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Oggy oggy oggy! At home St Piran’s Day celebrations 2021
St Piran's Day is going virtual this year, but that doesn't mean the celebrations are cancelled. Here are 8 ways to mark St Piran's Day from home. Gool Peran Lowen!
St Piran’s Day, or the Feast of St Piran, is on 5th March, and sees celebrations taking place all over Cornwall. Marches, festivals and shouts (a proper sing up in a pub) mark the special day across the Duchy and beyond. This year, St Piran’s Day is looking a little different in lockdown, but the celebrations aren’t cancelled. Online events and at-home activities are popping up throughout the week.
Legend tells us how St Piran, the patron saint of tin miners, was cast to sea tied to a millstone on the order of the Irish King who was suspicious of Piran’s miraculous powers. Although the sea was treacherous Piran survived, the stormy seas calming as he floated on the millstone until he reached the shores of Cornwall. The story says he accidentally discovered tin when a black stone in his fireplace got so hot that a white metal started flowing from it.
These are just the tip of the Cornish iceberg; Gorsedh Kernow has put together a list of St Piran’s events in Cornwall and further afield. Take a look and see what’s on near you or online.
Read on for eight ways to celebrate St Piran’s Day 2021 from home!
1. St Piran's Day Sing-A-Long
Why not buy a few Cornish beers and join in on Zoom for a night of Cornish pub songs? The Ingleheart Singers will sing all the usual favourites including South Australia, Lower Lights, Cadgwith Anthem, Little Eyes, Thousands Or More, Cornish Lads, Trelawny, Ann Glanville and Cornwall My Home and more. You can join from anywhere in the world from 8pm-9.30pm!
2. St Piran's Day Pasties
The White Hart at Chilsworthy are celebrating St Piran’s Day with pasties! Get your pasty from Over The Top Pasties, with a percentage of Friday’s takings donated to Cornwall Air Ambulance.
3. Newquay St Piran's Day Festival
Join Newquay St Piran’s Festival for a week long programme including Cornish cooking, storytelling, wrestling, and music.
4. Truro St Piran's Day Celebratory Film
Truro St Piran’s Day have put together a celebratory film which includes photo’s, memories and video footage of past Truro St Piran’s Days provided by the community, including uplifting messages from the Mayor of Truro, The Lord Lieutenant, the High Sheriff of Cornwall, the Bishop and the Grand Bard. The film will also include local families performing the Truro St Piran’s Day dance to the Truro St Piran’s Day march which was commissioned last year.
5. Trelawny Shout
The Trelawny Shout are refusing to let a global pandemic stand in the way of a good song. Together with Cornwall County Youth Choir, Truro City Male Voice Choir, Kernow Bedroom Choir and many others they have created a heartfelt video that will be streamed on their Facebook page. Or tune into BBC Radio Cornwall for Tiffany Truscott’s evening show on BBC Radio Cornwall. Make sure you’re there in good time for 9pm!
6. Bys Kernow / A Cornish World
Join An Fundyans Rak Studhyans Kernewek – the Institute of Cornish Studies – on St Piran’s Day for a free online event. A Cornish World/Bys Kernow explores Cornwall’s history and the part it plays within a global context. A small place making a big impact!
7. St. Austell St. Piran’s
This year the St Austell Old Cornwall Society has worked with the Rescorla Centre and St Austell St Piran’s Event to put together a number of happenings to celebrate St Piran’s Day online this year. On Thursday they will post photos, footage and music videos of previous celebrations, and on Friday they will post new videos and music made to celebrate St Piran’s Day 2021!
8. Truro St Piran's Day
Kicking off the fun is a Childrens St Piran’s Day webinar party, followed by a St Piran’s Day Celebratory Film which will be released via the Truro St Piran’s Day Facebook page and on the Cornwall Channel You Tube Channel.
Join in with a good old Oggy Oggy at 6pm, outside your homes or through your windows. There is no need to be shy, give it some welly and see if your street can be heard from the other side of Truro. To finish off the day – as is tradition – on St Piran’s Day at 9pm, the City of Truro Male Voice Choir will sing the Trelawny Shout.
