Y Ddraig Goch

The Welsh Dragon: there is no symbol quite like it.

Adorning the country’s flag, this dragon is flown around the world to mark St. David’s Day and numerous sporting events.

It is often said that compared to other nations, the Welsh have a positive relationship with their dragon; heroes throughout its history often praised for being “dragon-like”.

The Origins of the Welsh Dragon

The origins of Y Ddraig Goch are buried deep in history and mythology.

Celtic king, Vortigern, decided that he wanted to build his castle on the hillside of Dinas Emrys, but the foundations that he laid kept falling down.

A young boy, who is believed to be Merlin from the legend of King Arthur, told Vortigern that his foundations crumbled because beneath Dinas Emrys lay two sleeping dragons.

Shocked, Vortigern’s men dug down and discovered the unconscious dragons, one red, one white.

They abruptly awoke from their deep slumber at the presence of the men, and engaged one another in a ferocious battle. Although the white dragon was dominant for most of the fight, the red dragon ultimately won the clash. Merlin told Vortigern that the white dragon symbolised the invading saxons, and the red the native Britons.

The Welsh Flag

Dragons have long been depicted on flags.

Welsh Kings in the fifth century used dragons on their flags when the Romans withdrew from Britain.

In the sixteenth century, King Henry VII used the red dragon atop a background of green and white (traditional Tudor colours) as his coat of arms. This is the origin of the Welsh flag we know today.