the town was once a haunt of robert burns, after whom two streets in the town are named: burns street and burns crescent. he is known to have worked in a flax mill on the glasgow vennel. despite being classed as a new town, irvine has had a long history stretching back many centuries and was classed as a royal burgh. there are also conflicting rumours that mary, queen of scots stayed briefly at seagate castle. there is still a yearly festival, called marymass, held in the town. marymass refers to the religious feast of the assumption of the blessed virgin mary celebrated on 15 august, and was therefore mary's mass hence marymass.