Oh my Gosh!
We held our first Cymanfa Ganu in Salem, MA. Meirwyn Walters was the conductor. I acted as the emcee of the event. The Saengerfest Choir and North Shore Christian Men's Choir joined us for the event. As did Jodi Jenkins-Ainsworth, Rose Wolf, and Stella Price who performed her poetry on "Tin Baths in Wales."
We expected somewhere around 40 to at most 100 people to show up, but we had a front page article in the Salem News. A color photo on the front page had me waving a Welsh Flag in front of the church where the Cymanfa was happening. At 5:30 there were over 40 people there. By 5:45 there were over 100. By 6pm when the event was to begin there were over 240 people in the room.
This was a great first Cymanfa in Salem, and a fantastic beginning to Wales Week Boston!
First Church Salem - thanks.
Meirwyn Walters - thanks.
Choirs - thanks.
Cymrodorion Society of Boston - thanks.
This was one big wow!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
ST DAVID: DOING BIG THINGS IN BOSTON? (A press Release Headed to Wales)
The city of Boston in Massachusetts is typically thought of as a center of Irish American life, but next week it will become a focal point for Saint David's Day events in the United States ranging from the saintly to the strange.
The Boston Cymrodorion Society, active in the area since the heydays of Welsh-American cultural life in the late nineteenth century, is at the heart of a cluster of events at which the Boston Welsh will be celebrating Wales’ patron saint.
From the traditional (a Cymanfa Ganu in Salem) to the modern (Tom Jones is performing in Boston) to the ascetic (prayers waist-deep in the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean), organizations as diverse as The Gathering (a church in Salem, Massachusetts), the Welsh Assembly Government and the UK Consulate General are involved alongside the Cymrodorion in arranging events.
The Ryder Cup is even making an appearance, to draw Americans to Newport for the golfing contest in 2010.
Pastor Phil Wyman of The Gathering (himself a member of the Boston Cymrodorion, and the organiser of Dunkin' Like David) believes that Boston deserves to be better known for its Welsh events: “I hope to see Wales Week Boston grow larger each year,” he said. “There’s no reason why it shouldn’t. This is just the second year St David’s Day has received official support in Boston, and the success of our outreach has been phenomenal. There is a great interest in Wales here in America.”
Aled Llion Jones, who teaches Welsh at Boston’s Harvard University and is active with the local Welsh community, emphasises the historical strength of Welsh America:
“Welsh-language culture was once strong across much of the United States, and especially here on the east coast. There were poets, novelists, periodicals, newspapers – you name it – being published in Welsh, and the Welsh were a vital force in many aspects of American cultural history, from the earliest European settlements to the Civil War and the anti-slavery movement. It is a relatively unknown story, but one with strong roots.”
Boston Cymrodorion: www.freewebs.com/cymrodorion; cymrodorion@gmail.com
St David’s Day Week in Boston features the following events:
- Cymanfa Ganu: First Church Salem, MA.
- Dunkin' Like David (Dewch i'r Dŵr fel Dewi) a Saint David's Day “polar bear plunge” at Revere Beach. Charity fundraiser.
- Boston Children's Museum: Merlin and Dragons animation
- Tom Jones sings in Boston on Saint David's Day.
- The Ryder Cup (next contested in Newport in 2010) on show.
- Welsh Whiskey Tasting
- Talks and Welsh-language classes at Harvard
- (with luck) Celebration of Welsh rugby victory over France!
The Boston Cymrodorion Society, active in the area since the heydays of Welsh-American cultural life in the late nineteenth century, is at the heart of a cluster of events at which the Boston Welsh will be celebrating Wales’ patron saint.
From the traditional (a Cymanfa Ganu in Salem) to the modern (Tom Jones is performing in Boston) to the ascetic (prayers waist-deep in the frigid waters of the Atlantic Ocean), organizations as diverse as The Gathering (a church in Salem, Massachusetts), the Welsh Assembly Government and the UK Consulate General are involved alongside the Cymrodorion in arranging events.
The Ryder Cup is even making an appearance, to draw Americans to Newport for the golfing contest in 2010.
Pastor Phil Wyman of The Gathering (himself a member of the Boston Cymrodorion, and the organiser of Dunkin' Like David) believes that Boston deserves to be better known for its Welsh events: “I hope to see Wales Week Boston grow larger each year,” he said. “There’s no reason why it shouldn’t. This is just the second year St David’s Day has received official support in Boston, and the success of our outreach has been phenomenal. There is a great interest in Wales here in America.”
Aled Llion Jones, who teaches Welsh at Boston’s Harvard University and is active with the local Welsh community, emphasises the historical strength of Welsh America:
“Welsh-language culture was once strong across much of the United States, and especially here on the east coast. There were poets, novelists, periodicals, newspapers – you name it – being published in Welsh, and the Welsh were a vital force in many aspects of American cultural history, from the earliest European settlements to the Civil War and the anti-slavery movement. It is a relatively unknown story, but one with strong roots.”
Boston Cymrodorion: www.freewebs.com/cymrodorion; cymrodorion@gmail.com
St David’s Day Week in Boston features the following events:
- Cymanfa Ganu: First Church Salem, MA.
- Dunkin' Like David (Dewch i'r Dŵr fel Dewi) a Saint David's Day “polar bear plunge” at Revere Beach. Charity fundraiser.
- Boston Children's Museum: Merlin and Dragons animation
- Tom Jones sings in Boston on Saint David's Day.
- The Ryder Cup (next contested in Newport in 2010) on show.
- Welsh Whiskey Tasting
- Talks and Welsh-language classes at Harvard
- (with luck) Celebration of Welsh rugby victory over France!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Saint David's Day Dunk Boston Location?
As preparations for Dunkin' Like David continue we went to the beach looking for the best spot. Here is our first thought: Revere Beach. Revere beach is a stop on the Blue Line coming up from Boston towards the North Shore. It is a close drive down the 1A for those coming from the North Shore. It is a nice smooth sandy beach. There are some restaurants and pubs nearby.
John Harding did a photo shoot of me standing at Revere Beach preparing for Saint David's Day. It was 19ºF out this evening, but I had to look like I was ready for Saint David's Day. So here I am throwing off my coat below.
Next week, on Saturday, January 10 we will be going in the water to create a promo video of the event. Would you like to be in the promo video? It should be 32º according to the weather reports - potentially with some light snow, and we will be doing a test plunge in front of the William G. Reinstein bandstand at Revere Beach at 4pm.
Well here's the 19º shots on Revere Beach. Watch for the shivering bathing beauties on this blog after our promo video on January 10th.
John Harding did a photo shoot of me standing at Revere Beach preparing for Saint David's Day. It was 19ºF out this evening, but I had to look like I was ready for Saint David's Day. So here I am throwing off my coat below.
Next week, on Saturday, January 10 we will be going in the water to create a promo video of the event. Would you like to be in the promo video? It should be 32º according to the weather reports - potentially with some light snow, and we will be doing a test plunge in front of the William G. Reinstein bandstand at Revere Beach at 4pm.
Well here's the 19º shots on Revere Beach. Watch for the shivering bathing beauties on this blog after our promo video on January 10th.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Testing Out a Logo for the Event
This is my idea for the logo for the Saint David's Day Dunking. Let me know what you think.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Digon dwl i drochi dros Dewi?
Digon dwl i drochi dros Dewi? - Dewch i Drochi i Dewi - Dydd Gwyl Dewi, Dydd Sul, Mawrth y Cyntaf 2009R’ydw i’n edrych am Gymry sydd yn ddigon dwl i ymuno gyda fi Dydd Sul, Mawrth y Cyntaf 2009 yn Boston i weddio, fel mae rhai yn dweud oedd Dewi Sant arfer gweddio – yn sefyll yng nghanol y mor neu afon gyda’r dyfroedd i fynu at eu gwast.
Ie dyna chi, sefyll yn y dyfroedd i fynu at eu gwastiau yn Lloegr Newydd (New England) Pam? 1) I gael gymaint ag sy’n bosib o Gymru gwallgof, mynachaidd a Celtoffeiliaid i neidio mewn i’r afon a dathlu Dydd Gwyl Dewi fel fydde Dewi wedi gwerthfawrogi, 2) i gael Y Wasg i droi fynu ar gyfer y foment wallgof yma sy’n edrych fel cymysgedd o Glwb Yr Eirth Pegynol, asgetigiaeth mynachaidd a Dydd San Padrig, a 3) i roi Cymru, Nawddsant Cymru a Gwyl Gendlaethol y Cymru yma ar y map yn yr Unol Daleithiau (hyd yn oed ymhellach?) a 4) i gael clonc a diod yn y dafarn gyda chyfeillion yn dilyn y weddi rewllyd gyda ffrindiau annwyl.
Os oes gennych ddiddordeb, cysylltwch a fi yn pastorphil@salemgathering.com
Dwi’n edrych am bobl gwallgof sydd eisiau cael tipyn o sbort, ac sydd hefyd eisiau helpu i hybu Cymru a’r iaith Gymraeg
Oes gennych chi ddiddordeb i drefnu eich achlysur ‘Digon dwl i drochi dros Dewi eich’ hunan? Efalle allwn ni gyd-lynnu symudiad o seintiau sy’n crynu!
Phil Wyman
Salem, Massachusetts
pastorphil@salemgathering.com
translation by Gwenno Dafydd
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Looking Ahead to St. David's Day 2009
This blog has been set up for the purpose of putting Wales and the patron saint - St. David on the map. I came up with a crazy idea, and have spoken to a number of Welsh friends, to the General Consul of the British Consulate in Boston Philip Budden, and to the head of Marketing and Media for the Welsh Office of the First Minister in New York City. So far, the idea appears to have legs, and I am looking for more crazy people to join me on Sunday, March 1st 2009 in Boston to pray like Saint David supposedly prayed - standing in the river waist deep!
That's right standing in the river waist deep in frigid New England. Why? 1) To get as many crazy Welshmen, monastics, and Celtophiles to jump in the river with me and celebrate Saint David's Day like David might appreciate, 2) to get the press to show up for this insane moment which looks like a blend of the Polar Bear Club, monastic asceticism, and Saint Patrick's Day, and 3) to put Wales, the Welsh patron saint, and this Welsh national holiday on the map in the US,(maybe beyond?), and 4) to hang out at the pub following the icy prayer event with good friends.
If you are interested contact me at pastorphil@salemgathering.com
I am looking for crazy people who want to have fun, and want to help with the promotion of Wales and the Welsh language.
Please keep watching. We will be planning a Saint David's Day Feast on this day as well.
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