Carluke and Lesmahagow pupils are national Burns stars

Carluke’s Lucy Graham won the verse speaking competition for S1-S2 pupils, and musician Cameron May won the bagpiping category for the same age group.

The annual competition, held in Carluke this month, drew together finalists from across Scotland who had previously won regional heats in verse-speaking, singing, instrumental and bagpiping classes.

Lucy’s knowledge of the works of Burns ensured she performed her recital with confidence and made her friends and family in the audience very proud indeed.

For the 13-year-old, a former pupil of St Athanasius Primary in Carluke, now attending St Aidan’s High at Wishaw, it was very much a home match, given that the event was held at the John Street school.

Her skills had already received recognition in January when she was invited to address the haggis at a Burns supper to raise cash for the Beatson cancer care unit in Glasgow.

Celebrating similar success in the S1-S2 bagpiping competition was Cameron.

The Lesmahagow High School pupil came top in his section and was invited to compete as one of the four section winners for the title of 2017’s young Burnsian, but he was pipped at the post by Borders fiddle player Eryn Rae, 16.

Cameron is no stranger to success on the competition circuit. He and his sister Zoe are past winners of the Lanarkshire Association of Burns Clubs’ primary schools competition, and the pair are both going to St Petersburgh in Russia later this year as part of a delegation from Scotland.

A spokesperson for the competition added: “Once again, a fantastic group of talented youngsters participated on competition day.”

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“Those in attendance were thoroughly entertained by a fabulous group of pupils competing in the four disciplines.”