Today (March 5) is Cornwall’s National Day, and brave people on the Southwest Coast remember their Patron’s Day.

Feast in the name of St. Pyron – Loyal Cornish people are seen celebrating their beautiful land. But who is St. Pyron, and what happens on St. Piran’s Day?

What is St. Piran?

St. Piran’s Day, or, if you like Cornish, Gool’s Day, is celebrated on March 5 every year.

It became Cornwall’s national holiday in the nineteenth century.

But unlike St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland and St. Andrews’ Day in Scotland, this day is not a public holiday.

Despite repeated calls from MP Dan Rogerson in 2006 to make this day a public holiday – so the vast majority of people will have to work normally.

However, nine town councils throughout Cornwall are giving their employees a day off from those lucky things.

Who is the patron saint of Cornwall, St. Pyron?

St. Piran is the patron saint of the Cornish and the tin miners.

He was the fifth-century Cornish abbot from Ireland, honored with the discovery of the precious metal pewter.

Legend has it that the Irish pagans brutally tied him to a millstone and then rolled him over the cliff into a stormy sea.

The story goes that the water calmed down instantly and the saint floated safely above the water that landed on the shores of Cornwall.

According to legend, his first disciples were a badger, a fox and a bear.

In Cornwall, St. Piran is said to have established himself as a monk at that time, a lifestyle he enjoyed with great respect from others who traveled long distances to take advantage of his miracles.

He is said to have founded the Lanpiran Monastery along with several other Christians.

He is said to have rediscovered tin melting after losing his training when his hearth stone – which naturally contained small amounts of tin – caused the tin to melt and accumulate on the other side of the mold.

From this legend comes the flag of St. Piran and the white cross on a black background.

How do we celebrate St. Piranha?

There are many different celebrations in different Cornish communities.

These include parades with Cornish Pipers via Bodmin, shop decorations, Cornish music and poetry in Collington, and a street festival in Newquay.

Traditional Cornish dance, with flags flying everywhere, has a great ticket event and parade in Redruth.

Cornish pastries and cream teas are available to celebrate.

If you mean Happy St. Pierce’s Day in Cornish, that’s Gool Peron Lowen.