“To be born in Wales, not with a silver spoon in your mouth, but with music in your blood and with poetry in your soul, is a privilege indeed.”
Brian Harris
Welcome to this week's CST 'Saint David's Day' Activities Page, celebrating all things Welsh.
To begin with, ask members what they like or love about Wales and the Welsh. Who was born and bred here? Are there any stories about growing up in Wales?
Has anyone a favourite place in Wales they would recommend others to visit?
What is Wales most famous for? It's mountains, countryside, castles, beaches, it's food or language?
Has anyone got a favourite Welsh celebrity? Why do they like them so much?
How would people try and explain what Wales is like to an American?
DAFFODILS
After Welcome and Introductions, hand each member a daffodil. Use it as a short Mindfulness practice. Ask members to examine the daffodil, it's shape, colour, texture, smell and so on. As they do so, read the following poem by Wordsworth. (Be aware of any risk that a member might taste or ingest their daffodil and observe more closely.)
"I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils."
– William Wordsworth (1815)
SOME WELSH PHRASES AND THEIR MEANINGS
Ask members to guess at the meanings of these common Welsh phrases and words ...
Cymru am byth - WALES FOR EVER
Croeso I Gymru - WELCOME TO WALES
Bore da - GOOD MORNING
Diolch yn fawr - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
Chwarae teg - FAIR PLAY
Iechyd da - GOOD HEALTH
Eglwys - CHURCH
Traeth - BEACH
Ysgol - SCHOOL
Heddlu - POLICE
Ysbyty - HOSPITAL
Hiraeth - HOMESICKNESS
Cariad - LOVE AFFECTION
Dwr - WATER
Bara - BREAD
Drws - DOOR
Ty bach - TOILET
Ych a fi - DISGUSTING
Cwtch - CUDDLE
A favourite saying on St David's Day is 'Gwnewch y pethau bychain' - do the little things. These were apparently St David's last words.
IDIOMS AND PROVERBS
Next, ask members to complete the following Welsh themed phrases ...
Land of - MY FATHERS / SONG
Severn - BRIDGE
The green green grass - OF HOME
Black sheep of - THE FAMILY
How green was - MY VALLEY
Under Milk - WOOD
Bread of - HEAVEN
Six - NATIONS
Grand - SLAM
Wooden - SPOON
Brecon - BEACONS
Prince of - WALES
Men of - HARLECH
Welsh - DRESSER
Love - SPOON
Welsh Border - COLLIE
Welsh - CORGI
Spitting - FEATHERS
HARP - on about something
Take a - LEEK
Red - DRAGON
Oggy Oggy Oggy - OI OI OI
And for fun ...
Whose coat is that - JACKET?
I'll be there now in a - MINUTE
How's it going - BUTT?
I'm not being funny - RIGHT
Where you - TO?
I'm not gonna lie - TO YOU
That is absolutely - BUZZING, HUMMING, MINGING
She's under the - DOCTOR
Poor - DAB
Tidy - LIKE
Cheers - DRIVE
This is cowing - LUSH
WELSH MUSIC & PICTURE QUIZ
Next, complete the music and picture quiz with members, taking time to share stories, sing along with songs and enjoy the photographs.
ROUND 1. Famous Welsh Places
1. Name this Italian styled village in North Wales?
Which cult TV series was filmed here, where Patrick McGoohan was chased by a giant balloon?
Bonus point if you know his number?
2. Name this Welsh mountain railway?
What was the name of the animated TV show about a Welsh steam train?
3. Name these Welsh caves?
What model creatures would you find outside the entrance to the caves?
4. Name this Welsh tourist attraction?
What was the name of the safety light that miners used to use?
5. Name this Welsh folk museum?
Which Cardiff pub has recently been re-built here?
6. Name this Cardiff opera house?
What do locals call it (after an animal)?
7. Name this South Wales pier?
Which two restored steam ships sail from it each year (one is pictured here)?
8. Name this South Wales seaside resort?
What was the name of the holiday camp which was located to the right of this picture?
9. Name this West Wales seaside resort?
Which island monastery is located just off shore?
10. Name this West Wales seaside town?
Which famous Welsh author wrote his best works here?
11. Name this South Wales seaside resort?
Which convention is held here in the autumn, attracting thousands of 'lookalikes' and tribute acts?
12. 'Green, Green Grass Of Home', Tom Jones - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYjBpgz2lus
Which Cardiff born pop star had a hit with 'Green Door'?
ROUND 2. Famous Welsh Faces
13. Name this Welsh Paralympian?
How many 'Paralympic Games' did she compete in?
14. Name this Welsh Olympian?
True or False. He remains the '60m Hurdles World Record Holder' (7.30 seconds / 1994)?
15. Name this Welsh football player and the 'Premier League' team he currently plays for?
What is the nickname of the Cardiff City football club?
16. Name this Welsh cyclist, who won the 'Tour de France' in 2018?
What colour shirt does the winner of this race wear?
17. Name this Welsh weatherman?
What his current TV show called?
18. Name these two actors / TV creators?
What is the name of the Welsh TV sitcom they developed and starred in together?
19. Name this Welsh TV presenter?
Who was her previous 'Blue Peter' co-host on 'The One Show'?
20. Name this Welsh actress?
Who is she married to?
21. Name this Welsh singer?
Which type of singing voice does she have (for vocal range)?
22. Name this Welsh singer?
Which TV chat show host 'discovered' her?
Bonus point if you remember what nickname he gave her?
23. Name the North Wales castle where Prince Charles' investiture as 'Prince Of Wales' took place?
When was it?
Does anyone remember getting a blue mug in school? Here it is ...
24. 'Day Trip To Bangor', Fiddler's Dram -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqbUDUKOr4Y
What is the name of the body of water between Bangor and Anglessey?
What does the sign below translate into in English (a point for each correct word guessed)?
ROUND 3. Famous Welsh Foods
25. Name this Welsh sausage?
What is the main vegetable ingredient?
26. Name this Welsh savoury snack?
What are the two ingredients ('BBC Good Food Guide') which flavour the cheese (one is a condiment, the other is a sauce)?
27. What is the name of this Welsh soup?
Which meat is traditionally used in it?
28. Name this Welsh savoury snack?
What substance is it made from?
29. Name this Welsh meat dish?
Which type of meat is it traditionally made from?
30. Name this Welsh pie brand?
Where did the company originate?
31. Name this crumbly Welsh cheese?
Who has a statue dedicated to him outside the castle?
32. Name this Welsh fruit cake?
What do the Welsh words mean?
33. Name these bakestones?
What are they traditionally cooked on?
34. Regarding 'Brains Beers'.... Complete the names of these Brains' beers?
- What does 'S.A.' stand for?
- What does 'I.P.A' stand for?
ROUND 4. Best Ever Welsh Songs
35. 'Hymns And Arias', Max Boyce -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifcvIWmnsU0
Max is pictured here with a leek, what are the other symbols of Wales?
36. 'Those Were The Days' Mary Hopkin -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3KEhWTnWvE
Which song did she come second in the 'Eurovision Song Contest', losing to Dana with 'All Kinds Of Everything'?
37. 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart', Bonnie Tyler -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcOxhH8N3Bo
When was the last total eclipse in the UK?
38. 'The Girl From Tiger Bay', Shirley Bassey -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VecQexRjTuM
Why was Cardiff Bay called 'Tiger Bay'?
39. 'Delilah', Tom Jones -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIIU9xkGAMs
How old is Sir Tom Jones?
40. 'We'll Meet Again', Katherine Jenkins & Vera Lynn - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsrOhqUuPN4
How old was Vera Lynn when she died?
41. 'Calon Lan', Only Boys Aloud -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhk-loVYNnQ
What does 'Calon Lan' mean?
42. 'Cwm Rhondda', Only Men Aloud -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdjIjPhJ8co
Name the eight towns and villages in the Rhondda?
Here are the first letters to help start you off ...
- A
- F
- L
- M.A.
- P
- P
- T
- T
43. 'Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau' (Welsh National Anthem) -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM4mIlYKG9s
Name these three current Welsh rugby players?
What are the symbols or emblems of each of the 'Six Nations' countries?
PRACTICAL ACTIVITY
Have a go at making paper daffodils ... Here is an instructive video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8HX-O-vUuU
Or you could make Welsh Cakes ...
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/welsh-cakes
Ingredients
225g plain flour
85g caster sugar
½ tsp mixed spice
½ tsp baking powder
50g butter, cut into small pieces
50g lard, cut into small pieces, plus extra for frying
50g currant
1 egg, beaten
splash milk
Method
STEP 1 - Tip the flour, sugar, mixed spice, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Then, with your fingers, rub in the butter and lard until crumbly. Mix in the currants. Work the egg into the mixture until you have soft dough, adding a splash of milk if it seems a little dry – it should be the same consistency as shortcrust pastry.