Breton pipers join parade to mark St David’s Day

Mar 1 2008 by Karen Price, Western Mail

A PIPE band from Brittany will be in Wales today to help celebrate St David’s Day.

The Bagad Penhars will be taking part in a parade in Cardiff. It is one of a number of activities, supported by the Arts Council of Wales, to commemorate the patron saint of Wales.

There are close links between Wales and Brittany with a shared Celtic culture and heritage.

The Bagad Penhars specialise in Breton traditional music and will add another element to the parade, which begins at the National Museum at 12.30pm.

The Wales Millennium Centre will be holding a storytelling event with Esyllt Harker and Megan Lloyd performing an hour of songs and magical stories. Meanwhile, St David’s Hall is holding a festival gala concert, featuring Bridgend Male Choir, in aid of Cancer Research Wales.

Swansea will be celebrating with a St David’s Day mini literary launch.

Three female writers – Lizzy Green, Carys Williams and K S Davies – will launch new titles.

In North Wales, Stiwt Theatre, Wrexham, is holding a St David’s Day Noson Lawen concert with Aelwyd Bro Gwerfyl.

And Wales Portrait Award 2 will be launched in the Williamson Art Gallery, Birkenhead.

The biennial event is designed to increase the awareness of portraiture as a fine art discipline.