East Lothian Courier | News | Burns’ descendant ‘comes home’ after four decades abroad

Tuesday, 6th January, 2009

Published: Thursday, 29th May, 2008 08:00

Burns’ descendant ‘comes home’ after four decades abroad

HADDINGTON SNP branch has welcomed Eileen McIntyre, a descendant of Robert Burns’ brother Gilbert Burns, as one of three new members for May.

Mrs McIntyre, who was raised in East Lothian, returns to her home county after more than 40 years teaching languages around the world.

Her return comes on the eve of the Scottish Government’s ‘Homecoming Scotland 2009’ initiative, which celebrates the 250th birthday of her ancestor’s brother Robert Burns by inviting Scots ex-pats to come home to live, work, study, or just to visit the land of their forefathers.

Currently residing temporarily in Dunbar, Mrs McIntyre is house-hunting in Haddington. Her late father, Jim Stevenson, wrote The Scots Dictionary.

Gilbert Burns brought his family to East Lothian from Ayrshire following Robert’s death in 1796. He worked as a farm manager at Morham West Mains, near Haddington, before becoming factor to Lord Blantyre at Lennoxlove in 1804.

He is buried with his mother and sister in the churchyard at Bolton.

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