“O aw the airts the wind can blaw, I dearly like the West.”

In his memoir of growing up in Ayrshire, Billy Kay refers to this song as an Ayrshire anthem, one of many by Burns which gave people their strong Scottish identity. Here,

Billy is joined by one of the country’s finest exponents of Scots song, Robyn Stapleton, from Galloway in a celebration of the rich culture of Ayrshire and its weaving traditions. Billy will talk about the language, history, folklore and literature of his home in the Irvine Valley and read passages in a powerful, resonant Scots that is shot through with a sense of belonging…and a sense of humour! Robyn will grace the audience with songs like The Shuttle Rins, The Lass o Patie’s Mill and O Aw the Airts. A very special evening of story and song in celebration of Lace 150 and the weaving traditions of the Irvine Valley.