© 2006-2012 Inveraray Burns Club " The social, friendly, honest Man whate’er he be, ’tis he fulfils great nature’s plan and none but he " Verse Speaking Competition 2008 In our second full year of existence, the club recently fulfilled two of its objectives - To encourage the study of the life and works of Robert Burns and to foster an interest in Scottish Literature by means of competitions, when the first Children's Verse Speaking Competition took place between the pupils of Primary 6 and 7 of Inveraray Primary School. The Club chose Burns's "To a Mouse" as the test piece as in this one piece it sums up a lot of the qualities which has made him revered all over the world more than 200 years after his death In this poem he shows his love for the poor and lowly in society when he identifies even a tiny mouse is our "poor earthbound companion and fellow mortal" and has every right to a safe existence as we have. He indicates his sensibility and love for the natural world and, of course, closes it with the immortal lines "The best laid schemes of mice and men gang aft agley and leave us nought but grief and pain for promised joy" which reminds us all that whatever plans we make in life, there are often external forces which cause them to change The children spent weeks learning the verses and their hard work was shown in the high standard presented to the judges Jim McMillan, President, and club members Moira Bernard and Len McNeill. All the children received a certificate of merit for taking part and the winners and runners up received a Burns Book. In addition, the overall winner received a trophy. The results were:     * Primary 7 - Winner Mark Stark, Runner Up Megan Howarth     * Primary 6 - Winner Ross Anderson Runner Up Lorraine Wood     * Overall Winner - Mark Stark It is planned that the event will become an annual one and that pupils from other schools in the district will take part. Primary P6-P7 Overall Winner - Mark Stark Verse 2008