Why do we wear daffodils and leeks on St David’s Day?
St David #StDavid
Today is St David’s Day, or Dydd Gŵyl Dewi as we say in Welsh. Perhaps many of us will be wearing our favourite Welsh rugby or football shirt, traditional Welsh clothes, something red or even pin a daffodil or leek to our clothes.
For years, both these things have largely been associated with Wales – whether it is St David’s Day or not. On a match day at Cardiff city centre, you’ll often find Welsh fans adorned in daffodils or leeks in some way or another.
But how have daffodils and leeks become so intrinsically linked to our culture? Here we take a look at their history of the two and how they became symbolic of Wales.
Read more: Should St David’s Day become a bank holiday?
Leeks
According to Dr Juliette Wood, a history lecturer at Cardiff University with a special interest in Welsh folklore, there are many legends purporting to explain the origin of the leek’s connection with Wales. According to one, the soldiers of the British king Cadwaladyr were encouraged to wear leeks, or ‘cennin’ as they are known in Welsh, in their helmets in order to recognise fellow countrymen during a battle with the Saxons.
This tale has also been attributed to St David – our patron saint. But there are a number of legends about St David and this particular one doesn’t appear until the 17th century. Another story is set in the year 1346 when the then Prince of Wales, Edward the Black Prince, defeated the French at the Battle of Crécy.
Welsh archers are said to have fought bravely in a field of leeks and as a reminder began to wear a leek in their caps every St David’s Day. Leeks are referenced in Shakespeare’s play Henry V which was written in the 16th century during the reign of Elizabeth Tudor.
Leeks were a popular food for many centuries and were used for medicinal purposes, but their association with St David’s Day is thought to be linked to the Tudors who had strong Welsh roots. Tudor royal household accounts list several payments for leeks in connection with St David’s Day and Henry VIII is said to have presented his daughter with a leek for the festival.
St David had been a popular saint in Wales since the 12th century, and his feast day became a national festival during the 18th century. By that time the leek had become a bit of a caricature and this may explain why daffodils became a popular alternative.
In November of last year, it was announced that Welsh Leeks would be protected, meaning that anyone buying the produce would be able to clearly see from the label if they were getting the ‘real thing’. They are now part of the same family as Anglesey sea salt, Welsh lamb, Welsh beef and Pembrokeshire Earlies.
Daffodils
Daffodils, or ‘cennin pedr’ in Welsh, naturally appear in early spring around the time of St David’s Day – depending on the weather that year. Their association with Wales is comparatively recent, and are thought to have gained prominence as an alternative to the leek over the last century.
Former UK Prime Minister and Welsh politician, David Lloyd George was said to be an advocate of the daffodil being used as a symbol. Some accounts report him insisting the flower be used during the 1911 investiture of the then Prince of Wales, the future Edward VIII.
Although examination of film footage of the event doesn’t show Lloyd George wearing a daffodil which perhaps makes sense because it was held in July. Dr Juliette Wood said: “I think we have to treat these tales with a grain of salt, they are not history. They say much more about the relationship of the people with them. They are tales about Welsh identity.”
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