Supper to be held celebrating the lives of Jean Armour and other women in Robert Burns' life

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Burnsians are being invited to a supper celebrating the lives of the women in Robert Burns’ life.The Jean Armour supper, named after the “Belle of Mauchline” who became Burns’ wife, is being held on Friday, January 24 at Burns Cottage in Alloway.Almost 200 years after her death, Jean Armour will be honoured as part of the celebrations.The event is the brainchild of American harpist Meredith McCrindle and will emphasise the role of women in Burns’ life.Just 30 tickets are available and the evening will feature entertainment including singer Siobhan McAulay, guitarist David Clifford and bagpiper Donald Currie.Meredith, originally from Texas, settled in Ayr after graduating from St Andrews University and now lives there with her two sons.She said: “We felt it was time to recognise the significant role of Jean in Robert Burns’ life.“It is fitting that any celebration of Burns’ life and work, both of which were hugely influenced by women, should recognise the role of Jean and other females he loved and lost through song and poetry.“Instead of the focus being on Burns, it’s on Jean and the other women important to Burns – a way of commemorating and celebrating them through the poetry influenced and inspired by them.“At the event, Jean leads a line of women celebrated in Scottish culture that also includes Burns’ contemporary and fellow poet Janet Little, from Ecclefechan, whose poetry will also be recited on the night.”Burns Cottage is the birthplace of Scotland’s national bard and played host to the first Burns Supper in 1801 - an exclusively male event.Many Burns Night celebrations have traditionally been the preserve of men, with the Bachelors’ Club in nearby Tarbolton, set up by Burns and his brother in 1780, well-known as