourite words from poems by Robert Burns among others.