Happy St Piran's Day

oggy oggy oggy oi oi oi!

Lucky you, rubysong!

Love all these obscure saints - there is a patron saint of piles, believe it or not!

Mishap - . How on earth do you find out facts like that?

Oh yes, Perranporth, other Perrans, all from the same word! I do miss Cornwall now that Great Aunt Dorothy has died and we have no reason to wend our weary way down the A30 every year! I always hoped that we too would live down there one day, but it's too out of the way for DBH.

It must be a real harbinger of Spring, too, for all those who live down there.

Here it is - St Fiacre: wellvillesite.squarespace.com/culture/2011/1/10/st-fiacre-patron-saint-of-hemorrhoid-sufferers.html

Is that why badly sprung horse drawn cabs in France were called "fiacres"? Thinking of the long suffering drivers perhaps?

That sounds very likely, Soutra.

I presume there aren't too many children with him as their Saint's day name then?

Enjoy your evening, rubysong. You've brought back happy memories of holidays in Cornwall to me - beautiful place with lovely people.

Wonder if there's a patron saint of decluttering? (I've just come from the thread about hoarding). It probably comes under lost causes. Is that St Anthony, or have I got them mixed up?

Lost causes is St Jude. Anthony of Padua is patron of lost objects.
I suppose it would depend on why you're decluttering?
To find something lost, himself of Padua.
If it's a lost cause Jude.
Otherwise just sing along with St Cecilia ( music) whistle while you work.

Here is a sonnet I wrote to St Cecilia. I love the sonnet format - it gives the opportunity for a twist in the tail.

St Cecilia was Roman woman who was martyred for her Christian faith. Convinced that she should not lose her virginity (why did she marry?) she persuaded her husband Valerian that an angel would protect her from violation by a man. She died by the sword, but it is said that she survived 3 attempts to decapitate her before she finally bled to death. Saint Cecilia is the patroness of musicians. It is written that as the musicians played at her wedding she "sang in her heart to the Lord". She is often depicted playing on the viol.

Sonnet to St Cecilia

Her eyes to heaven and playing on the viol
She charms us, saint of melody and song
Valerian, her swain, drugged by her smile
Is innocent, unwary of his wrong.
Invoking God, that hackneyed devious ploy,
She plots to keep her treasured maidenhead
Claiming her angel, that divine killjoy,
Will oversee the conduct in their bed.
And should he dare to dally with her dress
Or steal a kiss or maybe stroke her hair,
Or brave her wrath and venture a caress
The flaming wings and halo will appear.

Valerian my dear you cannot win
The church has always known sex was a sin.

I'm just back from a great night of singing in the pub. We sang Trelawney at nine o'clock to join with lots of other pubs in Cornwall and then sang lots of other Cornish and other songs. The pub was full and everyone was enjoying it. I wish they would do it more often.
There were pasties in evidence, (but not for me on 5:2 day).

That's why St Anthony is my favourite, because things always become mislaid in this house.
I blame The Borrowers.

That sounds like a wonderful evening out rubysong.
How could you resist a Cornish Pasty? I would have said 'to hell with the 5:2 today, I'll do it tomorrow instead'!

Plenty of other days to enjoy a pasty. Ginsters factory is just down the road and there are sometimes misshapes available!

DH likes Ivor Dewdney ones - I think they are made in Devon

Thanks Galen. I'm decluttering (oh yeah? - not so that anyone would notice) because I can never find anything, but am not very good at it, so I think both saints might be of help.

rubysong I hope you sang Going Up Camborne Hill Coming Down and Away Down TO Lamorna

No, but we did sing 'the white rose' and 'little Lize' (or little eyes), and 'Cadgwith Anthem' and several others including 'Cousin Jack' the song by Show of Hands' More pub singing tomorrow night, more folky with some really good singers. I go on my own as DH isn't into folk.

Happy St Piran's Day once again. We were planning a St Piran's party on the village hall last Friday but it was postponed because of the weather. There is pub singing tonight but I am at choir practice. Maybe we will sing Trelawney there.