St. Valentine’s day |
| Red hearts everywhere, chocolates, cards, flowers,
which will get more expensive near the day – in the run up to
February 14, St. Valentine’s Day. But folks in Wales
have a jump on the celebrations for love – in January no less,
as people remember the Welsh patron saint of lovers, Dwynwen. Her special
day, known
in Welsh
as Dydd Santes Dwynwen, is January 25. |
| Tradition has it that Dwynwen was the beauriful daughter (one of
24 apparently!) of the Welsh King Brychan Brycheiniog and lived in
the 5th century. She fell in love with a handsome young prince, Maelon
Dafodrill but marriage was out of the question: either papa had another
man in mind or Maelon spurned her love, even perhaps tried to rape
her. So heart broken and in despair, she fled to a tiny island called
Llanddwyn, in the Menai Straits, near the Island of Anglesey (Ynys
Mon in Wlesh) and prayed that God would help her forget Maelon. |
In one version of the story an apparition appeared in a dream, gave
her a potion to ease the hurt but it also, amazingly, turned Maelon
into a block of ice. Then she was granted three wishes. Her first was
that Maelon be thawed: her second wish was that God,w0uld grant the
hopes and dreams of true lovers; and the third that she would never
marry.
|
In another version Dwynwen, saw an apparition while watching eels
swimming in a well. The apparition granted her three wishes; firstly
she asked that Maelon be turned into ice for spuming her love; Dwynwen's
second wish was that she would remain on Llanddwyn forever, and the
third wish was that all lovers coming to Llanddwyn would find true
happiness.
|
Whichever the telling, all three wishes were fulfilled, and to show
her thanks, Dwynwen devoted herself to God's service thereafter and
even perhaps became a nun and established a convent on Llanddwyn Island.
She died about 465 C.E.
|
| Remains of a church can still be seen on the island to this day.
Over the years the well became a site of pilgrimage and visitors believed
that the movements of the swimming eels could foretell what would happen
in their love relationship. However, anyone interested in showing affection
to his/her loved one ean do no better than to follow the uniquely Welsh
custom of the gift of a carved wooden love spoon (llwy caru). The Museum
of Welsh Life has one that dates to the 1600s. There is a language
of love in each spoon, when you understand the meaning behind the many
symbols used in the carving. Welsh for love, by the way, is cariad
and if you want to try your hand with a greeting in Welsh, you could
say Cariad mawr a swsws - Iots of love and kisses! |
| From Jenny Hubbard Young, Director of the Cwrs Cymraeg 2005, a dear
friend from the St. David's Welsh Society of Atlanta |
|
Did you know? |
| 2006 marks the 150th anniversary of the composition of Hen
Wlad fy Nhadau, by Evan James and his son, James James in
1856, which became the Welsh National Anthem. Evan was a weaver and
wool
merchant by profession
and owned the Ancient Druid Inn at Argoed in Monmouthshire. Evan was
the poet of the pair and is believed to have written the words, while
James composed the melody. There is a memorial to them in Ynysangharad
Park in Pontypridd. |
| |
Judges dig Welsh "Big Pit" |
Mine named museum of the year |
| Britain's biggest arts prize has been won by a former coal mine.
The colliery in southern Wales, which once produced 100,000 tons of
coal a year, has been awarded 100,000 pounds for providing visitors
with an "exceptional, emotional and intellectual experience." |
| The former mine in Blaenavon, now called "Big Pit" won
the coveted Gulbenkian prize for Museum of the Year. Writer and broadcaster
Joan Bakewell,
one of seven judges, said she and her colleagues were "blown away" by
the winner's effectiveness in portraying the industry and the people who worked
in it. "It is a most exciting place to go," she said. "lt is an enthralling
story, brilliantly told." |
| |
Welsh brew wins 'gold' |
| Brains Dark Smooth won a gold medal in the International Dark Milds,
Stouts and Porters competition at the Brewing Industry International
Awards in
Munich. The Cardiff brew also won a silver medal at the Great British Beer Festival
in August. |
| " In the brewing world, these are the most prestigious awards you can win" said,
SA Brain's Richard Davies. |
|
