St Dwynwen’s Day for Welsh Lovers

The 25^th of January is St Dwynwen Day here in Wales, Dwynwen being the patron saint of love and friendship, and our equivalent of St Valentine. As with all these old Welsh folk tales passed down by word of mouth over the centuries there are a number of versions. Here’s one.

Dwynwen was the prettiest of the Celtic King Brychan Brycheiniog’s 24 daughters (he also had 11 sons!). At one of the parties that King Brychan held regularly Dwynwen fell in love with a handsome prince called Maelon Dafodrill. However her father refused her permission to marry him as he’d arranged for her to marry another. Maelon was so angry that he raped Dwynwen and left her.

Dwynwen was distraught and fled into the woods. Here, through her tears and grief she prayed to God to help her forget Maelon Dafodrill, before falling asleep under the trees. In a dream she was visited by an Angel with a potion to help her forget her cruel lover as well as turn him into ice. God also granted Dwynwen three wishes. Her wishes were 1.That God thaw Maelon Dafodrill 2. That he met the hopes and dreams of true lovers 3. That she would never marry.

All her wishes were fulfilled and Dwynwen devoted the rest of her life to the service of God and established a church on the small island of Llanddwyn just off the west coast of Anglesey, near the village of Newborough. The remains of the church can still be seen today and the tidal island can be reached on foot.

The popularity of St. Dwynwen’s day seems to have increased greatly over the last ten years in Wales and you’ll find Welsh speakers celebrating it with parties and concerts, although not to the same level as St Valentine’s Day. Why it’s celebrated on January 25^th I really have no idea. Here’s a card to all you romantics from all of us here at myguideBritain Cerdyn Santes Dwynwen