Original Auld Lang Syne Manuscript on Show in New York as Scots Invite Americans to Return 'Home'

 

It is arguably the world’s most famous song - sung on joyous occasions globally - and now the manuscript for Auld Lang Syne, written in Robert Burns’ own hand circa 1788 and normally held in Glasgow’s Mitchell Library, is to go on display in New York as part of the Scotland Week 2008 celebrations.

 

From March 31 until April 4, the manuscript will be displayed at the prestigious Grolier Club on Manhattan’s East 60th Street where the library is open to the public from 10am until 5pm.  Then, on Sunday, April 6, it will be on show at the New York Public Library to accompany a lecture by the Head of Libraries at Culture & Sport Glasgow entitled “Should auld acquaintance be forgot” Auld Lang Syne and other treasures of The Mitchell Burns Collection.  The initiative has been developed by VisitScotland and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.                   

 

Auld Lang Syne literally means “old long since”, or colloquially “the good old days” and the song’s five stanzas invite the rekindling of friendships long since past - a sentiment that perfectly sums up the spirit of Homecoming Scotland 2009. 

 

 

To mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, 2009 has been designated Scotland’s Homecoming year – celebrating Scotland’s unique position as the home of Burns, golf, whisky, the Enlightenment and innovation.  And there is a special invitation to people of Scots descent to return ‘home’ and trace their ancestry.    

 

The manuscript of Auld Lang Syne that will be on display in New York usually resides within the Robert Burns Collection at the Mitchell Library in Glasgow, which, at 4,000 exhibits, is the largest collection of its kind in the world. 

 

The Mitchell Library will be central to Glasgow’s Homecoming celebrations in 2009, and Karen Cunningham, Head of Libraries at Culture & Sport Glasgow, will be in New York on April 6 to deliver a lecture on Burns and the Mitchell’s outstanding collection of Burns artefacts. 

 

Karen Cunningham said, “The Scots-born, US industrialist, Andrew Carnegie, laid the first foundation stone for the Mitchell Library in 1877, and when it opened shortly afterwards the committee decided to form a collection of all the material relating to Scotland’s national Bard, Robert Burns.  More than one hundred years later, the Mitchell houses the world’s largest accumulation of works by Burns and is itself the largest public reference library in Europe.

 

“It is a fascinating place to visit and more especially so in 2009.”  

 

VisitScotland’s Area Director for Glasgow, Tom McWilliam said, “Scotland Week gives us a fantastic platform to showcase Glasgow and the rest of Scotland to our biggest international tourism market. Our programme of consumer and business events will focus on Homecoming Scotland, showing US consumers exactly why they should come to Scotland in 2009 to join us in our year-long celebrations. The Burns manuscript will be an important element of this promotion. We are confident that our Scotland Week programme for 2008 will build on the success of recent years, again delivering a strong return on investment, reaching millions of potential visitors.”

 

Scott Taylor, Chief Executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, concluded, “The strong partnership approach being taken to highlight Homecoming 2009 and the Burns manuscript during Scotland Week will prevail in the run up to Homecoming and during the year itself.  Glasgow has some exciting plans and intends to play a full part in this inspirational celebration of Scotland’s heritage and culture.”              

- Ends -         

 

Nancy McLardie

Head of PR

Glasgow City Marketing Bureau

Tel: 0141 566 0830

Email: nancy.mclardie@seeglasgow.com                                                                                      

 

 

1. Karen Cunningham, Head of Libraries, Culture & Sport Glasgow    

Karen Cunningham was responsible for setting up the modern Robert Burns Collection at the Mitchell Library to coincide with the bicentenary of the poet’s death in 1996. 

 

2.  The Grolier Club/New York Public Library

The Grolier Club of New York has fostered interest in the book arts for more than one hundred years, through exhibitions, publications, lectures, and - perhaps most importantly – through the formation of a research Library devoted to the arts of the book.  From its modest beginnings as a cooperative reference collection for the Club's bibliophile membership, the Library has grown to almost one hundred thousand volumes.

 

The New York Public Library comprises simultaneously a set of scholarly research collections and a network of community libraries, and its intellectual and cultural range is both global and local, while singularly attuned to New York City.

 

3.  Scotland Week     

Scotland Week which runs from March 31 to April 6, will showcase Scotland’s academic reputation, business expertise and cultural success on the world stage.  www.cometoscotland.com

Events are taking place in seven cities across North America which will highlight Scotland as a dynamic market with great investment potential, showcase Scotland’s outstanding academic reputation and global cultural success.

Scotland Week is not just about one week of events - it’s about the relationships and interest that will grow throughout the year fostering real prosperity for Scotland

VisitScotland’s activities are an integral part of Scotland Week promoting tourism and profiling Scotland as a must-see, must-visit destination.  Homecoming Scotland will be at the heart of all of VisitScotland’s Scotland Week marketing and public relations.

There will also be a range of events taking place in New York such as live performances by the Red Hot Chilli Pipers to cookery demos with Scottish Chef of the Year 2007 Tom Kitchin. 

VisitScotland’s core aim is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland. 
 

4.  Homecoming 2009