In Wales, we have a special day dedicated to appreciating our loved ones. Most would think ‘don’t you just mean Valentine’s Day’, but before this, on the 25th of January we celebrate St Dwynwen’s Day. This is pretty much the Welsh equivalent, but holds a traditional tale from the 5th Century about the Welsh Saint of lovers Dwynwen (Santes Dwynwen).
The story goes that Dwynwen was the daughter of the King of Wales, Brychan Brycheiniog who was father to 11 sons, and around 24 daughters. Dwynwen fell madly in love with a prince, named Maelon Dafodrill. Unfortunately, her father already had plans for her to marry somebody else.
Dwynwen was distraught that she couldn’t marry Maelon. She turned to God and begged him to help her forget about her love for Maelon, so it was easier. That night, Dwynwen was visited by an angel, who appeared carrying a potion that would erase all love for him, and put him into a block of ice.
God then gave three wishes to Dwynwen. Her first wish was for Maelon to be thawed and set free, her second was that God would assist the hopes and dreams of true lovers, and lastly, that she would never marry. God accepted all three wishes, and as a thank you, Dwynwen devoted her life to God and became a nun. Her name, Dwynwen, means ‘she who leads a blessed life.
This story is especially relevant to North Wales because of the belief she founded a convent on Llanddwyn Island (Ynys Llanddwyn). Dwynwen died in 465AD, but people still travelled the island to visit her well. It was believed that the sacred fish that lived in the well could predict whether their relationship would be stable, and that love and happiness would be theirs.
The remains of Dwynwen’s church can still be seen on Ynys Llanddwyn today. Making sure the tide isn’t at its highest, you can access the island from Newborough’s blue flag beach. Parking at the car park, it takes around 30 minutes to reach the island. It is surrounded by dunes and a forest which is home to red squirrels and many ravens – which coincidentally mate for life. The beach has fantastic views of Snowdonia, and the impressive mountains of the Peninsula.
St Dwynwen’s Day is ever growing in popularity, especially amongst welsh speakers. However, anyone can celebrate the day by sending a card, or just saying “Rwy’n dy garu di” (I love you) to someone special!
