Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus and a cwtch to all our Welsh pals on their national day.
Which, of course, is a hug rather than a cupboard.
Although perhaps you’re more in need of a press, so take it how you will.
That the Welsh celebrate St David as their patron saint is only natural as he is a proud mab Cymrum, of son of Wales with a song in his heart.
And the only saint from Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland to come from the country where they are celebrated.
All the Saints
The apostle St Andrew hailing from Judea and never having visited Caledonia, the Romans’ name for our bit of modern-day Britain.
And his connection deriving from some part of him having come here by a missionary.
And some tired and probably drunken Scots chieftain mistaking a white cross and a blue background in the sky as a sign.
Andrew having been crucified on an ‘X’ cross.
How Turk St George came to be placed with killing a dragon.
On the flat-topped Dragon Hill in Uffington, Berkshire, is anybody’s guess.
Although again we suspect drink was taken, urged on, of course, by returning Crusaders from the Holy Land where his legend loomed large.
St Paddy, meanwhile, may have come to represent all that is Irish but he was born and reared in modern-day English Lake District, then Wales.
Before being kidnapped and taken to Ireland where he drove out the snakes.
Although the standing joke is that they returned and sit in the country’s parliament, the Dail.
In St David’s footsteps
All of which tour around the islands brings us back to the day that’s in it and where is best to track St David’s footsteps.
Well, that would be St Davids in Pembrokeshire, west Wales, or the top of the pig’s head.
Now St David’s, on the coast, has welcomed worshippers to his church since the 6th century when David walked among them.
It became a popular medieval pilgrimage site and two trips to St Davids was considered equal to one to Rome itself.
These days it’s part of the Wexford-Pembrokeshire Pilgrim Way which you can join any time, but best of all to reach here on St David’s Day.
As is the way with ancient cathedrals the real history lies in the library.
And here you can study collections belonging to deans, bishops and clergy dating back to the 16th century.
Read all about it
The library also holds a collection of local and cathedral photographs dating back to the 19th century and the Parish Registers.
Now for the day that’s in we leave the last words to David.
A gwnewch y pethau bychain a welsoch ac a glywsoch gennyf i.
Which, of course, mean be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things that you have heard and seen me do.
We’re always happy to add to our knowledge.
And will regale all we meet the next time we’re in Wales.
Along with a cwtch to all our Welsh pals on their national day.
How to get there
St Davids is 116 miles west of Cardiff and two and a half hours by car.
Or 180 miles south of ferry terminal Holyhead or four and a half hours by your vehicle.
We’d recommend though the Pilgrim Way.
It is a 162-mile journey with nearly 80 miles winding through County Wexford from Ferns to Rosslare.
Then the 80-mile crossing over the Irish Sea with Irish Ferries.
And a 45-mile walk on the beautiful Pembrokeshire National Park Coast Path to St Davids.
