David Sillar, the first Vice-president, had been a friend of Burns since his teenage years, was a member of the Tarbolton Bachelors Club, became a grocer, and finally an Irvine Council Bailie.

[5] The club meets monthly at its own premises, Wellwood House, and has a structure of a President and Vice-President, other office holders, Directors, and members.

The year is centred on events such as the 'Annual Celebration' and the 'Wreath Laying' at the Irvine Moor Burns Statue during January, the Directors' Dinner in March, Founders Day in June, etc.

[7] The club owns one of two sketches, the other being in the National Galleries, made of Robert Burns in 1786 by Alexander Nasmyth when he visited Roslin Castle with the poet to enjoy the spectacle of the sunrise.

This particular sketch was later used as the inspiration for a small full-length portrait in oils which Robert Chambers commissioned in 1827 and which was then engraved in 1837 for the Life of Burns by Lockhart.

[9] The Club possesses two original letters from Robert Burns to his friend David Sillar, written from Ellisland Farm, Dumfriesshire, dated 5 August 1789, and 22 January 1790.

[10] The entries for November 1781 include details of his treatment of Robert Burns, recorded as a "lint dresser, Irvine", showing that Surgeon Charles Fleeming (Fleming) had visited the Poet on five occasions in a period of eight days.

Shortly after the Irvine Burns Club was founded in 1826, it was decided that prominent individuals, national and international, should be recognised by inviting them to become Honorary Members, with a proviso that each should write their letter of acceptance in their own hand.

Over the last 174 years over 250 letters have been collected, including James Glencairn Burns, the son of Robert, together with individuals represented in almost every field of human endeavour.

[13] The tradition has continued to the present day, including acceptance letters from Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, sporting legends such as Roger Bannister, Jack Nicklaus, and Bobby Lennox, and many prominent Scots from different walks of life including JM Barrie, Sir Alexander Fleming, Jackie Stewart, Jimmy Shand, Winnie Ewing, each of the Scottish Parliament's four first ministers, and "19th Century literary giants such as Dickens, Tennyson, Browning, Thackeray, Longfellow, and Shaw, political figures from that era include Disraeli, Garibaldi, and Balfour.

[15] A central part of the annual Burns supper involves the ceremonial use of two loving cups, the first of which was presented by Sheffield Citizens in 1869 as a token of esteem and friendship to mark the purchase by the directors of the birthplace of James Montgomery, "The Christian Poet".

He was close to Burns in social class as his father Duncan Macmillan was an Ayrshire smallholder with a few cattle, who also worked as a carter, carrying coal from the pits to Irvine harbour.