The Welsh Flag

As an English school child born and bred in Yorkshire I remember being taught that the Welsh people were the true English.

We were taught that when the Vikings invaded England, on a fairly regular basis, in order to generally rape, plunder and pillage at will, many English people literally fled to the hills.

In fact, I was taught that they fled over to what is now Wales.

Wales is a relatively small country but it has a rich heritage. It has some of the best beaches in the UK, many fine old buildings and Castles, breathtaking scenery and more. Wales has spawned more than its fair share of successful writers, actors, poets, sports people and of course singers.

With such a varied history it is only fitting that this wonderful country has a spirited flag.

As you can see from the image above the Welsh Flag has just three colours. These are red, white and green. Each of these colours holds a special significance.

• White represents peace and honesty.
• Green represents hope, joy, love and in some cultures has a religious meaning.
• Red represents hardiness, valour, strength and bravery.

I guess it is very fitting that the dragon is coloured red. Dragons may be mythical creatures but they easily represent these traits.

The Welsh Flag is also known as Y Ddraig Goch which also means the Red Dragon. It seems as if the symbol of a dragon was of many things that the British have to thank the Romans for.

The Romans brought their knowledge to Great Britain in the form of roads, plumbing, the Roman calendar, many of our words, aqueducts, heating, laws, concrete and possibly the dragon as a symbol.

The Roman Legions that invaded and occupied Great Britain for some time carried standards bearing the symbol of a dragon.

Although Wales was populated for thousands of years it did not officially become Wales until 1536. The white and green of the flag of Wales are believed to be from the house of Tudor. The Welsh Tudors ruled Great Britain from 1485 to 1603.

This flag has only been the official flag of Wales since the 1950s.

Alternative Welsh Flag

The alternative flag of Wales is the flag of St David. This flag usually has a gold cross on a black background but there are variations.

Many Welsh people carry this flag at events and special occasions. On St David's Day on 1st March this flag will be blowing in the breeze just as much as the official Welsh flag.

Finally

I have to say that I like the Welsh flag. It is different, shows spirit and an innate sense of National pride.