Gwaun Valley celebrates unique new year (From Western Telegraph)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting WT NEWS to 80360, or email
us
Gwaun Valley celebrates unique new year
10:25am Tuesday 15th January 2008 in News
Traditional hen Galan celebrations were held at the Dyffryn Arms, also known as Bessie's. Picture copyrite creidwen, licensed under the creative commons license
The residents of the Gwaun Valley celebrated their own unique New Year's Eve on Saturday.
The rest of the UK switched to the Gregorian calendar in 1752 to celebrate New Year's Eve on December 31st.
But, for more than 200 years, those in Cwm Gwaun have held their own New Year's Eve celebrations in line with the Julian calendar.
The celebration, called Hen Galan, has been passed down from generation to generation.
It traditionally takes place on January 13th, but the event was marked a day early this year as the official date fell on a Sunday.
Local children went around the area to sing to residents during the day and locals gathered at the Dyffryn Arms, Pontfaen, otherwise known as Bessie's, for drinks and sandwiches in the evening.
Landlady Bessie Davies said: "It was excellent, there was really good crowd and lots of singing.
"Around 36 children called round, it was a very nice day."
Mrs Davies added that Hen Galan could continue for a couple of weeks in individual households.
