St David's Day 2026

Llwyn Celyn, Cwmyoy, Monmouthshire
(Photo: Simon Meeds)

It was that time of year to celebrate St David and by association to sing songs with some connection, however tenuous, with Wales or the Welsh. Bearing in mind that our singers had less notice than usual of the theme, and some hardly any notice at all, we didn't do too badly. As sometimes happens, some songs had their words mangled to fit, but we didn't quite get to the point of singing of whaling songs!

It was good to see Heather again, as usual with her non-singing companion Hazel. We did however have a newcomer to the Dragon. Angela has been following us on Facebook for a while and while she didn't perform, she was definitely seen singing along and should she return, which we hope she does, I suspect she may find something to sing now she knows we are a friendly audience.

Colin, MC as usual, started the ball rolling on theme with Hob y deri dando.

Heather's first song was The bunch of thyme (roud 3).

Simon referred to Welsh traditional singer Phil Tanner before singing The Gower wassail song (roud 209).

Paul sang When Jones's ale was new (roud 139), an English song which has its origins in the 16th century.

Denny brought the first rotation to a close with the much more modern Day trip to Bangor (Debbie Cook), a song which appears to tell the story of a seaside trip to Bangor in North Wales, which while in a coastal position is not renowned as a resort. Rumours spread that the song was inspired by a trip to Rhyl, 30 miles East along the coast, but "Rhyl" didn't scan and was replaced, much to the angst of the councillors of that town. Cook however stated that the song was specifically written about Bangor.

The only song of the evening not found on YouTube and therefore not included in the linked playlist was Colin's Children born to the valleys (# Dawson Smith). The song was included on a frustratingly elusive album of songs based the epic Welsh novels of Alexander Cordell.

There were just two songs sung during the evening which were new to the Dragon database. The first was The jovial man of Kent (*), sung by Paul to the same tune as When Jones's ale was new. This song was written by Charles Dibdin (1745-1814).

The other "new" song came from Heather and was Caravan song (*) written by Mike Batt for the 1978 film Caravans in which it was sung by Barbara Dickson.

The evening was finished by Colin singing the unofficial national anthem of Wales, Land of my fathers (Evan James, James James).

Now listen to a selection of songs sung during this session.

(Number of people present - 7 of whom 5 performed)

In the above report songs new to the Dragon database (though no always new to the club) are marked with an asterisk (*) and any songs not included in the "a selection" playlist are marked with a hash (#).

Back with a bang

(Photo: Simon Meeds)

Last Friday's Dragon Folk Club session was the first after an extended break which began before Christmas. After the holidays we were faced with a pub that was closed for refurbishment in preparation for new management. Now we are happy to announce that we are back and well ensconced in the Bridge Inn for the foreseeable future.

The new management seems friendly and keen to make us feel at home. There are still heating issues in our room, which he clearly wants to fix, and in the meantime he provided temporary heating which was adequate for our needs. So we once again have a venue, and it seems somewhat improved already. There was some music audible from the next room, but it was turned down on request.

So, that's the venue sorted for now, and a bit of publicity seems to have done the trick. All the core regulars were back in the house, and they were joined by occasional visitors, Stuart, Steve C and Jane, as well as four (yes four!) first time visitors. Let's hope some of them will be able to join us again very soon.

Colin as MC kicked off this momentous evening, after announcing a rather last-minute St David's theme, with Hob y deri dando. In researching this report I've found that Joseph Haydn did two arrangements of this folk song - I never knew that.

Some people were able to follow Colin's lead even if tenuously, but I think we can be forgiven for sticking mostly to our core repertoires. Nevertheless, there were a decent number of songs new to the Dragon database, not least of course from our newcomers, and all marked here with an asterisk (*).

Denny's first song was Sydney Carter's Julian of Norwich, about the 14th/15th century anchoress and author of that name. Paul followed that with Hanging Johnny (roud 2625).

Bob gave us John Prine's Same thing happened to me and Sue gave a nod to Wales with Puff the magic dragon (Leonard Lipton, Peter Yarrow). I see that Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary) had died since we last met, so it was quite appropriate in that sense too.

Nicola and mark made their Dragon debut with Home James and don't spare the horses (*). This song, written by Fred Hillebrand in 1934 centres on an expression of pressing urgency that goes back to the mid-nineteenth century, but the statistics on its recorded use skyrocket around the time that Elsie Carlisle recorded the song with Ambrose and His Orchestra.

Simon sang Dave Sudbury's King of Rome and Rob sang his own Ballad of Reynardine (Rob Winder).

Nicola and Mark were joined by Beverley and David for Roll the old chariot (roud 3632).

Meanwhile we had been joined by Steve C whose first song was The rare ould times (Pete St John), Jane who told us a story she called "Star crossed lovers" (#), and Stuart whose opener was KC Moan (roud 4958).

The only performances of the evening not covered in the playlist linked from "a selection" below are Jane's stories, and I will mark them with a hash (#).

Denny sang The higgler (*), written by Tony Franklin, a "Cornwall Songwriter" and not the English rock musician of the same name. Cornwall Songwriters is "a unique collective writing in the traditional genre".

Nicola, on her own this time, gave us One morning in May (the bold grenadier) (* roud 140, laws P14) and mark, also alone, embarrassed his sister slightly by, for the first time in about fifty years, singing Barry Humphries' The chunder song (*).

Rob's next was also a newcomer to the database: The barley and the rye (* roud 23268). Jane gave us a short story about a shiny box in the attic which held a secret meaning (#).

Nicola, Mark, Beverley and David came together again to give us a rendition of Harbour (*) by Anna Tabbush. Stuart's next was also a database newcomer in the form of This city (*) by Steve Earle: a song about Hurricane Katrina which hit New Orleans in 2005.

Denny's second new song (to the database) of the evening was Glen Isla to bonny Glenshee (* roud 832).

Nicola impressed us with her charming Spanish lullaby, A la nanita nana (*).

Jane's last story of the evening was a collection of anecdotes about her son (#), to show that she should always listen to him because he's often right.

Stuart gave us the last song of the evening to add to the database, which was Handsome Molly (* roud 454), and the very last song came from Paul, sending us home with Roll Alabama roll (roud 4710).

It was an excellent evening, much warmer than in the recent past (even Bob commented on the warmth), and with a friendly and helpful pub manager. If it carries on like this we won't have much to complain about, and we hope it will help persuade you to join us.

Now listen to a selection of songs sung during this session.

(Number of people present - 14 of whom 14 performed)

St David's Day 2020

Senedd building, Cardiff (Photo: Simon Meeds)

Just two days early, we convened for a St David's Day session. Mel, on his third, and we hope now regular, visit to the club was our token Welshman. He was joined by occasional visitors Chris S, Steve C and Jane, all most welcome.

Colin was absent, still looking after his wife, to whom we naturally send our best wishes, so Simon filled in as MC and asked Derek, who had narrowly beaten him to the pub, to start off the session.

Derek offered up a version of Lord Randall (Roud 10, Child 12), which he performed partly in Welsh.

St David's Day 2019

Last week's session was on St David's Day so that was our theme. Unfortunately we were still at rock bottom for attendance. We manage to have good sessions but it would be a lot more pleasure if you were with us to add your contributions and to enjoy the banter.

Colin ably MCed as usual and introduced the theme with Welsh History 101 by Heather Rose Jones.

Derek's first contribution may seem a little negative about those from across the Wye but in fact he has plenty of historical justification for singing Taffy Was A Welshman (Roud 19237) because the first verse appeared in something like its current form in Nancy Cock's Pretty Song Book, printed in London in about 1780.

Mind your language

The Rosetta Stone (Photo: Tony Hall)

I'm afraid last week's session was marked by a very low turn-out - only four of us to keep the tradition going. Nevertheless we got through a good selection of songs: 37 in total; nowhere near a record but pretty creditable.

Colin, the MC, started off with a song often sung by our friend Gary H: Sea Dog by Bob Zentz, from a poem by Burt Franklin Jenness. Only later did Colin tell us that his personal theme was miserable songs, a theme which Derek, by his own admission, is able to follow anytime without any particular intention and to prove it before it had even been mentioned sang The Twa Brothers (Roud 38, Child 49).

Simon marked the Last Night of the Proms with Isabel Makes Love Upon National Monuments (Jake Thackray - "On the last night of the Promenades she waved to the conductor").

St David's Day 2017

Depiction of the Rebecca Riots,
Illustrated London News 1843

It was good to see a new face at last week's session. Geoff brought John P along - this sort of behaviour is to be encouraged. While John had never sung at a folk club before he certainly came prepared with Welsh songs to fit our theme, and had a selection of other material once he had run out. Well done John, we look forward to seeing you again very soon.

If you're considering coming to the Dragon Folk Club for the first time, don't think we expect you to come prepared like John with lots of material; of course that would be great but by all means come along to suss us out before attempting to sing or play on a subsequent visit, or indeed come along even if you have no intention of ever performing. We're a pretty friendly bunch and welcome singers and musicians of any standard or none!

St David's Day and Mothering Sunday 2016

Yes we had a dual theme last week with St David's Day on 1st March and Mothering Sunday on the 6th (Don't get me started on why it isn't Mothers' Day). There was plenty for us all to go at, and Colin was MC.

Derek started us off with a song I failed to trace. The lines I noted down were: "On the 23rd day of September", "the Liverpool waters will ring" and "they destroyed the electric transformer". From something he said later, I assume, like two of his other songs this evening, it was written by Meic Stephens.

Church-going, languages and Barbara Allen

Leadbelly (right), from whose singing our
final song of this session (Take a Whiff on me) comes.
The trumpeter is Bunk Johnson

A better turn-out this week and a couple of people trying our new venue for the first time. This is good to see and I hope a lot more of our occasional visitors will make appearances in the next few weeks; maybe even becoming more regular once they see that things are better at The New Inn, Westerleigh.

With Indy howling as well as ever and Maggie at home requiring Mike's care and attention, Richard once more took up the role of MC for the evening. Derek kicked off with The Volunteer Organist (Roud 5378, William B Gray and G L Spaulding). Richard picked up the theme of going to church by performing, as a reading, The Wensleydale Lad (Roud 21176). Church bells then became a minor theme with Steve G singing Bob Dylan's Ring Them Bells and Colin Egloshayle Ringers (Roud 1163).

St David's Day

Phil Tanner (www.folkwales.org.uk)

This week's session was held on the eve of St David's Day, so the theme was anything vaguely related to that day, to Wales or symbols of Welshness. Well for the sake of convenience it was also stretched to whales, or rather whaling!

Mike started the evening off with Hob y Deri Dando, even singing one verse in Welsh, while Steve kicked off the pseudo theme of whaling with Bonny ship the Diamond.

Our one Welsh regular, Lesley, despite earlier promises, wasn't able to be with us, but Richard, her husband, filled in ably, singing all of his songs in Welsh. He started off with Rhyfelgyrch Gwŷr Harlech (Men of Harlech), went on to ffoles Llantrisant (Foolish Llantrisant girls) and Calon Lân (Pure heart) with words by Daniel James and tune by John Hughes). Next came fflat Huw Pugh by John Glyn Davies (link in Welsh), about legendary Welsh sailor, Huw Pugh the captain of a 60 ton "flat" ship named the Ann of Liverpool.

Mike's songs

"Gresford mining disaster:
rescue team leaving the air lock"

Mike and Maggie weren't around for this session so Richard was in charge. Mike had embraced the inevitable last week by announcing the theme as "Songs that Mike sings". Most of us were able to rise to the challenge.

There were two and a half occasional visitors present.

Mervyn occasionally joins us when he's passing through on his trips between the South West and Berkshire. Understandably, he didn't attempt to match the theme, singing Rainbow connection "from the singing of Kermit the Frog". It was indeed an original song for The Muppet Movie, written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher. He went on to sing John Conolly's Punch and Judy man and Dolly Grey "collected" from the Black and White Minstrels. He also recalled an evening at another club themed as "One song to the tune of another"; as on that evening, Mervyn sang Paul Simon's Kathy's Song to the tune of The Silkie.

The other one and a half occasional visitors were Steve and Jane. We haven't seen Steve for a while, but Jane's presence is a rare treat with her well-told stories. In particular she said she is starting to tell stories from her own experience, and in that vein she recounted an incident shortly after the end of the Second World War, when a German POW turned around the expectations of the people present by performing a valiant feat.