The University English Department and the Scottish Society of Athens put on a wee party Saturday at Flinchum’s Phoenix Lodge in South Athens.

What was the occasion? The 248th anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s own poet Robert Burns. The dinner’s organizers hope to make it an annual event.

University College of Education Professor Dorothy Harnish and English Professor Don McCreary organized the event. Harnish, her husband Don Wilson and McCreary are all part of Athens’ Scottish country dancing troupe, which performed at the dinner.

“Many phrases from Burns’ poems are part of our everyday language and most people don’t realize their origins,” Harnish said.

For example, the phrase “The best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray” is from the Burns poem “To a Mouse.”

“We’d like more people to know about Robert Burns as the most famous Scottish poet and an important part of Scottish culture,” she said.

The Robert Burns-themed band Bob Hay and the Jolly Beggars provided the music for the event.

“We’ve been playing for about five years, specializing in Robert Burns songs, and a couple of years ago we met the people that are putting it on,” he said. “We played last year for their event and I guess it’s a tradition now.”