Saint Piran's Day: A Cornish Celebration

On the 5th of March each year, people across our wonderful county celebrate the national day of the patron saint of Cornwall, St Piran’s Day. Saint Piran, or Pyran, is not only the patron saint of the best county in the UK he is also the patron saint of tin miners, which is rather appropriate given the large number of tin mines that were in use in Cornwall from the Bronze Age right through to the few that survived until the 21st century. 

St Piran was an abbot (the head of a monastery) in Cornwall in the 5th century who had Irish heritage and is commonly thought to be the Irish saint Ciarán of Saigir.

St Piran: A Short Story

It is said that St. Piran was born in Ireland and after studying scripture in Rome returned to his birth land, was made a bishop and allegedly performed a slew of miracles including raising dead soldiers on the battlefield. However, it is reported that he somehow managed to incur the wrath of the Irish Kings and was flung into the Irish Sea with a millstone around his neck. Miraculously the blessed Saint Piran is said to have floated across the sea, landing on a beach at Perranporth. Here he built a small chapel, or oratory, hidden amongst the dunes which people came to worship in from all over the county. The ruins of this piece of Cornish history can still be seen today in the dunes of Penhale Beach (and incidentally is a beautiful place to walk your dogs). 

Saint Piran is said to have lived for 200 years, loved his beer and met a sticky end when he accidentally fell down a well, the quintessential Cornish man!!

Saint Piran, Tin and the Cornish Flag

It is also alleged that Saint Piran was the person who discovered tin in Cornwall after a stone in his fireplace was said to have leaked a white liquid when heated, hence his position as the patron saint of tin miners. This story is also the source of the design of the Cornish flag, or the flag of Saint Piran, as the white cross on the black background is said to represent the white-hot tin flowing across a slate (a material synonymous with Cornish building) tiled floor. 

Saint Piran's Day Celebrations

In modern Cornwall Saint Piran's Day is still widely celebrated with parades, performances and celebrations, but most importantly the over-indulgence in food and drink as the man himself was want to do!

Here at Natural Cornish Pet, when there’s a holiday to celebrate we love to get cooking and visit our local watering holes, especially when it's one that honours our fabulous county. We also love to be able to get our furry friends involved whenever we can, after all, it's not a holiday unless every member of the family is joining in. 

Our Fabulous Cornish Dog Treats 

Since our inception, we have always been keen to source our perfect pet products from as close to our base in Hayle, Cornwall, as we possibly can. Often this has been next to impossible and when this happens we have regularly decided to produce the products right here in Cornwall, just a short drive away from where Saint Piran himself, landed on our shores all those years ago. 

We’ve collated a small selection of our favourite Cornish made products so you and your furry friends can remember the indomitable Saint Piran with every tasty treat.

Cornish Whitefish Cubes For Dogs

Our fabulous Fish Cubes are made in Cornwall from Cornish fish, are all-natural, hypoallergenic fish treats that are perfect for dogs with skin and fur irritation as they provide a rich source of omega oils. They are also high in protein and low in saturated fats, making them perfect for controlling weight in elderly or obese dogs. 

So this Saint Piran’s day, why not get your hands on some of our coolly Cornish dog treats and let your dogs enjoy the fantastic flavours of the month in every dinner and reward.