Celebrating Hen Galan Old New Year
The “old” New Year was welcomed in by Bluestone National Park Resort this week with pupils from a local school singing traditional Welsh songs – and they weren’t two weeks late with their celebrations.
Pupils from Ysgol Bro Brynach were celebrating Hen Galan, a festivity celebrated in Pembrokeshire’s Gwaun Valley for over 200 years to welcome in the “old” New Year based on the ancient Julian calendar.
When the old calendar was superseded in the 18th century by the Gregorian calendar, which cut 11 days from the year, residents in the Pembrokeshire community resisted change and have maintained their New Year on the 13th January ever since.
“Children and families would visit local homes and sing to celebrate the old New Year and in return, the children would be given sweets,” said Glenn Hewer of Bluestone.
“Pupils from Ysgol Bro Brynach and teachers wanted to celebrate the occasion and it was a great opportunity to celebrate Hen Galan at Bluestone, allowing guests and staff to join in the festivities – and the youngsters were given some treats as part of the tradition too.”
The pupils sang a range of traditional Welsh songs during the celebrations.
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