Welsh Society Celebrates
St. Dwynwen’s Day at the Cambrian Hall
 ST. DWYNWEN’S Well at the convent on Llanddwyn Island off the west coast of Anglesey which has become a place of pilgrimage for lovers. |
By EIFION WILLIAMS
VANCOUVER – The celebration of St. Dwynwen’s Day has gained popularity among the Welsh in recent years. It is officially celebrated on January 25 and is viewed by many as the Welsh equivalent of St. Valentine’s Day.
Dwynwen was a Fifth Century Welsh princess who after being disappointed in love dedicated the rest of her life to meeting the hopes and dreams of true lovers.
She founded a convent on Llanddwyn Island off the west coast of Anglesey where the nearby St. Dwynwen’s Well became a place of pilgrimage for lovers.
This is the second year that the Vancouver Welsh Society has celebrated St. Dwynwen’s Day (Dydd Santes Dwynwen).
The celebration was observed at a social evening held at the Cambrian Hall on January 29. The actual St. Dwynwen’s Day fell on the previous Monday, which coincided with another Celtic celebration, Burns Night.
The evening began with a brief account of the life of St. Dwynwen, presented by David Llewelyn Williams who also read out a number of his favourite love poems and led the audience in singing some well-known Welsh love songs.
The evening continued with many of those present contributing readings, poems and songs on the theme of love. There was also a short quiz on the same theme conducted by Eifion Williams.
The evening’s theme, combined with the excellent refreshments prepared by the Social Committee, made this a very up-beat and enjoyable evening for all those present.
| 
