Saint David’s Day!

Saint David’s Day (Dydd Gŵyl Dewi, [dɨːð ɡʊɨl ˈdɛui]) is the feast day of Saint David, the patron saint of Wales, and falls on 1 March each year and celebrated by Welsh diaspora from the late Middle Ages. The first day of March was chosen in remembrance of the death of Saint David. Tradition holds that he died on that day in 569.The date was declared a national day of celebration within Wales in the 18th century.

Saint David (Dewi Sant) was born towards the end of the 5th century, a kinship of the royal house of Ceredigion, and founded a Celtic monastic community at Glyn Rhosyn (The Vale of Roses) on the western headland of Pembrokeshire (Sir Benfro), at the spot where St David’s Cathedral stands today. David’s fame as a teacher and spread throughout the Celtic world. His foundation at Glyn Rhosin became an important Christian shrine, and the most important centre in Wales. The date of Saint David’s death is recorded as 1 March, as his tearful monks prepared for his death Saint David uttered these words: “Brothers be ye constant. The yoke which with single mind ye have taken, bear ye to the end; and whatsoever ye have seen with me and heard, keep and fulfil.”

For centuries, 1 March has been a national festival. Saint David was recognised as a national patron saint at the height of Welsh resistance to the Normans.. Indeed, the 17th-century diarist Samuel Pepys noted how Welsh celebrations in London for Saint David’s Day would spark wider counter celebrations amongst their English: life-sized effigies of Welshmen were symbolically lynched,^[4] and by the 18th century the custom had arisen of confectioners producing “taffies”—gingerbread figures baked in the shape of a Welshman riding a goat—on Saint David’s Day.

 

Welsh cattle farmers are hoping that Welsh Black Beef will be the patriotic meat of choice for people’s Sundays roasts.

A food challenge for Wrexham restaurants to create the ultimate Welsh burger for St David’s Day and is allowing food and drink companies across Wales to build a global reputation. Take a look at how the day is being used to marry cultural heritage with commercial opportunities.