Wednesday 5 March 2008

WEDNESDAY 5TH MARCH - Sen Piran




Today is St. Piran's Day - the patron saint of tin miners and generally regarded as the national saint of Cornwall. The flag of Cornwall has a white cross of tin on a granite background. Granite being the bed rock of the county.


There will be the annual pilgrimage across the sand dunes at Perranporth beach to St. Piran's Oratory. This is built at the place where Piran landed having come from Ireland having made the journey floating on a millstone.


Cornish is a language which no one speaks today however there are ardent enthusiasts who promote it along with Cornwall's identity.





5 comments:

Pam said...

It's sad, don't you think, when languages die out?

I love the Highlands too. Sutherland is my spiritual home. Well, one of them.

Claire said...

My daughter's degree is in Gaelic now that's a language fighting for survival. She was exposed to it at an early age as my husband has relations on The Isle of Harris whom we visit. Sutherland is so beautiful too I agree and as for Assynt, the list goes on.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Belated San Piran greetings!

Esther said...

Some people do speak Cornish and I am one of them. Dydh Sen Piran Da! There is another annual event happening next weekend in Newquay - The Cornish Language Weekend. We already have 80 people coming to stay at two hotels. So it's not totally dead and interest is increasing year by year.
Oll an gwella!

Claire said...

esther: welcome! You are one of the few so nice to know you. I came to The Gorsedd when it was at Hayle as my son won a photographic competition. It was great to see the bards and to hear the language being spoken. We have lived here for nearly 25 years and brought two children up in Cornwall. I love the specialness of the county and its history and identity.