St Pirans Day Celebrations

Piran was an Irishman known as Ciran (in Celtic languages the Gaelic “c” becomes the Cornish “p”) and legend tells how the Irish king, suspicious of Piran's miraculous powers, had him cast into the rough Irish sea tied to a millstone, although other sources say he was cast adrift in a currach, a wooden-framed boat covered with animal skins. Whatever his vessel, Piran managed to reach the North Cornish coast and landed on what is now Perranporth beach, where he built an oratory to promote Christianity. Strangely enough, there is an oratory preserved in the towans, or sand dunes at Perran Sands, dubbed Cornwall’s lost church, but whether it is Piran’s no-one knows.

Piran’s first disciples were said to be a badger, a fox and a bear – if you can believe that – but what really earned Piran a place in history was his accidental discovery of tin, which happened when a blackstone on his fireplace became so hot that a white liquid leaked out. This was the very first smelted tin and led to Piran being dubbed the Patron Saint of Tinners. Because tin became so fundamental to the Cornish economy, the symbol of white hot tin on black ore was reproduced on the Cornish flag, where it remains today. Cornish miners were sometimes called Perraners, a name which is now associated with alcohol, as the story goes that Piran was fond of a tipple or two, and the phrase ‘drunk as a Perraner' has become a well-known Cornish catchphrase. It didn’t do him any harm though – he is said to have lived to the age of 206 – and his name lives on in the Cornish towns of Perranporth, Perranzabuloe, Perranarworthal and in Perran Bay.

St Piran’s Tide, or Perrantide, has nothing to do with the sea, but like the word Yuletide, encompasses all the events around St Piran’s Day on 5th March, which has been adopted as Cornwall’s National Day. The celebrations last for about a week. 

This year St Piran’s day falls on a Wednesday. Bodmin always stages a traditional procession of primary school children waving Cornish flags led by Cornish pipers, which starts at the Town Wall (on the junction of the junction of Dennison Road and Turf Street) and proceeds down Fore Street to the Council offices at Mount Folly, where at 11am the Grand Bard of the Cornish Gorsedd (a cultural organisation) gives a speech in Cornish and English; everyone sings the Trelawny (Cornwall’s national song) and the Brogoth Agantasow (Land of Our Fathers).

Yellow-kilted men and women in national costume will meet in Truro at 1pm on the day along St George’s Road to march along River Street waving the Cornish, or St Piran’s flag. The procession will finish at High Cross outside the cathedral with speeches and dances. In the evening, listen to a local band and tuck into a buffet at The Norway inn at Perranarworthal, nearby, Tel: 01872 864241.

St Piran’s flag will be flying all day at Launceston Castle and at 6pm a bag piper will open the flag-lowering ceremony before leading a procession through the town to a local pub, where the evening will continue with hot pasties and dancing. 

The weekend before, on Saturday and Sunday, 1st and 2nd March, a craft fair is being held at, Pencarrow House, Pencarrow (off the A389 between Bodmin and Wadebridge) PL30 3AG, Tel 01208 841369. Watch demonstrations of wood turning, pottery, felt making and glass blowing, and view the ceramics, art and sculpture. Take a guided walk around the gardens and Iron Age fort. More information www.pencarrow.co.uk

The dunes march is the highlight of the week’s events and begins on Saturday 8th March with the welcome at the Promenade, Perranporth at 6pm, when everyone can follow the statue of St Piran as it is paraded from the beach through the village. The march finishes with a party at the Memorial Hall with music and food. Contact Karen Longstaff 01872 571560.

The following day at 2pm the St Piran’s Play is staged as a procession from Perran Sands across the dunes to the sites of the oratory and mediaeval church. This year's play depicts the legend of St Piran and his influence on Cornwall today. Contact: Barbara Tremewan 01872 572121 or Karin Easton 01872 573612.

Newquay Zoo

At 1pm on St Piran’s Day the ‘Fling the Pasty’ competition will start with adults’ and childrens’ heats – a bit like the Olympics. Vegetarians needn’t worry – they won’t be bombarded with scraps of steak – the ‘pasties’ will be filled with bean bags, but the lucky winners will receive a box of the real thing as a prize. Don’t forget the Pesky Pisky Trail either – details in our Mother’s Day feature. 

As a bonus to Blue Chip clients, the zoo is offering £1 discount on normal entry price per person for up to six people up until December 31st on production of the Blue Chip invoice or booking confirmation. Special events are not discounted and the offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer including the family ticket.

The Cornish people want St Piran’s Day to be nominated a public holiday in Cornwall, and if you agree, visit the prime minister’s website to sign a petition.