St Dwynwen's Day January 25th

January 25th is Dydd Santes Dwynwen, the Day of Saint Dwynwen, the day of the Welsh patron saint of lovers and the broken hearted, the Welsh equivalent of Saint Valentine's Day.
 
There are several versions of Dwynwen's story, the least violent version is that Dwynwen was a 5th century Welsh princess who fell in love with a prince called Maelon Dafodrill, but unfortunately her father had already arranged that she should marry someone else (in other versions she can't marry Maelon because she's going to be a nun). Dwynwen was so upset that she could not marry Maelon that she begged God to make her forget him. After falling asleep, Dwynwen was visited by an angel, who appeared carrying a sweet potion designed to erase all memory of Maelon and turn him into a block of ice. God then gave three wishes to Dwynwen. Her first wish was that Maelon be thawed; her second that God meet the hopes and dreams of true lovers; and third, that she should never marry. All three were fulfilled, and as a mark of her thanks, Dwynwen devoted herself to religious service for the rest of her life.
 
Dwynwen founded a convent on Ynys Llanddwyn, which means "island of Dwynwen's church", off the west coast of North Wales, where a well named after her became a place of pilgrimage after her death in 465AD. Visitors to the well believed that the sacred fish that lived in the well could foretell whether or not their relationship would be happy and whether love and happiness would be theirs. Today, Dwywen's island is part of a British national reserve, with miles of walking trails, sandy beaches and the remains of a 16th century Tudor church stand on what is believed to be the site of the original church on the island. 
 
Saint Dwywen's prayer is "Saint Dwynwen, We beseech thee, Comfort lovers whose vision is unclear. Send mending to those with love lost. Protect our companions. In your name, we seek to do the same. In your name, we choose love first. With the love of you, of Mary, and of Jesus Christ. Amen."
 
People in Wales and people of Welsh descent around the world celebrate Saint Dwynwen's Day by gifting cards, candy and flowers, special dinners, parties and all the same trappings of celebrations for Valentines Day.

Ivor Novello ( Welsh Composer ) Born This Day ( Jan 15 ) 1893

From the Wikipedia:- "David Ivor Davies (15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951), better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh composer, singer and actor who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the early 20th century."

"Novello was born at Llwyn-yr-Eos (Grove of the Nightingale), Cowbridge Road East, Cardiff, Wales, to the well-known singer and teacher Clara Novello Davies and David Davies, a tax collector. A blue plaque commemorating his birth can be seen on the side of the house. He attended the highly regarded Magdalen College School in Oxford."

( And as much as I hate to bore people with my own personal reminiscences, I'd just like to point out that I lived in an apartment just a few doors down back in the 1980's. Sorry...couldn't resist.)

Here is Cerys Matthews poignant tribute to Ivor Novello's "We`ll Gather Lilacs".

LINKS

Ivor Novello on Wikipedia

Ellis Humphrey Evans ( Hedd Wyn ) Poet, born This Day ( Jan 13th ) 1887

Ellis Humphrey Evans was born on this day ( Jan 13th ) in Merionithshire He was a poet who used the baedic name Hedd Wyn ("Holy Peace"). He was killed in action at Passchendaele during World War I.

Hedd Wyn from FirstWorld War.com:-

"Hedd Wyn (1887-1917), born Ellis Humphrey Evans, was a sheep farmer turned poet-soldier who was killed during the First World War.

Evans - who chose Hedd Wyn ('white peace') as his pen name - was born in Penlan, Trawsfynydd the eldest of eleven children, and lived for much of his life at Yr Ysgwrn, a hill farm east of Trawsfynydd." MORE HERE

Welsh Poet Hedd Wynn Death At Passchendaele

LINKS

Hedd Wyn at 100 Welsh Heroes

Hedd wyn on IMDB

Hedd Wyn at The Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum

Hedd Wyn at Gathering the Jewels

The Hero by Hedd Wyn ( in his own hand ) From GTJ

Hedd Wyn on Wikipedia

William Williams Pantycelyn: poet, prose and hymn writer Died This Day ( Jan 11th ) 1791

From the Wikipedia "William Williams, Pantycelyn (also known as Williams Pantycelyn and Pantycelyn) (1717 – January 11, 1791) is generally acknowledged as Wales's most important hymn writer. He was also one of the key leaders of the 18th century Welsh Methodist revival, along with Daniel Rowland and Howell Harris. As a poet and prose writer he is today considered to be one of Wales's greatest writers,...." MORE HERE.

Ray Milland, Actor Born This Day ( Jan 3rd ) 1907

Ray Milland, actor and director, was born at Neath, South Wales on January 3rd 1907.

He starred in over 100 films between 1929 and 1985 including the Hitchcock classic "Dial M for Murder". Ray won an Oscar for his portrayal of an alcoholic in "The Lost Weekend" (1945).

A scene from "The Lost Weekend"

LINKS

Imdb.com

ClassicMovieFavorites

Wikipedia

YouTube

Sir Anthony Hopkins Born This Day ( Dec 31st ) 1937

From the Wikipedia:-

"Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, CBE (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh film, stage and television actor. Considered by many to be one of film's greatest living actors, he is arguably best known for his portrayal of cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter in the 1991The Silence of the Lambs, and its sequel Hannibal. His other notable film credits include The Elephant Man, Dracula, The Remains of the Day, The Mask of Zorro, The World's Fastest Indian, Hearts in Atlantis, Nixon and Fracture. Hopkins was born and raised in Wales, and also became a U.S. citizen on 12 April 2000. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003 and was made a Fellow of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 2008."

More Here

Break Out the Champagne for Griffith Davies, Born This Day ( Dec 28th ) 1788

Griffith Davies was a noted Welsh actuary who was born on this day in 1788. Here is his Wikipaedia page:- Griffith Davies

If anyone knows of any other famous Welsh person who was born on this day or any event in Welsh history which occurred on this date please let us know.

Dan Yr Ogof Caves Discovered This Day {Dec 27th} in 1912.

One of Wales' premier tourist attractions was discovered on this day in 1912. Two local farmers ( Tommy and Jeff Morgan ) first explored the caves by candlelight. They armed themselves with a revolver as a precaution. The caves , which were voted "the greatest natural wonder in Britain" in a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, are now open to the public.


Dan Yr Ogof on Wikipedia


The Official Dan Yr Ogof Showcave Site


Caves Win 'natural wonder' Vote

Owen Morgan Edwards, Born This Day ( Dec 26th ) 1858

Owen Morgan Edwards (26 December 1858 – 15 May1920) was a Welsh historian, educationalist and writer. He is often known as O. M. Edwards.

Owen Edwards was born in Llanuwchllyn near Bala, the eldest son of Owen and Beti Edwards. He gives a vivid description of his early education in his autobiography Clych Adgof ("Bells of Remembrance") published in 1906. Llanuwchllyn was then and remains a strongly Welsh-speaking area, but the Welsh Not was in use at the local school and usually found itself round Owen's neck, as a punishment for speaking Welsh.

After studying at Bala and Aberystwyth, Edwards spent a year at the University of Glasgow studying philosophy before studying at Balliol College, Oxford from 1884 to 1887, winning all the University's three main prizes for history. He came under the influence of the Dafydd ap Gwilym Society at Oxford, establishing friendships with other students who later became prominent in Welsh life such as John Morris-Jones and becoming a strong cultural nationalist. He then spent a year on the continent before returning to Oxford, where he was appointed a Fellow of Lincoln College and became tutor in history there and at other colleges. He remained in this position until 1907 .

In 1907 he was appointed as the first Chief Inspector of Schools for Wales under the recently established Welsh Education Department. He took the first steps towards ensuring that the Welsh language was taught in the schools of Wales. He came into conflict with the Central Welsh Board because of his conviction that the new intermediate schools were anglicising influences in Wales and his determination to resist this.

He was also a prolific writer, starting and editing the periodical Cymru in 1892 and Cymru'r Plant for children in 1894, intended to arouse interest among the people of Wales in their own language and history. An English language version of Cymru, Wales, was less successful. He wrote a number of books on Welsh history, notably Cartrefi Cymru ("Welsh homes") which describes visits to the homes of a number of important historical figures, and published the works of other writers in a series of Welsh classics Cyfres y Fil.

Edwards was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for Merionethshire following the premature death of T. E. Ellis MP in April 1899. He did not enjoy parliamentary life and did not seek re-election in 1900. He was knighted in 1916 and awarded the degree of D.Litt. by the University of Wales in 1918. Edwards died at Llanuwchllyn in 1920, his wife Ellen having died the previous year. His son Ifan ab Owen Edwards founded Urdd Gobaith Cymru ("The Welsh League of Youth").

Works by O.M. Edwards



This article reproduced from the Wikipedia in accordance with the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

Giant Zombie Cats on the Loose in Wales: First Photographic Evidence..This Day in 1993

Wales has been plagued by an infestation of "white mountain rats" or "woolly maggots" for many centuries. The recent sightings of giant cats on the hillsides ( 'Zombi Cathod Mawr' in the vernacular ) are believed to be a gift to the people of Wales from the mighty Merlin who has, of course, been sleeping in a cave for 1500 years (approx) awaiting the call to come to the aid of his countrymen. Until now sheep have outnumbered the human population of Wales by a ratio of four to one. It is to be hoped that these figures will improve now that the mutton munching monsters are in the wild.

The "Zombi Cathod Mawr" are mentioned in the Mabinogion and were used by the "Welsh" Celtic tribes ( Silures, Ordovices etc ) in battle against the Roman legions very much in the same manner as Hannibal's elephants. Unfortunately the Romans learned very early on that it was easy to distract the Cathod Mawr by driving flocks of sheep ahead of their legionary formations. This would enrage the Cathod who would disperse in furious pursuit of the sheep thus largely negating their usefulness for military purposes. A legionary commander is quoted by Tacitus as saying:- "Semper in excremento, sole profundum qui variat!!!" , when he first saw Cathod Mawr in battle formation.

The Cathod Mawr were thought to have become extinct some time in the Dark Ages but were obviously sharing a cave with Merlin, Arthur and his Knights, Owain Glyndwr etc etc awaiting the call.

by Iolo Multnomah View my blog

William Floyd - Born 17th Dec 1734

This road sign signifies the William Floyd Parkway in Suffolk County, New York. William Floyd was one of the signatories of the American Declaration of Independence. He was of Welsh origin. Born on this day in 1734 (Dec 17th), he lived at Mastic Beach now a part of The Fire Island National Seashore.

He was a commander of the militia on Long Island and was elected to represent the State of New York in the Continental congress. His great-grandfather Richard Floyd was born in Breconshire. The family settled in the Province of New York some time in the mid 17th century.

There is some dispute concerning the exact number of persons of Welsh descent who were signatories of the American Declaration of Independence. If one believes the following article the proportion may be as high as 50%. Presidential connection

Here is Charles Goodrich's estimate of his character quoted from "Lives of the Signers to the Declaration of Independence" ( which can be found here and in the Americymru Library here. )

"In his person, General Floyd was of a middle stature. He possessed a natural dignity, which seldom failed to impress those into whose company he was thrown. He appeared to enjoy the pleasures of private life, yet in his manners he was less familiar, and in his disposition less affable, than most men. Few men, however, were more respected. He was eminently a practical man. The projects to which he gave his sanction, or which he attempted, were those which judgment could approve. When his purposes were once formed, he seldom found reason to alter them. His firmness and resolution were not often equaled.

In his political character, there was much to admire. He was uniform and independent. He manifested great candor and sincerity towards those from whom he happened to differ; and such was his well known integrity, that his motives were rarely, if ever, impeached."