IE07 – The Burns Connection

Stitcher: Ita Dunne (Dublin).

Robert Burns’ elder sister Agnes moved to Dundalk, County Louth in 1819, when her husband became an estate manager nearby. Agnes took charge of the dairy. A monument in St Nicholas churchyard honours their and Robert’s memory; Agnes’ cottage is now a museum. Opposite the church was the headquarters of Carroll’s tobacco factory and in 1919 local consultation suggested a Burns connection for their new cigarette brand. So, while the poet’s 1791 poem “Flow gently sweet Afton” describes a pleasant Ayreshire waterway, from 1919 (when the dangers of smoking were not recognised) it also became famous as a cigarette brand. Production of the cigarette ended in 2011, but the local Burns connection endures.

IE07 Ceangal le Burns
Ghluais Agnes, a’ phiuthar a bu shine aig Raibeart Burns gu Dún Dealgan ann an Contae Lú ann an 1819, nuair a fhuair a fear-cèile obair mar mhanaidsear oighreachd faisg air làimh. Ghabh Agnes thairis an taigh-bainne. Tha carragh cuimhne ann an cill eaglais Naoimh Neaclais mar urram dhaibh fhèin agus do Raibeart; Tha taigh beag Agnes a-nis na thaigh-tasgaidh. Mu choinneamh na h-eaglaise, bha prìomh thogalach factaraidh tombaca Carroll agus ann an 1919 mhol co-chonaltradh ionadail ceangal le Burns a nochdadh anns a’ bhrannd ùr thoitean aca. Mar sin, fhad ‘s a tha an dàn aig a’ bhàrd bho 1791 “Flow gently sweet Afton” a’ toirt iomradh air clais-uisge thlachdmhor ann an Siorrachd Àir, bho 1919 (nuair nach robh mothachadh ann do chunnart smocadh) dh’fhàs e ainmeil cuideachd mar bhrannd thoitean. Thàinig toradh air na toitean gu crìch ann an 2011, ach tha an ceangal ionadail le Burns beò fhathast..