Barrmill Jolly Beggars Burns Club had a large turnout of members as well as two very welcome visitors from Garnock Burns Club, Willie Clark and Ian Law.

President Henry Thomson said how delighted he was to welcome all visitors and members and especially Marie Shevlin of Dalry, the speaker for the evening.

Although now living in Kilwinning, Marie gave a talk on the Dalry Raws, which has taken on arms and legs over years of research and resulted in her compiling a social history book appropriately titled The Dalry Raws.

She talked about how she began researching the many rows of houses connected to Dalry Ironworks as well as those linked to the many coal and limestone pits in the area.

In a most interesting slide presentation, she revealed so much of the social and industrial history of the Garnock Valley.

Her book is important because it contains so much valuable local information which otherwise was likely to have been forgotten in the mists of time.

Following the talk, a comprehensive vote of thanks was given by SVP James Madden (Jun). The next meeting of the Jolly Beggars is on Monday, October 7 in Beith Masonic Hall (lower lounge). The speaker will be well known local historian, Carrick Crawford.