Today it’s the first of March. It also happens to be Saint David’s day, Wales’ patron saint. As the descendant of a welsh grandmother I lay some claim to celebrate this day
Apart from spending some of my happiest times in Wales: climbing the Arans, doing Crib Goch, swimming in Cardigan bay, visiting some of the most spectacular castles in the world, I also went to evening classes at London’s City Lit. to learn a language which, in my opinion, is one of the most fascinating and beautiful tongues we have.
We also attended Welsh courses at Nant Gwrtheyrn, the language centre in North Wales, and also at the University of Wales outpost at Gregynog Hall.
Currently I’m revising my Welsh with the help of Duo lingo, However, I’ll spare your having to translate this post into the iaith paradwys and just suggest a very simple way of celebrating Dewi Sant.
The most obvious thing is through food:
Cawl (soup, often potato and leek soup) and Welsh rarebit come to mind:
Here’s one recipe for Welsh rarebit:
- 225g grated, strong cheese such as Cheddar or Cheshire
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 level teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons flour
- Shake of pepper
- 4 tablespoons beer, Guinness or milk (Guinness gives a stronger flavour)
- 4 slices bread toasted on 1 side only
Method
-
- Put the cheese, butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, flour and pepper into a saucepan.
- Mix well and then add the beer, Guinness or milk to moisten. Do not make it too wet!!
- Stir over a gentle heat until all is melted, and when it is a thick paste, stop stirring, and swivel it around the saucepan, which it will do quite easily.
- Leave to cool a little, and meanwhile toast the bread on one side only.
- Spread the rarebit over the untoasted side and brown under a hot grill.
- This mixture can be made and kept in the refrigerator for several days if required. Sweet white wine can be used instead of beer and gives a good flavour.
PS I’m lucky to have been given some real Welsh mustard from our neighbours in Longoio:
Of course, Saint David’s day wouldn’t be complete without a display of Cennin Pedr (daffodils for Anglo-Saxons). So here are a few photos I took recently of daffs from different locations in London ranging from the roof-top garden of UCH to Bunhill fields and ending up with our own little display at Longoio. I have never seen so many cennin pedr so early in the year!
One of my regrets of three years in Aberystwyth at uni is that I didn’t make the effort to learn Welsh, “the language of heaven” as they joke. Not only is Wales known as “the land of song” but even spoken Welsh has a beautiful, “sing-song” sound to it. Thanks for the reminder of many happy times in Cymru! 🙂 Happy saint David’s day!
You’re welcome Robert. I’m having great fun going over my Welsh and every minute is worth it.
To be honest, although I had a great French teacher as a kid, I haven’t even managed to learn my wife’s Italian language, despite downloading a language app and occasionally attempting it! Learning a language requires patience and stickability I reckon :/
Dyed Gwyl Dewi Sant Hapus! I truly truly truly miss those oh so happy days spent exploring and climbing mountains not a care no pains then our younger times well spent breathing healthy air in not too sunny Wales the beaches that stretched out for miles and miles I believe that we had Cheeky with us that day at the seaside she even came camping with us in Ireland but suffered the midges like us despite her furry coat! Thanks for the lovely memories much appreciated!
You’re welcome. Time was truly on our side then. Treasured moments indeed.
Learning a language means four things: learning how to say things, learning how to write things and learning how to hear things. But the fourth is most essential: learning how to spend ten minutes a day devoted to a language. I’m now (besides English – though some may joke about my competence in the english language) sticking to four other lovely languages, Italian (where I live most of the time), French (it’s the country next door), German (to be able to read Goethe in the original), Welsh (the Celtic original and most beautiful language of Britain) and Hindi, the third most spoken language in the world and, apart from the somewhat different script, a beautifully logical language based on the world’s oldest tongue , sanskrit.
Amy languages are Russian Japanese really really really super difficult but I occasionally have a go. I have French German Spanish English Italian as you know. It is a tough call not easy but a real brain workout. Japanese is in case we manage to visit before it all disintegrates as Japan is a conglomeration of islands one wonders with seas supposedly rising scary really! Russian would be nice to also visit and have a little knowledge of their language these computer translators are somewhat not good especially the Skype pesky translator bot how dreadful is that and these computer metros got me out of work never mind!
I appoint you as my official Japanese interpreter. 2020 220w0
I appoint you as my official Japanese interpreter. 2020 220w0