Heritage in the News

St Piran’s celebrations throughout Cornwall

As we experience the first opportunity to celebrate Cornwall’s national day properly since 2020, St Piran’s events are being organised by Cornish folk here at home and abroad. Many of the major towns throughout Cornwall have activities as do many of the smaller villages. Parades will be held in a number of towns throughout Cornwall.

Bodmin’s procession will be taking place on Friday 4^th starting at 10.45am from the Old Library in Lower Bore Street. Leading the parade through the town will be Cornish piper and former Grand Bard of Gorsedh Kernow Dr Merv Davey. As usual lots of children will be participating with dancing and singing throughout, ending up at Mount Folly when Trelawny will be sung by one and all. Further dancing by children will take place along with Cornish plays and songs in St Petroc’s Church.

Also holding a parade will be St Austell starting at 1.30pm on St Piran’s Day and this will be processing around the town. Many other events including a Cornish Cultural Conference in Holy Trinity Church, which will have Cornish talks, film and music between 11.30am and 3.00pm. There will be Cornish music in the Market House, a craft fair in Fore Street and performances by Tywardreath Morris and Playmake Theatre starting at 10.00am. Many Cornish heritage groups will be participating throughout.

Lots of events in Truro including the St Piran Day parade that starts at 1.00pm from Waterfall Gardens and travels through Truro to the War Memorial. Lots of Cornish produce will be on sale at the Farmers Market where there will be live Cornish music throughout. There will be a range of creative workshops of all sorts taking place, including dancing at Truro Cathedral, for shoppers there are the St Piran’s themed window displays to enjoy. For those that enjoy Nos Lowen dance, the annual Skillywidden event at The Old Bakery Studios is on from 7.00pm on Friday 4^th. There is also a St Piran’s Cornish Music & Dance Session Online on Sunday 7^th March from 7.00pm with Davey&Dyer and ScootsKernow.

Penzance will be holding events over two days. A concert with schools choirs and Cornish dancing with Penzance Guizers. On Friday 4^th there will be a St Piran Furry and civic procession starting at 10.15am from the Causewayhead with many schools participating including their bands led by Golowan Band.

At Perranporth there is The Lowender St Piran's Day Party that starts at 7.00pm on St Piran’s Day, featuring the Stowes and lots of Cornish and Irish music as well as a Ceilidh. Those that want to participate in the annual St Piran’s procession across Penhale Sands to St Piran’s Oratory at Perranporth should gather at St Piran’s Point by 2.00pm when the procession will commence. This will take in the Oratory, then the medieval church ending at the 9^th century St Piran’s Cross close by. Plenty of Cornish flag flying, music and singing, all in all a lovely event for all the family.

Redruth will be holding a number of events on and around St Piran’s Day. Their full schedule of events still to be completed at the time of writing but will include a range of activities and events by many local artists, schools and heritage groups. Penryn has a free event at the Temperance Hall starting at 10.30am that includes a Cornish Fayre, talk and singing and Trelawny Shout. At nearby Falmouth St Piran’s events are taking over the Princess Pavilion hosting live music, children’s entertainment and a seafront parade, all starting at 10.00am.

Newquay’s events will start at Newquay Library on 3^rd March with a cream tea and singing commencing at 2.00pm. On Friday 4^th March a new venue for St Piran’s events will be the Great Western Hotel with traditional singing by local groups Newquay Rowing Club Singers and Oll an Gwella starting at 7.30pm. Also, on the Friday and joining in Newquay’s St Piran’s celebrations is the Central Inn with Cornish music.

Following on from the success of last year’s online festival, Newquay St Piran’s Festival Group will also be hosting several hours of online content via their website and Facebook. This will reach those where the physical events don’t, such as across the worldwide Cornish Diaspora from which there was much interest last year. The online content will be aired on Sunday 6^th from the late afternoon. With new items still being contributed a definite programme will be uploaded on Thursday 3^rd March. Throughout St Piran’s Day the Celtic Lounge at Newquay Museum will be holding a range of events, with new ones still being added. During the evening Newquay Rowing Club, The Griffin, Central Inn and Celtic Lounge will be holding events including the now traditional Trelawny Shout at 9.00pm.

A number of Old Cornwall Societies will be carrying out events on or around St Piran’s Day. On Saturday 5^th St Buryan OCS will be holding a proper Cornish tea at St Buryan Village Hall, starting 3.00pm, which will help benefit local charities. St Austell OCS will be participating in their towns parade and have a stall in the church. Kicking off celebrations early on Tuesday 1^st March at 7.00pm is St Agnes OCS with an evening of Cornish entertainment. Mike O’Connor well-known musician and storyteller will be sharing tales of Saints and Sinners and more. Newquay OCS will be reopening their museum and a number of events are taking place there as part of the Celtic lounge St Piran’s celebrations. Bude & Stratton OCS will also be hosting a Cornish tea. The St Gerrans & Porthscatho OCS celebration this year will be held at the Plume of Feathers in Portscatho. This evening event will include singing from Du Hag Owr, dialect yarns from Denise Coomb, and the Trelawny Shout with a pasty supper.

To check out any late coming events or oversights there will be links to the many online St Piran’s sites, webpages and social media, showing events on the Kowethas Ertach Kernow (Association for Cornish Heritage) website at www.cornwallheritage.com