Tagged: st davids day

AmeriCymru St David's Day Playlist

Croeso/welcome to our St David's Day Playlist. We will be adding more in the next few days. Below we have assembled some of the most traditional and patriotic Welsh songs with which to celebrate St David's Day. Enjoy/Mwynhewch!

Tracks

1   Yma o Hyd – Dafydd Iwan (English & Welsh lyrics and phonetic guide) Luca

2   Suo Gan ( Lullaby ) - Lyrics - Anthony Way and St. Paul's Cathedral Choir Somewheremaybe

3   Men of Harlech — Fron Male Voice Choir Anthems & Honors Music

4   Glan Mor Heli Carreg Lafar

5   Only Boys Aloud - The Welsh choir's Britain's Got Talent 2012 audition - Britain's Got Talent

6   Treorchy Male Voice Choir (Côr Meibion Treorci) - Myfanwy

7   Adra - Gwyneth Glyn (geiriau / lyrics)

8   Môr o Gariad, Meic Stevens - Penrhyn Gwyr (Gower Peninsula. Wales)

9   Welsh National Anthem - "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" (CY/EN)

10   Welsh sing Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau in front of a packed Principality! | Guinness Six Nations

AmeriCymru spoke to Welsh author and St David's Day Parade organiser, Sion Jobbins. Here is a list of Sion's published works:

Llyfrau | Books

The Welsh National Anthem: its story, its meaning

The Red Dragon: The Story of the Welsh Flag


 

AmeriCymru: What made you decide to organise the St David's Day parade in Aberystwyth? What was the inspiration and what was the original aim?

Sion: The first Aberystwyth St David’s Day Parade ( http://gwyldewiaber.cymru) was in 2013. I founded it in response to the disappointing results of the 2011 census which had just been released. I felt we needed to lift people’s spirit and show we were “yma o hyd” (still here).

I’d also been a great supporter of Cardiff’s St David’s Day Parade and felt every town should have one. In fact, I suggested that in an article I have on St David’s Day in my book, ‘The Phenomenon of Welshness: How many Aircraft Carrieres would an Independent Wales have?’ I felt that Wales had always been to quiet and too, well boring, in its celebration of our patron saint, especially compared to the Irish. Although I felt St Patrick’s Day could seem a little naff at times, I admire their zeal and confidence in celebrating their national day.

I had considered holding a Glyndwr Day Parade rather than St David’s Day one as Glyndwr would be a secular event and so not offend or leave a bitter taste for those who wish celebration of St David’s Day to be more nationalistic and those who wished commemoration of St David to be more religious. In the end, after holding a small meeting, the consensus was that people were more familiar with St David’s Day and that Glyndwr Day Parade may not appeal to such a wide cross-section of society.

AmeriCymru: Who are the main organisers and do they get funding? Who takes part?

Sion: The Parade is organised by a small group of volunteers. I’d like the Parêd to grow to be a week-long event of music, discussion, comedy, food and fun. But I, and the others, don’t have the time. So, we try to do one thing well.

We receive money from Aberystwyth Town Council who are very supportive and the parade wouldn’t happen without it. We’ve also received money in the past from places like the Lottery and also from private businesses.

AmeriCymru: Tell me about some of the unique elements that you have in the Aber parade. How has it grown over the years and how do you see it growing in the future?  

Sion: I’m a great believed in invented tradition and in thanking, celebrating an elevating our heroes. I’m also a fan of flags. So, this Parade includes all those strands.

We’ve invented our traditions such as having a bagpiper to lead the Parade. The pipes are Welsh pipes or Galician. The tunes are Welsh – Calon Lân for instance.

Behind the piper in the Parade is the ‘Tywysydd’ (leader). Every year the Parade choses a local person who we believe has made a contriution to Welsh language life in the town and possibly nationally. The first Tywysydd was the late Dr Meredydd Evans, the musicologist and later head of BBC Cymru Wales Light Entertainment. He and his American wife, Phyllis Kinney, had made a huge contribution to the study and celebration of Welsh folk music – as well as other things. This year’s Tywysydd, by contrast, is Dilys Mildon, who’s from Aberystwyth and returned to the town in 1985 to open Gannets a very popular bistro in Aber. She retired last year. Gannets was a hub of Welsh language life and was one of the few places in the 1980s and 1990s which never shied away from using and promoting Welsh at a time when people were more averse, or even dismissive, of their business being seen as ‘too Welsh’.

AmeriCymru: What are the economic benefits to the area?

Sion: It’s hard to quantify, but the town is fuller on the Saturday afternoon. It’s ovious that people come in with their families either to take part in the Parade or to watch. We’ve also in the past organised music and events in some of the shops and cafes on the day of the Parade. We hold a free folk gig and music session at the Llew Du pub. There’s certainly a buzz on the day.

AmeriCymru: What can you tell us about the Ras yr Iaith?

Sion : Ras yr Iaith ( http://rasyriaith.cymru) is a different event. It’s a fun run for the Welsh language – to rasie profile and again, confidence in the language and also raise money which is then donated as grants to initiatives which support and use Welsh.

Ras yr Iaith (race of the language, language race) is based on other hugely successful language runs in the Basque Country (the first one) called the Korrika; Redadeg (Brittany), Rith (Ireland). Every different country has its own version but they are all non-competative and clubs, societies, families, businesses pay to sponsor a km of the route with the profit made given back as grants to support the native language.

Our Ras yr iaith happens every two years, the next one will be in July 2020. We run through the town centres along a route through Wales. With our run more than one institution or club can sponsor the same km. There have been 3 Ras yr Iaith so far (first on In 2014) and we’ve given out a lot £30k in grants during that period. So, it’s a way to raise money for the language independently of the state and it’s also a great way to draw supporters of the language – be they Welsh speakers or not – together as they run or help steward the event.

I founded Ras yr Iaith, in 2012. I hoped ‘someone else’ would do it, but then realised I was that ‘someone else’.

AmeriCymru: Care to tell us a little about your book:- 'The Red Dragon - The Story of the Welsh Flag.'?

Sion: I like flags! The Red Dragon has to be one of the best flags ever, and its history is very interesting. The great thing about flags is that they are simultaneously an obvious manifestation of what and how a nation wishes to see itself represented to others, But the history behind the flag, the choices of flags and designs not made, the time it was constructed and flown, also betrays so much about the nation.

The Red Dragon was officially made flag of Wales in February 1959 when Westminster recognised it – though the present design itself was older of course.

AmeriCymru: In the book you propose that the 28th May to be commemorated annually in Wales as 'Flag Day'. Care to explain why? What has been the reaction to your suggestion?

Sion: I’d like to initiate 28 May as the Flag Day as it was on that day in 1865 that the oldest reference to the Welsh flag being flow is made as the Welsh settlers for Patagonia raised it on the Mimosa ship as it sailed out of Liverpool.

I haven’t had much reaction to be honest, though, Rhys Llewelyn, who organises the Pwllheli St David’s Day Parade is interested in promoting the idea further. Part of the problem is that Wales, nor the UK, has much of a tradition of ‘flag day’ so, people aren’t aware of the tradition. Also, many people no fly the flag at every day of the year. However, it’s something I’d like pursue.

I’d also like to promote my design for the Maritime Flag which is a Red Dragon flag but with the green half brought down to below the claws of the Red Dragon so that the red doesn’t deface the green. This will make the flag (and Dragon) easier to recongise from a distance. The current national flag design breaks the ‘Rules of Tincture’ which were, ironically, written by Welshman Humphrey Lhuyd in the 16th century.

AmeriCymru: What's next for Sion Jobbins. Will you be organising more marches? Do you have any new books planned?

Sion: What next? Well, no new books is one certainty, I’m afraid. I’m now Chair of Yes Cymru the grass roots, non-party political movement for an independent Wales. Things are moving quickly here with a big independence march in Cardiff on 11 May. I’ve also started and I present on Radio Yes Cymru – which is a rather grandiose name for an online broadcasting outfit – though I’d like to develop that more. Check out Yes Cymru and Radio Yes Cymru online and on Facebook and Twitter.

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?

Sion: Keep in touch with Wales, support and promote Wales when you can, and try and enjoy life and see the best side of people – we’re only on this planet once – “do the little things” as St David said.

Bluetits Support Daffy Dipping For St David's Day

 
Photos: 8

"I have been swimming at Porthsele beach under the cliffs on my farm which overlooks Whitesands Bay for over 50 years. Up until 2014 I had never dipped in the sea over the winter months. I decided to take the plunge in October that year because I had heard of a challenge called the Ice Mile, and it sounded like the kind of extreme challenge that appealed to me. 

I began dipping, first on Porthsele, and then all over Pembrokeshire. People were intrigued by what we are doing, some were  horrified, some vaguely interested, some interested enough to join us. My husband noticed how happy we all were when we came out of the water and suggested we call ourselves something. So The Bluetits Chill Swimmers took flight. 

Over the summer months of 2015 some people who came to my campsite at Pencarnan and heard about The Bluetits and asked if they could start up a group in their home area, and  so we began to spread far and wide, first in Wales, then the rest of the UK then overseas. My Ice Mile training was pretty much a solitary affair with just me in the water and my small team of helpers around me for safety support, and I enjoyed this, I had never really been swimming with groups of people so I didn’t really know any different. Swimming with the newly formed Bluetits was the complete opposite of course, and initially I wasn’t aware of any benefits to this. As the years passed by, the extreme ice mile completed and no more solitary training to endure, I totally immersed myself in group swimming with the many people in Pembrokeshire who were now swimming under The Bluetits banner. 

With no plan, time limits or expectations from my dips I began to appreciate the benefits of meeting up with likeminded humans. We laughed, cried, ate cake, drank warm coffee after the swims whilst warming up on a beach, walked home, made friends, went shopping in our changing robes and generally became comrades in and around the cold water. The bond created between humans who are challenging themselves to do something that scares them a little is immeasurable. 

I am always asked what is it about cold water that is life changing. The cold water is the anchor that holds us all together and going into it provides the adrenalin rush that in turn allows us to free our minds of all the crap that is in our heads for a short moment in time, but enough time to allow you to see the world with different eyes. For that moment in time all your worries and fears get pushed to the back of your mind. You notice the wonderful landscape around you, laugh with the person next to you about something that is momentarily very funny, hold your hand out for someone who is nervous, rejoice in the fact the body you have can do this.
   
Pembrokeshire has always been my favourite place in the world. I have worked here used its glorious landscape as a playground all my life. I no longer look at the winter months as a time when I retreat from the world. I now look forward to it as a time when I meet up with all the friends I have made through The Bluetits and experience more adventures in the water with them all.

It means the world to me that The Bluetits are going to be part of the DaffyDips4Dewi event. We began with two people dipping on a Pembrokeshire beach and we became 100,000 people dipping on beaches, in rivers and lakes all over the world. I hope to see pictures of thousands of daffodil hats bobbing in the water on Sunday February the 26th this year in celebration of Saint David – our very own local saintly ‘waterman’. If you want to find out more about us – then check out our website here:   https://thebluetits.co/ "

You are very welcome to set up your own event, however doing a DaffyDip4Dewi is entirely at your own risk. Please make sure that you are fit and well enough to do this. YOU are responsible for your own well-being. Take warm clothing and a warm drink for after the event.

If you want to have the Saint David’s Day Anthem as part of your event (get a local school or choir on board) the Saint David’s Day Anthem can be bought here: https://tycerddshop.com/collections/types?q=&constraint=composer_gwenno-dafydd

Daffy Dip 4 Dewi

 
Photos: 7

( Scroll down for Welsh )

Remember those days when celebrating Saint David’s Day (SDD) used to be about wearing daffodils, eating Welsh cakes and Bara Brith with every school having their ‘Eisteddfod’ with a very visible presence of cute kids in traditional Welsh costumes?

Times have moved on since then and nowadays there are countless parades with three County Banners and numerous school banners being paraded based on the words and images of an anthem specifically written for Saint David’s Day (Words: Gwenno Dafydd, Music: Heulwen Thomas) which can be heard in concerts and events throughout Wales and even further afield.

As you may remember, Gwenno has been the Americymru World Saint David’s Day Ambassador since 2017 and many of the above developments have come about because of her tireless efforts over the last eighteen years when she first came up with the idea of a bilingual anthem for Saint David’s Day.

“The SDD Anthem has formed a central hub for the development of new traditions based on the song, including the three County Banners (Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Montgomeryshire) and school banners. All the publicity I have been able to generate with all these projects have also helped to promote the notion of parades – school, village, town and county. I am delighted to say that this year the Montgomeryshire Banner has found a new permanent home in Owain Glyndwr’s Parliament House in Machynlleth. I am in discussion with the local school (Ysgol Bro Hyddgen) about creating a new tradition of parading the Banner from the school to the Parliament Building whilst the children sing the SDD Anthem.” said Gwenno.

Gwenno is always thinking of new and exciting ways to engage with more people to make SDD a potential gateway for people from all over the world to come and explore their Welsh roots. The tourist season in Wales is usually from April onwards but Gwenno sees no reason why people cannot be drawn here from March onwards with Saint David’s Day events being one of the reasons why people should come and visit. She is in close contact with several Welsh Assembly Senedd members in sharing these visions.

Her latest idea is a combination of factors and she is very keen to give credit where it is due, to those who gave suggestions that she combined into her latest project DaffyDips4Dewi . DaffyDipping

Around 2009 Gwenno was in contact with Pastor Phil Wyman from Salem in the States. You may or may not be aware of the fact that Saint David was called ‘Dewi Ddyfriwr’ (David the Waterman) He did not consume meat and only drank water. A veritable tee-totalling vegetarian. Phil decided that to celebrate SDD he wanted to walk waist deep into the chilly waters at Revere Beach, Massachusetts which he did, calling it a ‘Dunk for David’.

Gwenno always wanted to do something similar here in Wales but never managed to persuade others to do this. However, recently Jane Dalling, who is a member of the Pembrokeshire Bluetits Chill Swimmers, after a suggestion by local playwright Teresa Hennessy, decided she was going to celebrate her mother’s life on her birthday on the 17th January 2023 in Pwllgwaelod (North Pembrokeshire). Teresa gathered a flock of Bluetits who all wore large daffodil heads and went for a dip in memory of Jane’s mother Eira, who sadly died of cancer last year. Strangely enough, ‘eira' in Welsh is snow and it did indeed snow whilst they were taking part in the swim. Both Gwenno and Teresa form part of the Lower Town. Fishguard #SlipwaySirens swimming group and have been friends since they were in Fishguard Secondary School.

Gwenno is originally from North Pembrokeshire and had been a chill swimmer herself for several years, being a member of the Cardiff “Taffy Dippers”, the North Pembrokeshire “Bluetits” and the Lower Town, Fishguard ‘Slipway Sirens’ (who sing whilst they swim!)

Having been inspired by both Phil and Jane she decided to approach Sian Richardson, who created the Bluetits in 2015 and who lives in Pencarnan, just above Whitesands Bay in Saint David’s – very close to where Saint David went to school and also a beach where Gwenno has been regularly swimming all year round for the last twenty years and more. She asked her whether the Bluetits would be interested in coming on-board with the DaffyDips4Dewi idea and Sian said -“It means the world to me that The Bluetits are going to be part of the DaffyDips4Dewi event. We began with two people dipping on a Pembrokeshire beach and we became 100,000 people dipping on beaches, in rivers and lakes all over the world. I hope to see pictures of thousands of daffodil hats bobbing in the water on Sunday the 26th.

February this year, the closest Sunday to Saint David’s Day in celebration of Saint David – our very own local saintly ‘waterman’.

Next week we will tell you more about the incredible ‘Bluetits Chill Swimmers’ and how Sian Richardson very quickly transformed winters in West Wales. Until then - check out https://thebluetits.co/

The idea has already generated a lot of excitement with wild-swimmers such as Rhondda based ex-Plaid Cymru Leader Leanne Wood and Cath Pendleton (The Merthyr Mermaid) who swam a mile in the Antarctic.

So if you want to take part in this marginally eccentric, but great fun idea on how to celebrate Wales’s Patron Saint then get yourself a beautiful big daffodil hat, stick your swimmers in a bag, fill that thermos, find yourself some cold water and make sure you take a photo after your dip and share on your social media using the hashtag DaffyDips4Dewi . DaffyDipping If you are a Pembrokeshire Person and you fancy a DaffyDip4Dewi then come to the Whitesands Bay beach on Sunday the 26th February at 11.00 sharp. Gwenno will sing the Saint David’s Day Anthem before charging into the sea with her fellow DaffyDippers

DaffyDips4Dewi can be done anywhere throughout the world and Wales in lakes, beaches and ponds. Get a gang of DaffyDippers together and take a photograph to share with the world. Remember to use the hashtag after your location e.g. Jackson Bay DaffyDippers

Make sure you get a daffy hat – available here:

https://www.jokeshop.co.uk/det/4630/Daffodil-Hat-(Hooded)/

Disclaimer : Doing a DaffyDip4Dewi is at your own risk. Please make sure that you are fit and well enough to do this. YOU are responsible for your own well being.

For additional information on how Gwenno Dafydd has developed new traditions for Saint David’s Day have a look here and be inspired.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL5kFg0P4DspmjllkG3c6KVsHft3bVPQy

Saint David’s Day Anthem can be bought here:

https://tycerddshop.com/collections/types?q=&constraint=composer_gwenno-dafydd

Traddodiad arall i ddathlu dydd ein Nawdd Sant

Ydych chi yn cofio’r dyddiau yna pan ein ffordd ni o ddathlu Dydd Gwyl Dewi (DGD) oedd i wisgo cenhinen neu genhinen bedr, bwyta cacennicri, bara brith a chawl gyda phob ysgol yn cynnal eu heisteddfod gyda presenoldeb llwyth o blantos bach ciwt mewn gwisg draddodiadol?

Mae amser wedi newid ers y cyfnod yna ac erbyn hyn mae nifer helaetho pareds (oddeutu 25 cyn y Cyfnod Cofid) gyda tair Baner Sirol a llwytho Faneri Ysgol yn cael eu gorymdeithio wedi eu selio ar eiriau adelweddau anthem gafodd ei hysgrifennu yn arbennig ar gyfer Dydd Gwyl Dewi (Geiriau Dwyieithog: Gwenno Dafydd. Cerddoriaeth: Heulwen Thomas) ac sydd yn cael ei chlywed mewn cyngherddau digwyddiadau DGD yng Nghymru a phedwar ban byd.

Falle y chi’n cofio fod Gwenno wedi bod yn Llysgenhad Dydd Gwyl Dewi Y Byd ar ran Americymru ers 2017 ac mae nifer o’r digwyddiadau uchodwedi dod i fodolaeth oherwydd ei hymdrechion di-flino dros y deunawmlynnedd olaf ers iddi feddwl am gael anthem ddwyieithog ar gyferdathlu ein Nawdd Sant.

“Mae Anthem DGD wedi creu canolbwynt i ddatblygu traddodiadau newydd wedi eu selio arni, gan gynnwys y dair Faner Sirol. (Penfro,Caerfyrddin a Threfaldwyn) a baneri ysgol. R’oedd yr holl gyhoeddusrwydd oeddwn i yn medru ei gynhyrchu gyda’r holl gynlluniau yma wedi helpu i hybu y syniad o gael pareds – rhai ysgolion, pentrefi, trefi a sirol. R’wyf wrth fy modd i ddweud fod Banner Sir Drefaldwyn wedi darganfod cartref parhaol yn Senedd-dy Owain Glyndwr ym Machynllwth. R’wyf mewn trafodaeth ar hyn o bryd gyda’r ysgol leol (Ysgol Bro Hyddgen) ynglun a creu traddodiad newydd o orymdeithio’r faner o’r ysgol i’r Senedd-dy tra fo’r plant yn canu Anthem DGD”. meddai Gwenno.

Mae Gwenno wastad yn meddwl am syniadau newydd a chyffroes i ymgysylltu gyda mwy o bobo i wneud DGD yn fynedfa posib i bobol ardraws y byd i ddod i archwilio eu gwreiddiau Cymreig. Mae y cyfnod twristiaid yng Nghymru fel arfer o ddechrau mis Ebrill ond d’yw Gwennoddim yn gweld dim rheswm pan na ellid ymestyn y cyfnod o fis Mawrth ymalen. Mae mewn cysylltiad agos gyda sawl aelod o’r Senedd i rannuei gweledigaeth a’i syniadau.

Mae ei syniad diweddaraf yn gyfuniad o nifer o ffactorau ac mae hi ynawyddus i roi’r clod i’r bobol wnaeth roid awgrymiadau sydd wedi cael eu cyfuno ganddi mewn i’w syniad diweddaraf sef DewchIDrochiDros Dewi DaffiDrochwyrDewi (neu yn Saesneg DaffyDipping4Dewi DaffyDipping )

Tua 2009 r’oedd Gwenno mewn cysylltiad gyda Pastor Phil Wyman o Salem yn yr Unol daleithiau (Mae e bellach yn byw yn Caernarfon)Ydych chi yn ymwybodol fod Dewi yn cael ei adnabod fel ‘DewiDdyfriwr’? D’oedd e ddim yn bwyta cig a dim ond dwr oedd e’n yfed. Uno’r dirwestwyr llysieuol cyntaf. Penderfynodd Phil y buasai’n dathlu DGD drwy gerdded i fynu at ei ganol mewn i ddyfroedd rhewllyd ar draeth Revere, Massachusetts, ac fe wnaeth, gan alw fe yn ‘Dunk for David’

R’oedd Gwenno wastad ishe gneud rhywbeth tebyg yma yng Nghymru ond erioed wedi gallu perswadio eraill i wneud hyn. Ta beth, yn ddiweddar, penderfynodd Jane Dalling, sydd yn aelod o Nofwyr Oerwch ‘Bluetits’ Sir Benfro, yn dilyn awgrym gan y sgwenwraig leol Teresa Hennessy, ei bod yn mynd i ddathlu penblwydd ei Mam ar ei phenblwydd ar yr 17eg o Ionawr 2023 ar draeth Pwllgwaelod (GogleddSir Benfro) Casglodd Teresa griw o ‘Bluetits’ at eu gilydd a’r criw i gyd yn gwisgo penwisgoedd cenin pedr ac fe aethon nhw i gyd i drochi er cof am Fam Jane, Eira, fuodd farw yn anffodus o ganser flwyddyn diwethaf. A peth rhyfedd iawn – fe fu hi’n bwrw eira ar y traeth tra bo nhw yn trochi. Cyd-ddigwyddiad anarferol iawn! Mae Gwenno a Teresa ill dwy yn aelodau o grwp nofio lleol Cwm Abergwaun y #SlipwaySirens ac yn ffrinidau ers eu hamser yn ysgol Uwchradd Abergwaun.

Wedi iddi gael ei hysbrydoli gan Phil a Jane fe benderfynodd gysylltu gyda Sian Richardson, wnaeth greu y ‘Bluetits in 2015 ac sydd yn bywyn fferm Pencarnan, sydd bron uwchben Traeth Mawr (WhitesandsBay) yn Nhy Ddewi – yn agos iawn at ble oedd Dewi Sant yn mynd i’r ysgol yn ogystal a thraeth lle bu Gwenno yn nofio yn rheolaidd reit rowndy flwyddyn am yr ugain mlynnedd olaf a mwy.

Gofynnodd os y buasai gan y Bluetits ddiddordeb i gymeryd rhan yn ydigwyddiad a dyma beth ddywedodd Sian:

“Mae’n werth y byd yn grwn i mi fod y Bluetits yn mynd i fod yn rhan o’r digwyddiad DewchIDrochiDrosDewi . Fe ddechreusom ni y Bluetits gyda dau berson yn nofio ar draeth yn Sir Benfro ac fe dyfodd i fod yn 100,000 o bobol yn trochi ar draethau a mewn llynnoedd ac afonyddled-led y byd. Dwi’n gobeithio gweld lluniau o gannoedd o hetiau cenin-pedr yn bobio yn y dwr Dydd Sul y 26ain o Chwefror eleni, y Sul agosa iDdydd Gwyl Dewi i ddathlu ein Nawdd Sant – ein ‘dyfriwr’ sanctaidd lleol.

Wythnos nesaf cewch glywed mwy am yr anghredadwy ofwyr oerwch Bluetits a sut lwyddodd Sian Richardson i drawsnewid gaeafau rhewllydy Gorllewin Gwyllt. Tan hynny - cerwch am sbec i https://thebluetits.co/

Mae y syniad eisioes wedi creu lot o gyffro gyda gwyllt-nofwyr felLeanne Wood, cyn arweinydd Plaid Cymru syn dod o’r Rhondda a CathPendleton (Mor-forwyn Merthyr) a nofiodd filltir yn yr Antarctic.

Felly os hoffe chi gymeryd rhan yn y digwyddiad, bach yn ecsentrig ondyn lot o hwyl, i ddathlu Dydd ein Nawdd Sant wel prynwch het geninpedr hardd, taflwch eich siwt nofio mewn bag, llenwch y thermos yna ,dargan fyddwch damed o ddwr oer a gwnewch yn siwr eich bod yncymeryd llun ar ol eich trochiad a rhannwch ar eich cyfryngaucymdeithasol gan ddefnyddio’r hashnod DewchIDrochiDrosDewi DaffiDrochwyrDewi neu/a  DaffyDips4Dewi DaffyDippers

Os ydych chi yn dod o neu yn byw yn Sir Benfro ag yn ffansio dod i#DrochiDrosDewi Dewch i Traeth Mawr (Whitesands Bay) Dydd Sul y26ain o Chwefror am 11.00 ar y dot. Fe fydd Gwenno yn canu Anthem Dydd Gwyl Dewi cyn rhuthro mewn i’r mor gyda gweddill y DaffiDrochwyr

Gallwch DrochioDrosDewi ble bynnag yn y byd ac wrth gwrs unrhywleyng Nghymru mewn llynnoedd, pyllau a thraethau. Bydd yn fwy hwyliogos oes na griw ohono chi yn ei wneud a cofiwch dynnu llun ohono chi irannu gyda’r byd. Cofiwch i ddefnyddio’r hashnod cyn eich lleoliad e.e. DaffiDrochwyr Aberporth

Gallwch brynu het cenin pedr fan hyn:

https://www.jokeshop.co.uk/det/4630/Daffodil-Hat-(Hooded)/Ymadawiad

Disclaimer : Mae bod yn rhan o ddigwyddiad DrochioDrosDewi ar eich risg eich hunan. Gwnewch yn siwr eich bodyn ddigon iach a ffit i wneud hyn, CHI sydd yn gyfrifol am eich iechydeich hunan a neb arall.

Am fwy o wybodaeth am sut mae Gwenno Dafydd wedi datblygu traddodiadau newydd ar gyfer Dydd Gwyl Dewi Cymerwch bip fan hyn a gobeithio gewch chi eich ysbrydoli.

Gyda baner ac anthem gellid Dathlu Dydd Gwyl Dewi ‘ble bynnag yn y byd

’https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLL5kFg0P4DspmjllkG3c6KVsHft3bVPQy

Gellid prynu Anthem Dydd Gwyl Dewi fan hyn:

https://tycerddshop.com/collections/types?q=&constraint=composer_gwenno-dafydd

You are very welcome to set up your own event, however doing a DaffyDip4Dewi is entirely at your own risk. Please make sure that you are fit and well enough to do this. YOU are responsible for your own well-being. Take warm clothing and a warm drink for after the event.

If you want to have the Saint David’s Day Anthem as part of your event (get a local school or choir on board) the Saint David’s Day Anthem can be bought here: https://tycerddshop.com/collections/types?q=&constraint=composer_gwenno-dafydd

A few years ago, our family started making St David’s Day about doing “the little things” by doing some volunteering, in addition to having a special dinner and/or pub night.  

We did things like spend a couple hours on a walk picking up litter, get something needed by a homeless person (coat, sleeping bag, a meal or lift to a medical clinic), help an elderly person in our neighborhood run errands or do things like change lightbulbs or rake, walk a neighbor’s dog, etc.  

There are probably lots of things we can all find to improve our communities or our immediate environments in small and simple ways to make things better, like even just picking up litter. We can do something alone or organize an activity with friends and family.  

If you like animals, see if a rescue or shelter or even a zoo near you could use some help.  A school or library may have a program to help refugees or other people in the community learn the language or customs or a group to provide company and conversation to the elderly. A local school may need help with a project.  

If you’d like to find organized volunteer opportunities, Volunteer Match lists all kinds of organizations that need help around the world, including in Wales and the rest of the UK, in Canada, in the US, in Argentina and other countries. Check whether your city or country has a site like this with local volunteer opportunities.

If you’re in Canada, Volunteer Canada may list opportunities with organizations looking for help.

In the US, try Volunteers of America

This year, for us, St David’s Day is on a school day and we’ve got two students in our house, so we’re looking for things to do after school, before going out to get some sausage rolls for all and beer for the adults!

In our city, Portland, Oregon USA, Hands On Greater Portland is looking for volunteers to help the elderly and disabled do grocery shopping in the morning.

Also in Portland, Kindred Hospice is looking for volunteers who can play an instrument or sing to share music with hospice residents at the end of their lives.

Of course, we can also all just look out our windows or walk out our doors and think about what we might want to do.

Whatever you do, Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!

1) Contact your local radio stations by late February and ask them to play Welsh music and relay "Happy St. David's Day" messages to the Welsh in your area on March 1st. There is plenty of music by Welsh artists that are readily available on most radio stations play lists. If it is a rock/pop station ask for Duffy, The Stereophonics, The Manic Street Preachers, Jem, Catatonia, or Tom Jones, if it is a classical station, you might try asking for Bryn Terfel, Charlotte Church, Paul Potts, Katherine Jenkins or Karl Jenkins.

2) Email a 'Happy Saint David's Day/ Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus' message to your friends and family.

3) Wear a daffodil, a leek, or something red on March 1st.

4) Attend a St. David's day event sponsored by your local Welsh society; there are hundreds across North America to choose from.

5) If there are no Welsh groups nearby, hold a St. David's day dinner at your home or request your local pub to stock:

A Message from Gwenno Dafydd: AmeriCymru St David's Day Ambassador to the World.

Link to parade video: https://fb.watch/bwOO5T_sq4/

Link to parade video: https://fb.watch/bwOO5T_sq4/

What is a tradition and how do traditions grow? An interesting question at a time, when usually, Saint David’s Day dinners are being organised and when teachers are usually preparing for celebrating our patron saint day including coaching the children for the annual Urdd Eisteddfod, or as has been happening over the last ten years or so, to go to the local Saint David’s Day Parade. By 2020 there were around 25 parades in towns and villages around Wales, a huge growth over the last fifteen years when there were just a handful in existence.

But this year it seems highly unlikely that we will be joining together to celebrate our patron saint on our streets or together in dinners. Schools will also not be able to come together and celebrate in their usual fashion.

So perhaps now is the time to develop and grow some traditions that have already become incredibly popular over the last sixteen year since Gwenno Dafydd had the idea of creating a special anthem for Saint David’s Day. She was banging a metal bell with a wooden clapper of the type used by Saint David and his followers whilst taking part in the 2005 National Saint David’s Day Parade, following the very first parade in 2004, when she had the idea of creating an anthem.

Gwenno wrote some lyrics in both Welsh and English and she took them to Heulwen Thomas who wrote the music for ‘Cenwch y Clychau i Dewi’ - ‘Ring out the bells for Saint David’.

Since then the song has been performed all over Wales and further afield numerous times in Canada, Los Angeles, Patagonia , Disneyland Paris, Westminster, Brangwyn Hall, Llandaff Cathedral in the ‘All Wales Saint David’s Day Service’, Saint David’s Cathedral (many years running) in countless parades all over Wales and on the television regularly on Saint David’s Day.

The song manuscript is available for sale on the ‘Ty Cerdd’ website in four versions, piano and voice, female and male voice choirs and mixed SATB choir. Why don’t you get a group of people together on the web or teach this to the children in your school so that you can join together this year to sing it virtually and by next year you will be able to sing it out on the streets and in our communities?

https://tycerddshop.com/collections/sheet-music/composer_gwenno-dafydd

This song can pull all our communities together on our patron saint day – the only part of our celebrations that can be used virtually in all corners of the world, as is shown on this video of children from Patagonia, Los Angeles, North and South Wales. The item appeared originally on Tinopolis’s ‘Wedi Saith’ (After Seven)

And if you are looking for an exciting project to get children to take part in – whether that is because you are looking for something to entertain them whilst you are home-schooling them or as a class teacher, how about a challenge or a competition to get them to design a Saint David’s Day family, class or school banner based on the words and images of the Saint David’s Day Anthem. The very first school banner (Ysgol Cwmgors) was accepted into San Ffagan Museum in 2019

The first ever Saint David’s Day School Banner – Ysgol Cwm Gors.

Service to hand-over the banner permanently to San Fagan on the 19 ^th February 2019

https://www.southwalesguardian.co.uk/news/17480251.pupils-present-banner-to-st-fagans-with-pride/

It will be an interesting challenge and when the children are permanently back in school you will be able to have a parade all around the school grounds with all the banners whilst the children sing the anthem before they go into school for their annual Saint David’s Day Eisteddfod.

This idea is part of an extended project of creating County Banners instigated by Gwenno. Three beautiful hand-made banners have already been made and have all been used extensively in Saint David’s Day Celebrations throughout our land.

Pembrokeshire Carmarthenshire Montgomeryshire

And if you are interested to read more about these new traditions as well as older traditions, Gwasg Carreg Gwlach (Press) have produced a Welsh medium book called ‘Heddiw, Ddoe a Gwyl Ddewi’. (Today, Yesterday and Saint David Celebrations) and it is available at your local Welsh medium book shop. We are hoping that this book will be available through the medium of English in the near future.

So until we are all able to celebrate our patron saint day together – what about we create and firm up some new traditions during this Covid Crisis? Happy Saint David’s Day to you all – wherever you are in the world.

Sut allwn ni ddathlu Dydd Gwyl Dewi ynghyd eleni? 

Beth yw traddodiad a sut mae traddodiadau yn tyfu? Cwestiwn ddiddorol ar adeg, fel arfer, pan fydd ciniawau Dydd Gwyl Dewi yn cael eu trefnu ac athrawon yn dechrau paratoi ar gyfer gwyl dathlu ein nawdd sant gan gynnwys hyfforddi’r plant ar gyfer Eisteddfod yr Urdd, neu falle fel dros y deng mlynedd a mwy diwethaf - mynd i bared Dydd Gwyl Dewi lleol. Erbyn 2020 r’oedd bron i 25 pared mewn trefi a phentrefi ar hyd a lled Cymru, tyfiant aruthrol dros y pymtheg mlynedd olaf pan oedd ond llond dwrn ohonynt yn bodoli.

Ond eleni ni fydd hi’n bosib i ddod ynghyd i ddathlu dydd ein nawdd sant ar ein strydoedd na chwaith mewn ciniawau gyda’n gilydd. Ni fydd ysgolion yn medru ymgynyll na chwaith cyd-ddathlu yn ein dulliau arferol chwaith.

A falle nawr yw yr amser iawn i ddatblygu a thyfu rhai traddodiadau sydd eisioes wedi dod yn boblogiadd dros yr un mlynedd ar bymtheg olaf ers i Gwenno Dafydd gael y syniad i creu anthem arbennig i Dydd Gwyl Dewi. R’oedd hi yn taro cloch ddur drom, tebyg i’r rhai oedd mynachod Dewi Sant yn eu defnyddio, tra’n gorymdeithio o amglych Caerdydd yng Ngorymdaith Genedlaethol Dydd Gwyl Dewi yn 2005, yn dilyn y gyntaf yn 2004, pan gafodd hi’r syniad am greu anthem.

Fe sgwennodd Gwenno eiriau yn Gymraeg a Saesneg a mynd a nhw at Heulwen Thomas wnaeth ysgrifennu y gerddoriaeth i ‘Cenwch y Clychau i Dewi’ - ‘Ring out the bells for Saint David’.

Ers hynna mae y gan wedi cael ei pherfformio ar hyd a lled Cymru, Canada, Los Angeles, Patagonia , Disneyland Paris, San Steffan, Neuadd y Brangwyn, Eglwys Gadeiriol Llandaf, Eglwys Gadeiriol Ty Ddewi (sawl gwaith), mewn nifer helaeth o ‘pareds’ ar hyd a lled Cymru ag ar y teledu yn rheolaidd ar ddydd Gwyl Dewi.

Mae y gan ar gael i’w phrynu ar wefan Ty Cerdd mewn pedair fersiwn - piano a llais, cor merched, cor bechgyn a chor cymysg. Beth am i chi ddod a criw o bobl at eu gilydd ar y we neu ei dysgu i’r plant yn eich ysgol er mwyn ei gyd ganu eleni yn rhithiol ag erbyn y flwyddyn nesaf allan ar ein strydoedd ag yn ein cymunedau yn ein pareds a ciniawau?

https://tycerddshop.com/collections/sheet-music/composer_gwenno-dafydd

Gall y gan yma ddod a’n cymunedau at eu gilydd – yr unig ran o Ddathliadau Dewi y gellid ei defnyddio yn rhithiol ym mhedwar ban byd fel y dangosir yn y fidio yma o blant ym Mhatagonia, Los Angeles, De a Gogledd Cymru yn canu’r gan gyda’u gilydd. Ymddangosodd yr eitem ar ‘Wedi Saith’, Tinopolis yn wreiddiol.

Ag os ydych chi yn edrych am gynllun cyffroes i gael eich plant i gyfrannu tuag ati – boed hynna achos eich bod yn edrych am rywbeth i’w diddori tra’n eu haddysgu o adref neu fel athro neu athrawes ddosbarth - beth am her neu cystadleuaeth i gynllunio baner teulu, dosbarth neu ysgol wedi ei selio ar eiriau a delweddau Anthem Dydd Gwyl Dewi? Cafodd y faner ysgol gyntaf ei derbyn mewn i San Ffagan yn 2019.

Baner Ysgol Dydd Gwyl Dewi gyntaf – Ysgol Gynradd Cwmgors.

Gwasanaeth trosglwyddo’r faner yn barhaol i San Ffagan 19eg o Chwefror 2019. https://www.southwalesguardian.co.uk/news/17480251.pupils-present-banner-to-st-fagans-with-pride/

Bydd yn her ddiddorol a phan fydd y plant yn ol yn barhaol yn yr ysgol fe allwch chi gael gorymdaith o amglych yr ysgol gyda’r baneri tra fo’r plant yn canu yr anthem cyn iddyn nhw ddod i fewn i’r ysgol i gael yr Eisteddfod flynyddol.

Mae y syniad yma yn ran ehangach o gynllun creu baneri sirol mae Gwenno Dafydd wedi ysgogi. Mae tair baner sirol hardd eisioes wedi cael eu creu gyda llaw, ac maent eisioes wedi cael eu defnyddio nifer helaeth o weithiau mewn dathliadau Dydd Gwyl Dewi ar draws ein gwlad.

Sir Benfro Sir Gaerfyrddin Sir Drefaldwyn

Ac os oes gennych ddiddordeb i ddarllen am y traddodiadau newydd yma yn ogystal a rhai sydd yn hynnach, mae Gwasg Carrreg Gwalch wedi cynhyrchu llyfr o’r enw ‘Heddiw, Ddoe a Gwyl Ddewi’ a mae ar gael o’ch siop Gymraeg leol. R’ydym yn gobeithio efallai fydd y llyfryn yn cael ei gyfieithu cyn bo hir.

Felly tan i ni allu dathlu dydd ein Nawdd Sant Dewi yn ein dulliau traddodiadol – beth am i ni greu rhai newydd yn ystod y Cyfnod Cofidus? Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus i chi gyd – ble bynnag yn y byd!

St David's Day Banners 2020

 
Photos: 6

BUY THE ST DAVID'S DAY SONG HERE

St David's of Wales Day Benefit Concert

Celebrate the patron saint of Wales' day with the Portland Phoenix Chamber Choir and the Welsh Dragon Choir, as they sing traditional songs of Wales and other cultures. There will be music followed by dessert and a silent auction.

The concert is to raise funds for the Chamber Choir's trip to compete at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod in Wales in July 2019.

BUY TICKETS HERE

AmeriCymru: Hi Justin and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. What can you tell us about the history of the Phoenix Choir?

Justin: The Portland Phoenix Choir is a new non-profit choral organization made up of two separate choirs - the auditioned Chamber Choir and the non-auditioned Choral Union. It's made up of students, faculty and community singers who used to perform as the Marylhurst University Choirs. Sadly, Marylhurst, where I served as Director of Choral Activities, unexpectedly closed last spring, leaving us all musically homeless. In a really touching gesture, the singers asked me if we could continue singing together - thus the Phoenix choirs were born, choosing as our name the well-known image of the mythical bird that resurrects itself from its own ashes. It's our Chamber Choir that is traveling to sing and compete in Wales this summer.

AmeriCymru: You will be performing at the Llangollen Festival in north Wales this year. Care to tell us more?

Justin: It's a huge honor even to be accepted to compete at the Llangollen Eisteddfod. It's know worldwide as one of the finest choral festivals on the planet, and this year they received over a hundred applications. We're competing in two categories against choirs from all over the world. The winning choir gets the title of Choir of the World and the Pavarotti Trophy (named after the famous singer), but in reality, we're just thrilled about the chance to hear so many exceptional groups from all over the world, as well as represent Portland, Oregon, the Pacific Northwest and the United States on a highly visible global stage.

AmeriCymru: I guess transporting and accommodating a choir to an event like this is a massive logistical exercise. How are your plans proceeding thus far?

Justin: It's a logistical challenge, true - but it's a financial challenge above all. Since we're a non-profit that's literally six months old, and no longer have a university backing us up with their resources, raising the money to go is a tall order. Our singers are rich in musical talent but not so in financial resources. So we're looking for community partners interested in helping us represent the region and the world, as well as create ever stronger ties between Wales and the United States.

AmeriCymru: You have a fundraiser on March 1st here in Portland. Can you share the details?

Justin: Yes, we're very excited to collaborate with the Portland Dragon Choir, our city's fine Welsh chorus, on Friday March 1st. I'm sure I don't need to tell your readers that's St David's Day, the feast day of the patron saint of Wales. The music will feature Welsh favorites, storytelling, a silent auction, and our Chamber Choir singing the music we're taking to Llangollen. It's Friday, March 1st at St David's of Wales Church (of course!) in SE Portland, and tickets can be purchased online at wales.brownpapertickets.com.

AmeriCymru: How would you describe the choir's repertoire? Will you be performing any old Welsh choral favorites at Llangollen?

Justin: Our repertoire is quite eclectic; everything from sixteenth century polyphony, to challenging modern works, to African-American spirituals. En route to Llangollen, we're honored to be invited to sing two Evensong services at Christ Church in Oxford, so we're diving into that Anglican repertoire, too.

But we mainly want to celebrate Wales's incredible and beautiful choral singing tradition. We're currently learning "Calon Lan," so that we can be sure to please our Welsh audiences! We'll also be singing a Gymnafa Ganu in June at Bryn Seion Welsh Church, which looks like it will be terrific fun. Welsh is such a beautiful language, but quite difficult, so learning to sing it has been quite challenging!

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?

Justin: We cordially invite you to attend our St David's Day Benefit Concert on Friday March 1st, to celebrate Welsh-American friendship and the choral music, songs and storytelling of Wales, and help us get across the pond to represent America at the Llangollen Festival. More information can be found at wales.brownpapertickets.com or, if you use Facebook, here: https://www.facebook.com/events/313780339242497/

Gwenno Dafydd - St David's Day Ambassador To The World

Gwenno Dafydd is the instigator of the Saint David's Day Anthem (Lyrics: Gwenno Dafydd Music: Heulwen Thomas) which was launched by The Presiding Officer of the Welsh Assembly Government, Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas in 2008. She has been promoting and developing Saint David's Day activities worldwide since 2006 when the Saint David's Day Anthem 'Cenwch y Clychau i Dewi' (Ring out the bells for Saint David) was performed in public for the very first time in the National Saint David's Day Parade in Cardiff. She has instigated the tradition of 'County Banners' throughout Wales to celebrate Saint David's Day. This year, the first County Banner, The Pembrokeshire Banner, which is kept on permanent display in the East Cloister in Saint David's Cathedral, will be joined by two new County Banners, those of Montgomeryshire and Carmartheshire.

The Saint David's Day Anthem, which will this year be sold from the very prestigious Ty Cerdd website, patron Karl Jenkins, alongside the music of Welsh composers such as Grace Williams, William Mathias, Morfydd Llwyn Owen and Gareth Glyn. The Saint David's Day Anthem has been performed not only in Wales but also numerous times in Canada, Los Angeles, Patagonia, Disneyland Paris and the Houses of Parliament. Every year the Pembrokeshire Banner is paraded around Saint David's Cathedral whilst local school children sing the Saint David's Day Anthem.

She has created an Iphone App to learn the Welsh National Anthem and is the author of 'Stand Up & Sock it to them Sister. Funny Feisty Females' which had been described by Funny Women, the UK's leading female comedy community as 'the ultimate canon of female stand-up comics'. She is a Leadership and Public Speaking Coach and works extensively via Skype and even has some clients in Los Angeles.

Looking for pub quiz questions for your Welsh society St David's Day meetup? Then look no further. The Americymru Welsh QuizPack contains five sets of ten questions on the following topics:-

Know your Jones's?
Know your Welsh Mountains?
Where in Wales?
Dates in Welsh history?
Welsh Celebrity Birth Dates?

Just head to the bottom of this post and download and print the PDF attachment. The correct answers are underlined in the text ( all questions are multiple choice ) All of these quiz sets have appeared on Americymru but are not currently featured on the site.

For the Quizmaster ( correct answers underlined )

Quiz printout ( no underlining )

St David's Day - The Carmarthenshire Banner

 
Photos: 4

The original idea for a banner for every county in Wales was conceived by Gwenno Dafydd. Her vision was of hand-made banners the size of the coal mining lodge banners, based on the words and images of the Saint David’s Day Anthem, Cenwch y Clychau i Dewi – Ring out the bells for Saint David (Lyrics: Gwenno Dafydd. Music: Heulwen Thomas) and elements of local county history with the aim that they be paraded every Saint David’s Day in their respective local communities.

The first of these banners was the Pembrokeshire Banner, which is on permanent display in the East Cloister, Saint David’s Cathedral, Pembrokeshire. Every year the Pembrokeshire Banner is paraded around the Cathedral in the Saint David’s Day Service by the Head Boy and Head Girl of Ysgol Dewi Sant whilst the children of Ysgol Bro Dewi Primary School sing the Saint David’s Day Anthem.

The Pembrokeshire Banner

The second of these County Banners is the Montgomeryshire Banner. Two textile artists Patricia Huggins and Angela Morris designed and made the banner to depict life in Montgomeryshire and the legacy left by St David. Contributions were also made by Pamela Higgs (drawing of Market Hall), Mavis Jones (Needle lace flowers), Shirley Kinsley (dove), Maureen Morris (dyed silk fabric) Also featured are elements from the tomb of the Herbert family to be found in the church of St Nicholas in the old county town of Montgomery.

Montgomeryshire St David's Day Banner

The third County Banner is the Carmarthenshire Banner and it was designed by Eirian Davies from Whitland and the fine handwork was done by Meinir Eynon from Gwm-Miles. The wooden frame supporting the banner and the wooden acorns on the top of the poles have been made by Denzil Davies from Whitland. The bells have been adapted by Dylan Bowen from Pant-bwlch near Newcastle Emlyn and Natalie Dennis, an ex-student from the Trinity Art Department embroidered the bees (University of Wales Trinity Saint David) Gwenllian Beynon of the Trinity Art Department was very supportive throughout the whole banner making development.

It was created to be paraded in the Carmarthen town Saint David’s Day Parade and will be carried for the very first time on the 24 ^th February 2017 by Gwenno Dafydd and Eirian Davies in the second town parade.

Some of the symbols The stones across the top and bottom represent castles and bridges across the county. Some of the most obvious examples would be Dinevor Castle and the Cynghordy Aqueduct.

The gold colour represents the gold mines of Dolaucothi.

The black colour represents the cover of the Black Book of Carmarthen and the coal industry in the East of the county.

The triangular shape in the middle is a Celtic symbol (Triskele /Triskelion) that can be seen in the Book of Llandelio (St. Chad’s Book or the Lichfield Gospels).

The coracles are a sign of the ancient craft which is connected to the Taff, Tywi and Teifi rivers.

In the middle of the net the circle formed represents the famous Glass House in the Welsh National Botanical Gardens in Llanarthne.

The oak represents the wizard Merlin’s oak. In addition see the beautiful hand carved acorns on top of the poles that carry the banner.

You can see the blue Celtic patterns on Eiudon’s Celtic Cross, a cross from Llan -Sannan-Isaf, Llanfynydd.

The blue colour represents water as Saint David was also known as Dewi Ddyfrwr (The water drinker) The blue also represents the lakes in the tales of ‘Llyn y Fan Fach’ (lake of the small place) and Llyn Llech Owain.(Llech Owain’s lake)

The bees are part of the tales about Saint David and also make a very prominent appearance on the Pembrokeshire Banner. They have been added to the Carmarthenshire Banner to symbolise the fact that Saint David’s message has spread from the city of Saint David to Carmarthen.

The bells play an important part in the Saint David’s Day Anthem (Ring out the bells for Saint David) and there are five bells, each one representing the five ‘cantref’ or ‘hundred towns’ or areas of Carmarthenshire, that of Cantref Gwarthaf, Cantref Emlyn, Cantref Mawr,(Big) Cantref Bychan (Small) and Cantref Eginog. The raw appearance of the bells also represent the tinplate and steel industries of Llanelli.

© Gwenno Dafydd & Eirian Davies. 24 ^th February 2017.

Gwenno Dafydd - St David's Day Ambassador To The World

Gwenno Dafydd is the instigator of the Saint David's Day Anthem (Lyrics: Gwenno Dafydd Music: Heulwen Thomas) which was launched by The Presiding Officer of the Welsh Assembly Government, Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas in 2008. She has been promoting and developing Saint David's Day activities worldwide since 2006 when the Saint David's Day Anthem 'Cenwch y Clychau i Dewi' (Ring out the bells for Saint David) was performed in public for the very first time in the National Saint David's Day Parade in Cardiff. She has instigated the tradition of 'County Banners' throughout Wales to celebrate Saint David's Day. This year, the first County Banner, The Pembrokeshire Banner, which is kept on permanent display in the East Cloister in Saint David's Cathedral, will be joined by two new County Banners, those of Montgomeryshire and Carmartheshire.

The Saint David's Day Anthem, which will this year be sold from the very prestigious Ty Cerdd website, patron Karl Jenkins, alongside the music of Welsh composers such as Grace Williams, William Mathias, Morfydd Llwyn Owen and Gareth Glyn. The Saint David's Day Anthem has been performed not only in Wales but also numerous times in Canada, Los Angeles, Patagonia, Disneyland Paris and the Houses of Parliament. Every year the Pembrokeshire Banner is paraded around Saint David's Cathedral whilst local school children sing the Saint David's Day Anthem.

She has created an Iphone App to learn the Welsh National Anthem and is the author of 'Stand Up & Sock it to them Sister. Funny Feisty Females' which had been described by Funny Women, the UK's leading female comedy community as 'the ultimate canon of female stand-up comics'. She is a Leadership and Public Speaking Coach and works extensively via Skype and even has some clients in Los Angeles.

Translation of Tinopolis ‘Pnawn Da’ Interview on Friday the 23rd February 2017.

Pnwn Da Interviewers: Yvonne Evans (YE) & Owain Gwynedd (OG) talking to Gwenno Dafydd (GD) & Nan Lewis. (NL)

Time Code:

05 YE

Next week we will be celebrating Saint David’s Day but the celebrations are starting this week. Keeping company with us are Gwenno Dafydd & Nan Lewis. Welcome to you both. Let’s start with you Gwenno. You have been honoured with a very honourable title,that of Saint David’s Day Ambassador, not just to Wales but to the whole world, well congratulations. What does that mean to you?

29. GD

Well thank you very much. Well I have to say that I was a bit disappointed that they hadn’t included the universe in the whole title! No, it’s a huge accolade.

36 OG

We’ll add that to the title if you want! What does it mean exactly for you to receive this title, what did you have to do to receive it.

43 GD

You have to work very hard without tiring and without getting paid I’m afraid. It’s just something that I have done intuitively really, because all of us as Welsh speakers are very aware that our language is under attack, that we need to promote our culture as much as we can and I have been working for twelve years now promoting Saint David’s Day celebrations in Wales but also around the world.

1.11 YE

Yes. Well done and I’m sure that you are very happy that Nan is sitting next to you here because there is a parade in Carmarthen this Saturday isn’t there.

...

Reproduced by kind permission of Tinopolis plc a Welsh independent television production company.

...

....

Gwenno Dafydd - St David's Day Ambassador To The World

Gwenno Dafydd is the instigator of the Saint David's Day Anthem (Lyrics: Gwenno Dafydd Music: Heulwen Thomas) which was launched by The Presiding Officer of the Welsh Assembly Government, Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas in 2008. She has been promoting and developing Saint David's Day activities worldwide since 2006 when the Saint David's Day Anthem 'Cenwch y Clychau i Dewi' (Ring out the bells for Saint David) was performed in public for the very first time in the National Saint David's Day Parade in Cardiff. She has instigated the tradition of 'County Banners' throughout Wales to celebrate Saint David's Day. This year, the first County Banner, The Pembrokeshire Banner, which is kept on permanent display in the East Cloister in Saint David's Cathedral, will be joined by two new County Banners, those of Montgomeryshire and Carmartheshire.

The Saint David's Day Anthem, which will this year be sold from the very prestigious Ty Cerdd website, patron Karl Jenkins, alongside the music of Welsh composers such as Grace Williams, William Mathias, Morfydd Llwyn Owen and Gareth Glyn. The Saint David's Day Anthem has been performed not only in Wales but also numerous times in Canada, Los Angeles, Patagonia, Disneyland Paris and the Houses of Parliament. Every year the Pembrokeshire Banner is paraded around Saint David's Cathedral whilst local school children sing the Saint David's Day Anthem.

She has created an Iphone App to learn the Welsh National Anthem and is the author of 'Stand Up & Sock it to them Sister. Funny Feisty Females' which had been described by Funny Women, the UK's leading female comedy community as 'the ultimate canon of female stand-up comics'. She is a Leadership and Public Speaking Coach and works extensively via Skype and even has some clients in Los Angeles.

Montgomeryshire St David's Day Banner

 
Photos: 7

The original idea for a banner for every county in Wales was conceived by Gwenno Dafydd. Her vision was of hand-made banners the size of the coal mining lodge banners, based on the words and images of the Saint David’s Day Anthem (Lyrics: Gwenno Dafydd. Music: Heulwen Thomas) and elements of local county history with the aim that they be paraded every Saint David’s Day in their respective local communities.

The first of these banners was the Pembrokeshire Banner, which is on permanent display in the East Cloister, Saint David’s Cathedral, Pembrokeshire. Every year the Pembrokeshire Banner is paraded around the Cathedral in the Saint David’s Day Service by the Head Boy and Head Girl of Ysgol Dewi Sant whilst the children of Ysgol Bro Dewi Primary School sing the Saint David’s Day Anthem.

The Pembrokeshire Banner

Gwenno Dafydd’s maternal grandmother had a very strong connection with Montgomeryshire, having been brought up in Llangadfan where her father was the local school teacher. Gwenno’s great grandparents are both buried in the cemetery at Llangadfan and so she is thrilled that The Montgomeryshire Banner is the second of the County Banners to be completed.

Two textile artists Patricia Huggins and Angela Morris designed and made the banner to depict life in Montgomeryshire and the legacy left by St David. Contributions were also made by Pamela Higgs (drawing of Market Hall), Mavis Jones (Needle lace flowers), Shirley Kinsley (dove), Maureen Morris (dyed silk fabric) Also featured are elements from the tomb of the Herbert family to be found in the church of St Nicholas in the old county town of Montgomery.

In the centre of the banner sits the Montgomeryshire’s Coat of Arms, above which are a dove and some bees. St David was the patron saint of doves, bees and poets. The bees are very symbolic of Celtic mythology symbolizing here the Diaspora of the Welsh people. The bees are linked to many stories about St David. The bee also takes pride of place on the Pembrokeshire Banner, as they also do on the third County Banner, that of Carmarthenshire.

The needle lace flowers are the corn spurry, the county flower of Montgomeryshire. The carrying tabs at the top of the banner are the flag of St David and they also have bells attached which ring when the banner is carried

The banner is worked in dyed silk and the background features the rural life and scenery in Montgomeryshire. The hills, rivers, trees and sheep farming are all important aspects of the prosperity of the region.

The buildings featured are to be found in some of the main towns; The Clock Tower (Machynlleth), St David’s church (Newtown), Powis Castle (Welshpool), the Market Hall (Llanidloes) and the Town Hall (Montgomery).

Also depicted are three notable persons famous to Montgomeryshire. David Davies (1818-1890) a Liberal politician who built much of the railway network in Mid Wales and was a pioneer of the coal industry in the Rhondda valley. He is remembered for Barry Docks.

George Herbert (1593-1633) a poet whose parents are buried in the tomb in St Nicholas church Montgomery. Words attributed to George Herbert appear in the background of the banner “Kind words cost little and mean much”. These words also reflect the life and preaching of St David

Robert Owen (1791-1858) was a reformer and founder of utopian socialism and also the co-operative movement. He worked in the cotton industry in Manchester before setting up a large mill at New Lanark in Scotland. In 1824, Owen travelled to America to invest the bulk of his fortune in an experimental 1,000-member colony on the banks of Indiana's Wabash River, called New Harmony. New Harmony was intended to be a Utopian society.

The background is flanked by two columns inspired by the tomb of the Herbert family. On one column are the words “Cenwch y clychau I Dewi” (Ring out the Bells for St David) and “Gwnaeth y pethau bychain”(He did the little things) which resonate the last words of St David.

Construction techniques include hand and machine embroidery, quilting, appliqué, painting, machine made lace and handmade needle lace.

The Montgomeryshire Banner’s very first outing will be in the ‘All Saints’ Church in Newtown for their St David's Day Service on 27th January 2017.

Gwenno Dafydd - St David's Day Ambassador To The World

Gwenno Dafydd is the instigator of the Saint David's Day Anthem (Lyrics: Gwenno Dafydd Music: Heulwen Thomas) which was launched by The Presiding Officer of the Welsh Assembly Government, Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas in 2008. She has been promoting and developing Saint David's Day activities worldwide since 2006 when the Saint David's Day Anthem 'Cenwch y Clychau i Dewi' (Ring out the bells for Saint David) was performed in public for the very first time in the National Saint David's Day Parade in Cardiff. She has instigated the tradition of 'County Banners' throughout Wales to celebrate Saint David's Day. This year, the first County Banner, The Pembrokeshire Banner, which is kept on permanent display in the East Cloister in Saint David's Cathedral, will be joined by two new County Banners, those of Montgomeryshire and Carmartheshire.

The Saint David's Day Anthem, which will this year be sold from the very prestigious Ty Cerdd website, patron Karl Jenkins, alongside the music of Welsh composers such as Grace Williams, William Mathias, Morfydd Llwyn Owen and Gareth Glyn. The Saint David's Day Anthem has been performed not only in Wales but also numerous times in Canada, Los Angeles, Patagonia, Disneyland Paris and the Houses of Parliament. Every year the Pembrokeshire Banner is paraded around Saint David's Cathedral whilst local school children sing the Saint David's Day Anthem.

She has created an Iphone App to learn the Welsh National Anthem and is the author of 'Stand Up & Sock it to them Sister. Funny Feisty Females' which had been described by Funny Women, the UK's leading female comedy community as 'the ultimate canon of female stand-up comics'. She is a Leadership and Public Speaking Coach and works extensively via Skype and even has some clients in Los Angeles.

St David's Day 2017 - AmeriCymru Events Calendar

Click anywhere in the image below or HERE to add your St David's Day event. Let's show the world that St David's Day is both a Welsh and a truly international event. You will need to log in to AmeriCymru to post directly BUT if you prefer you can send us details via email  ( americymru at gmail.com) and we will post them for you.

How to create a new tradition for Saint David’s Day

Gwenno Dafydd’s original idea to create school banners based on the Saint David’s Day Anthem. Western Mail article.

St David's Day: Let's get everyone singing the St David's Day Anthem today

Children from South and North Wales, Los Angeles and Patagonia singing the song in unison. Item originally on ‘Wedi Saith’, Tinopolis

Buy the St David's Day song (sheet music) here

The First County Banner – The Pembrokeshire Banner

First School Banner – Ysgol Cwmgors, Neath - Port Talbot. 2014.

Iphone App to learn to sing the Welsh National Anthem developed by Gwenno Dafydd.

Learn The Welsh National Anthem

Gwenno Dafydd - St David's Day Ambassador To The World

Gwenno Dafydd is the instigator of the Saint David's Day Anthem (Lyrics: Gwenno Dafydd Music: Heulwen Thomas) which was launched by The Presiding Officer of the Welsh Assembly Government, Lord Dafydd Elis Thomas in 2008. She has been promoting and developing Saint David's Day activities worldwide since 2006 when the Saint David's Day Anthem 'Cenwch y Clychau i Dewi' (Ring out the bells for Saint David) was performed in public for the very first time in the National Saint David's Day Parade in Cardiff. She has instigated the tradition of 'County Banners' throughout Wales to celebrate Saint David's Day. This year, the first County Banner, The Pembrokeshire Banner, which is kept on permanent display in the East Cloister in Saint David's Cathedral, will be joined by two new County Banners, those of Montgomeryshire and Carmartheshire.

The Saint David's Day Anthem, which will this year be sold from the very prestigious Ty Cerdd website, patron Karl Jenkins, alongside the music of Welsh composers such as Grace Williams, William Mathias, Morfydd Llwyn Owen and Gareth Glyn. The Saint David's Day Anthem has been performed not only in Wales but also numerous times in Canada, Los Angeles, Patagonia, Disneyland Paris and the Houses of Parliament. Every year the Pembrokeshire Banner is paraded around Saint David's Cathedral whilst local school children sing the Saint David's Day Anthem.

She has created an Iphone App to learn the Welsh National Anthem and is the author of 'Stand Up & Sock it to them Sister. Funny Feisty Females' which had been described by Funny Women, the UK's leading female comedy community as 'the ultimate canon of female stand-up comics'. She is a Leadership and Public Speaking Coach and works extensively via Skype and even has some clients in Los Angeles.

The truth behind the myth of Saint David has been revealed this week with the publishing of a book that will throw new light on the mysterious life of Wales’ patron saint.

In Pursuit of Saint David  by historian Gerald Morgan follows the life of Saint David, looking at how the myths and traditions that surround the historical figure have come to be and how he eventually became such an important part of Welsh history.

‘His is a most remarkable story’ says Gerald Morgan, ‘Everyone in Wales knows something about Saint David, the patron saint of Wales – that he lived long ago, that Saint Davids was his home, and that the ground in Llanddewi Brefi rose up from under his feet so everyone could hear him’.

‘But who was David really? What did he do? The purpose of my research is to help people know about the many-sided figure who was and is the patron saint of Wales – Saint David – through the centuries.’ explained Gerald, ‘It will attempt to determine what we can know about David – man, saint, patron and legend.’

And Gerald says that there will be some unexpected surprises along the way.

‘St David was and is a man for all seasons. His was a shadowy figure who became a major personage in the medieval British pilgrim movement. This is a saint whose name was a war cry on the lips of the fierce Cambro-Norman invaders of Ireland in 1176’ he explained, ‘To others, David was a figure of significance at the Reformation, when some claimed him as a representative of Christianity, uncorrupted by Roman Catholic teaching, at a time when England was pagan. To the fantasist-historian Geoffrey of Monmouth, David was a nephew of King Arthur, the successor of Dyfrig as archbishop of Caerleon and then St Davids’

‘He became a favourite of the Welsh poets until the Reformation, as well as of Henry Tudor’ added Gerald, ‘Every generation has refashioned David to fit the times and he has survived in the consciousness of the Welsh people to this day’.

Saint David’s name is now given to hundreds of colleges, schools, clubs, business centres, concert halls and hospitals worldwide. He is celebrated in Wales and in societies around the world on the 1 ^st of March.

Gerald Morgan is a teacher and historian. After teaching English at Ysgol Maes Garmon and Ysgol Gyfun Aberteifi , he became headmaster of Ysgol Gyfun Llangefni and then Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig, Aberystwyth. He has published a substantial number of books and articles, most particularly on the history of Ceredigion and Wales.

In Pursuit of Saint David by Gerald Morgan (£5.99, Y Lolfa) is available now.

Contributing artist:  Gaabriel Becket

Click here for more St David's Day Ecards

AmeriCymru spoke to Welsh singer-songwriter Meinir Gwilym about her music, future plans and her upcoming appearance in L.A. on St David's Day.

Meinir Gwilym

AmeriCymru: Hi Meinir and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. You were born and raised in Ynys Mon, Can you describe the island a little for our American readers. Did you come from a musical family?

Meinir: Ynys Mon is an island off the coast of North Wales. It has two bridges linking it to the mainland. I grew up in a village called Llangristiolus, which is in the parish of 'Paradwys'. It's quite a rural area, and I've always loved the outdoors. My roots are pretty deep there, my brothers and I are the 8th Generation to live in our family home. The house was originally a 'Ty Unnos' (One Night House) which is an old Welsh tradition - built in one night on a patch land, and if there was a fire in the hearth by the following morning, the builder then owned the house!

As a family, we've always sung really - at parties, at gatherings, at family meals - any occasion, in our house we're round the piano or guitar singing! It's just a natural thing in our family, and I think that's why music is my way of expressing myself. Both my grandfathers were musical in different ways - one was an exceptional pianist and the other a singer and lyricist, in their spare time of course. My aunt Cathrin, my mother's sister, has the best ear for music - she and I have spent hours sitting around the piano, her playing and me giving orders!

I learned to play the guitar at around 14, when I realised the piano was immovable...I was wanting to write songs, and that process has always been a pretty private one for me. My mother taught me to play on an old Spanish guitar, and I never looked back.

AmeriCymru: Your first recording Smcs, Coffi a Fodca Rhad (Cigarrettes, Coffee and Cheap Vodka) released in 2002 was a huge success.How would you describe the album?

Meinir: I was 19 when the CD was released. It was pretty different to other Welsh music that was around at the time, which is probably why it felt so fresh. Musically it's a mix, from thoughtful and quiet to loud and crazy! But it's a taster in a way - of the hundred or so songs I'd written in my teenage years.

I hadn't really thought about what I'd do with all my songs, but was writing a lot, though I didn't perform any publicly until I got to University in Cardiff. There was a songwriter's competition, and my friends persuaded me to enter. I did in the end, and when I won after performing my own songs for the first time, I realised it was the only possible thing to do. I recorded a demo tape and sent it to a community-based not-for-profit record label called Gwynfryn Cymunedol. They liked it, and from then on I was gigging like crazy, finding my feet, learning how to win the most difficult of audiences, and loving it. Smocs, Coffi was then released. I can't believe it's almost 12 years ago to be honest!

AmeriCymru: You have described your third album Sgandal Fain (skinny rumour) as an album of two halves the major and the minor. What did you mean by that?

Meinir: It's a literal description - the first 6 or 7 songs are pretty upbeat, and the second half is quieter, more thoughful. Because I don't write in a certain genre - I just let the songs do what they want - there's always a wide range of tempos and styles on my albums. On Sgandal, it felt right to split them in half.

AmeriCymru: Bryn Terfel appears on two tracks on your 2008 album 'Tombola'. Care to describe the experience of working with Bryn?

Meinir: Well, what can one say?! He's got the greatest voice, and is an absolute pro, working with him was a wonderful experience. To have his voice on Mam a'i Baban, a traditional song, was beautiful, but it was he who thought it might be nice if I wrote a song for both of us too. I wrote Mellt, and I think it works well.

He lives just a few miles down the road from me, and is a really down to earth person. He sells out Sydney Opera House, is probably the best Bass Baritone in the world, and yet he keeps his feet firmly on the ground. It was an absolute pleasure to work with him.

AmeriCymru: What can you tell us about your upcoming appearance in L.A. ?

Meinir: It's going to be at a great venue the Cinefamily Silent Movie Theater in Hollywood, and is obviously the best occasion - Dt.David's Day!

I'll be singing solo, just me and the guitar, so it's going to be quite intimate. I'll be singing some of my favourite caneuon gwerin (folk songs), my own songs, and a few covers too - and I hope to get the audience humming along by the end!

AmeriCymru: You have a CD titled 'Celt' being released to coincide with your headline performance at the St David's Day concert. . When will this be available and where can it be purchased online?

Meinir: It's an 18 track album, released only in North America. There are my own songs on it of course, quite a few traditional tunes, and 2 English lanuguage tracks.

It's available from March 1st through - http://celtic-family-shoppe.myshopify.com/products/celt-by-meinir-gwilym

AmeriCymru: What's next for Meinir Gwilym? What are your plans for the coming year? Any new recordings in the pipeline?

Meinir: Well, I plan to release an album in Wales pretty soon, when the time is right. But next, I have a trip to Croatia planned, a tour in Galicia, Spain, and depending on how the CD goes down in the US and Canada - maybe a North American tour. I'm not really a planning kind of person, I write and sing, and leave the arranging to my manager!

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?

Meinir: Ooooh, to me 'message' is asking for something deep... I'll keep away from political...so I'm gonna quote my favourite bardd (poet), T.H Parry Williams -

"...am nad ydyw'n byw ar hyd y daith,
O gri ein geni hyd ein holaf gwyn,
Yn ddim ond crych dros dro neu gysgod craith
Ar lyfnder esmwyth y mudandod mwyn,
Ni wnawn, wrth ffoi am byth o'n ffwdan ffl,
Ond llithro i'r llonyddwch mawr yn l."

Last year, I decided I wanted a vase or two of beautiful, blooming daffodils on my table for St Davids Day. I knew you could force them to bloom indoors, out of season, so I started looking for directions.

Many websites have directions for forcing daffs indoors, in soil, 13 weeks ahead of when you want them to bloom. I wanted mine in water and rocks only, no soil, and I did it in twelve weeks, which was perfectly timed. If you want a vase of daffs on your table this March 1, try this about now:

Pick your daff variety. The classic daffodil is available all over but there are lots of cultivars: short-stemmed varieties, miniature jonquils, double blooms, short or long cups, different colors, many choices!

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In case you didnt already know, daffodils are a member of the Narcissus genus and they're all poisonous. Don't let children or pets eat any part of the plant and the sap can cause dermatitis in some people, especially wash your hands if you're handling a baby after you cut daffodils or get the sap on your skin.

We were very lucky to get a present of some Really Welsh Duffydils from some lovely people a few years ago and I used these. I did this last year and took pics - these bulbs were a couple of years old, a 2009 product. I was a bit worried they'd be dead and wouldn't produce blooms, because they were so old, but they weren't - they worked perfectly!

II couldn't tell from their site if they're selling daffs by mail order. I though they were but can't find it, but give them a try if you want daffodils from Wales.

The American Daffodil Society has pictures of many beautiful cultivars to look at and think about on their pages: http://www.daffodilusa.org/daffodils/div.html . They also have a list of suppliers you can order from , all over the world and including the UK, if you don't find what you want locally.

Wrap your daff bulbs in paper towels, root side down, and set them in open plastic sandwich bags in your refrigerator door. They should be stored at 35-45 - I think thats 2-7 -

At about six weeks or so, you should have some good roots and shoots on them.

Select your container. Make sure the one you select will support the variety of daffs you've chosen. It would probably be sensible to choose a deep container for big, long-stemmed varieties. I did one deep, one medium and one shallow. The flowers in the shallow container fell over a couple of times and wouldn't stand up at the end but before that, they looked frankly awesome in their low, glass bowl.

Take them out of the fridge and put them in a vase or container in a bed of pebbles or stones (or marbles or whatever), about two thirds up the bulb, root side down. Cover the rocks with cold water. They need light now, so move them to a cool spot in the winter sun, about 60 or 16 and watch them grow. It was mild where we live that winter, so I put them out on the porch.

When they get a bit tall and start to show blooms, move them to your table or wherever you're going to enjoy them (and show them off!).

They were bright and tall and beautiful, and they looked absolutely great on the table.

Composed by Gwenno Dafydd a Heulwen Thomas

If you, your school, choir, church or dinner wants to sing the Saint David’s Day song which has already been performed in Ontario, Patagonia, Vancouver, Disneyland Paris, the Houses of Parliament, Llandaff and Saint David’s Cathedral, by choirs and schools throughout Wales then you can buy a manuscript copy online from: http://www.ylolfa.com SATB, Male Voice, Female Voice and Piano and Voice versions are available.

Buy the St David's Day Song

Cenwch y Clychau i Dewi - Piano a llais by Gwenno Dafydd a Heulwen Thomas

www.ylolfa.com Chwilio'r catalog | Search the catalogue,Y Lolfa - Welsh Books. Buy online: books in Welsh and English for adults, children, Welsh learners & visitors to Wales from Wales' leading printers and publishers.

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READ OUR INTERVIEW WITH GWENNO DAFYDD HERE

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Read our 2011 interview with Gwenno Dafydd HERE

AmeriCymru:-  Hi Gwenno and diolch for agreeing to this interview. I have to ask you firstly, how was the St David's Day Parade this year?

Gwenno:- Really good, more organisations coming on board such as Cardiff Cycle Tours   all the faithful schools and schoolchildren from previous years and this year some more giants, which I was very proud of as I suggested the idea to the Parade Partnership (NSDDP, Cardiff County Council and Welsh Assembly Government) back in  2008 and  2009  when I was actively involved in the organisation of the parade.

Ben Bore (Rhys) / Rhys Wynne License CC Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5

AmeriCymru:-  You have been invited to become a 'Cardiff Ambassador' in recognition of your voluntary work with Saint David's Day Celebrations in Cardiff. Care to tell us a little more about that?

Gwenno:-   It is an honour bestowed by Cardiff and Co , the organisation for Cardiff which acts as a portal for information regarding investment, tourism, conferences, events, shopping, education,  living and working in Cardiff. As Ambassadors we actively promote the city as a great destination for all sorts of events in our professional dealings as well as being invited to networking events to develop business for Cardiff  and a celebrity dinner every year. This year our guest of honour was Welsh adventurer Richard Parks and he spoke about his incredible achievement of climbing to the summits of the seven highest mountains of the seven continents, the South Pole, North Pole and Everest in less than seven months.

I was really honoured to have interviewed him last year for the radio programme I co-present every week on Radio Cardiff, ‘Mack and Welshy Woman’ (Councillor Neil McEvoy, Deputy Chair of Cardiff City Council introduces me as ‘Gwenno Dafydd – The Welshiest Woman in Wales’ !!!) and was very lucky to have sat with his production team at the Ambassadors Dinner and met him again at the year’s Ambassadors Ball.

I would also like to take this opportunity to mention how hard Councillor McEvoy (Plaid Cymru) has worked to develop a week long festival to celebrate Saint David’s Day in Cardiff and this is again growing year on year. It has come to  fruition as a direct result of the spectacular growth that we had with the NSDDP in both 2008 and 2009 when we had in the region of 8,000 thousand in 2008 and around 10,000 participants in  the 2009 Parade.   

AmeriCymru:-   You also host a regular bi-weekly slot on S4C's 'Wedi Tri' as one of the 'Gossip Girls'. What is your role on the show?

Gwenno:-   I don’t actually host the programme I am on the panel. We talk about three different subjects that have turned up during the week and we talk about them on live television through the medium of Welsh. I really love the challenge.  

AmeriCymru:- You will be attending NAFOW at Scranton this year along with the Cor Godre'r Garth. How did you become involved with the choir?

Gwenno:-   I first started singing with the choir in around 1986 or so and was a faithful member of the choir under the baton of Wil Morus Jones for several years and then left soon after my daughter was born in around 1993. I joined another choir which was more convenient for many years but I never had any fun at all with the new choir and always knew that I really belonged to Cor Godre’r Garth, who were a bunch of really friendly warm and fun people – watch out Scranton we’re a lively bunch!!!

AmeriCymru:-   What for you, will be the highlight of the event?

Gwenno:- Don’t know yet – we haven’t been told very much about it – I think it will be obviously the singing and also meeting and making new friends in Scranton. One thing I am really looking forward to on the trip is going back to Don’t Tell Mama’s Piano Bar off Broadway and taking the choir there for a sing song. I was there last March and sang a few songs with their resident pianist, Nate Buccieri   www.donttellmamanyc.com won’t know what’s hit them if our choir gets up there and starts to sing!!!  

AmeriCymru:- Is this your first visit to the Scranton area?

Gwenno:- Yes. However, when I was in America in 2004 filming I came across an amazing dvd for back problems and having suffered with a very painful choric back condition for many, many years I started working with the person who had developed the dvd. It really transformed my life so much so that I ended up running again, and ended up fulfilling a lifetimes’ dream of winning my Welsh vest for the 400 metres.  The person who developed this amazing dvd, James Ciferni lives in the Scranton area and I’m really hoping that I can meet him when we come over so I can shake his hand and thank him properly for all he has done for me. If you are interested in finding out more go to www.backpaineliminator.com

AmeriCymru:- Any final message for our readers and attendees of NAFOW?  

Gwenno:- Come along to hear us sing – you will not be disappointed. Eilir Owen Griffiths our conductor is an immensely talented young man who is also the Musical Director of the Llangollen Music Festival and we will be performing some pieces he has composed. We had a concert this last Sunday to raise money for this year’s National Eisteddfod in Barry and we sang his masterpiece ‘Gorffennwyd’ (It is finished) I have to say the hairs stood up on my skin. You are in for a treat Ladies and Gentlemen and I can’t wait to meet you all.

Click here or on the banner above to find the St David's Day quiz. Links are provided in the questions to help you out if you're stuck. Alternatively you could take it straight and come back later to look up any that you had wrong. You can also print both the questions and a questions and answers sheet at the bottom of this page if you would like to to use the quiz for a St David's Day, or other Welsh pub night challenge. Whatever you do,Enjoy!.. and Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus / Happy St David's Day.

To view our other St David's Day card selections go here:- St David's Day Cards .

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