Barrmill Jolly Beggars

Author Archive

Barrmill Jolly Beggars Burns club are holding their 5th Annual Ladies Night on Saturday May 11 in Beith Masonic Hall at 7.15 for 7.30 pm. The evening of entertainment has always proved a very popular event with the local Burnsians and lasses and the forthcoming event seems set to be another highlight. This year the main guests are two ladies from Irvine who perform under the stage name, Velvet Curtain. They other entertainment will be provided by the world-famous Gardening Guru of Dalry, Big Erchie Read more [...]

Barrmill Jolly Beggars Burns Club recently met in Beith Masonic Hall and with 18 members in attendance, welcomed Mr John Hodgart, formerly principal teacher of English at Garnock Academy, and a good friend of the Jolly Beggars. He took as his subject: The Wit and Humour of Burns. In a first class presentation he highlighted interesting aspects of the life and times of the Bard and skillfully demonstrated the humour which was apparent in many of his poems, quoting from many. After answering a number Read more [...]

Barrmill Jolly Beggars Burns Club held their 69th Annual Celebration of the life and works of Scotland’s Bard, Robert Burns, in Beith Masonic Hall on Friday January 25. The heavy snow which greeted Beith and district that day almost caused a calamity for the Barrmill Burnsians. Traffic on the A737 between Beith and Johnstone was at a standstill for several hours due to vehicles unable to overcome the challenges of the infamous ice-covered Risk Brae at Howwood. Unfortunately, the club’s catering Read more [...]

The Herald’s Donald L Reid is also Honorary President and Secretary of Barrmill Jolly Beggars Burns Club. His recently published book (28 November 2012) entitled: The Lost Mining Villages of Doon Valley, which was supported by a Heritage Lottery Grant, totally sold out in just 5 hectic weeks. Tremendous support for the book project was provided by a variety of groups, organisations and individuals in the Dalmellington area and at the outset it was agreed that any royalties would benefit several Read more [...]

Barrmill Jolly Beggars Burns Club send birthday greetings to their oldest members – Andrew McCallum – who know lives in Seaford, East Sussex. Born and raised in Beith, Andrew was born at 8 Janefield Place on December 3 1922. Educated in the town’s New Street School he then moved on to Spiers School. He recalled: “Spiers was dear to me, although I was not very academically inclined.” Leaving school aged 15,  like his father before him, he trained as a cabinet-maker at Stevenson and Higgins Read more [...]

A new book, entitled: The Lost Mining Villages of Doon Valley - Voices and Images of Ayrshire, which reflects life in what have become known in Ayrshire as the Lost Mining Villages of Doon Valley,  because they no longer exist, was published on October 26 2012 by Barrmill Jolly Beggars Burns Club and the autyhor, Donald L Reid. The project began on June 12 2011 when several members of the Barrmill JBBC attended the rededication of the war memorial at Benwhat, one of the lost villages. Benwhat was Read more [...]

Barrmill Jolly Beggars Burns Club recently enjoyed a bus trip to Oban accompanied by good friends from Dalry and Kilbirnie Rosebery Burns Clubs. The weather seemed rather uncertain as they set out but by the time they stopped for morning coffee at scenic Crianlarich the sun was splitting the trees and remained on top form for the rest of the trip. There were 53 on the excursion and it proved to be an excellent away day with Oban being at its glorious best. Special thanks to Marbill Coaches and Read more [...]

DATES/SPEAKERS (PRELIMINARY)   DATE                                      SPEAKER                   SUBJECT   Monday 3 September 2012         Bobby McCallum              Bobbydazzler in Song (Burns & Others) Monday  1 October 2012               Irene Cahill & P Reid       On The Rocks of Scotland (Illustrated)   Saturday 6th October 2012            People Read more [...]

JOLLY BEGGARS BOOK PROJECT - SUPERBLY SUPPORTED BY THE HERITAGE LOTTERY FUND, COAL INDUSTRY SOCIAL WELFARE ORGANISATION AND AGE SCOTLAND Barrmill Jolly Beggars are delighted to announce that with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, Coal Industry Social Welfare Fund and Age Scotland, they have been working hard now for several months on a vitally important heritage project looking at rocording in book form part of the important social history of the lost mining villages of Ayrshire's Doon Read more [...]

Barrmill Jolly Beggars Burns Club held their Jean Armour and Olympic Troch Dinner on Saturday May 12 in Beith Masonic Hall with 90 members, guests and friends of the club in attendance. All were welcomed to the venue by the piping of Past President Gordon Wilson. President David Pettigrew was in the chair and introduced his 22 special guests for this memorable evening, arguably one of the best ever in the annals of the club. Among the invited guests were Councillor Jean Highgate; Councillor Read more [...]