inf

Free Web Hosting Provider - Web Hosting - E-commerce - High Speed Internet - Free Web Page

'National Anthem of Wales'

"Land of my Fathers"

The land of my fathers is dear unto me,

Old land where the minstrels are honoured and free;

Its warring defenders so gallant and brave,

For freedom their life's blood they gave.

Home, home, true am I to home,

While seas secure the land so pure,

O may the old language endure.

Old land of the mountains, the Eden of bards,

Each gorge and each valley a loveliness guards;

Through love of my country, charmed voices will be

Its streams, and its rivers, to me.

Though foemen have trampled my land 'neath their feet,

The language of Cambria still knows no retreat;

The muse is not vanquished by traitor's fell hand,

Nor silenced the harp of my land.

Welsh Flag

The Dragon is one of the most ancient badges of the world . It was brought to Britain by the Romans around 1800 years ago , and used by both British and Saxon kings . Tradition tells it was used by Arthur and was the standard of Cadwalladr , from who the Tudors were descended , The Red Dragon was used by Henry VII at the battle of the roses and when Henry VII became king of England in 1485 , he decreed that the Red Dragon should be known as the official flag of Wales. The Saxons (from Denmark) who also had early contact with the Romans aquired the dragon as a symbol of their own . Their preference was for the White dragon ..... the next 600 years saw battles and rivalry between the forces of the Celts (with their Red Dragons ) and the Saxons ( with their White Dragons) ... around these 2 warring forces grew the legends of Merlin and King Arthur .The Saxon King Offa of Mercia eventually drew a physical separation in the form of a dyke between what was Celtic Wales ( and the Red Dragon ) from Saxon England ( and their White Dragon). The Tudor monarchs used the Dragon up until the death of Elizabeth in 1603 when the newly arrived Stuart Kings replaced the Dragon with a Unicorn

Of all the countries in the modern world the flag of Wales is by far the most ancient . The Welsh are very proud of their flag and see in it great symbolism The white signifies the heavens or the spiritual plane where as the green is symbolic of the Earthy or physical plane , the Red Dragon of Wales ( y ddraig goch ) is the mediator between the spiritual and physical worlds and protector of the Welsh people .

The Welsh people have never ceased to fiercely hold to their identity , even amid centuries of turmoil , keeping their language , culture and flag alive through to the present day . The Welsh flag is not only beautiful , but also powerful in it's symbolism and a source of great national pride .

Emblems of Wales

The daffodil and the leek are famous emblems of Wales with the leek being the most ancient of these , although its origins are vague the leek is thought to have some connection with St. David.

Patron Saint

David is the Patron Saint of Wales and St David's day is considered one of ,if not the most important of National days for the Welsh people . It is celebrated as a national holiday on the 1st of March .

Want a link to the Tasmanian Welsh Society ?

The National Welsh-American Foundation offers many links to Welsh sites