After the emergency weird facts to save you in a lift with the Belgians and the bar with the Scots, 4BR gives you some wonderful facts about the Welsh — just in case you need to join in with the close harmony singing…
Wales
1. Boxing’s Queensberry Rules were drafted by a Welshman, (Llanelli-born JG Chambers). There are more amateur boxers in Glamorgan than anywhere else in Great Britain.
2. The English are Wales’ largest ethnic minority community with 20.3 per cent of the country’s population having been born in England.
In 2003, Wales became the first country in the UK in which the majority of babies – 50.3 per cent – were born outside marriage4BR
3. The longest corridor in any building in Europe is to be found in Llandough Hospital near Cardiff.
4. In 2003, Wales became the first country in the UK in which the majority of babies – 50.3 per cent – were born outside marriage.
5. The inventor of modern cremation was Dr William Price (1800-93) of Llantrisant. One of the great Welsh eccentrics, Price indulged in many lawsuits, the most famous being his trial in 1884 for attempting to burn the corpse of his baby son, Iesu Grist (Jesus Christ).
He was found not guilty of having committed an offence, which proved to be a turning point in the history of the movement to legalise cremation.
6. One of the more gruesome traditions from Welsh history was that Boxing Day was considered a good day for people to bleed themselves with leeches for their health.
This was also done with holly, and people would beat themselves with it until they bled, believing it good for their health in the coming year.
7. On the 23rd January 1974, in the Berwyn Mountains of Clwyd an unexplained crash occurred of what is believed to have been an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO). It has since become known as the Welsh 'Roswell' incident.
The army and rescue services swung into action, believing a passenger plane had crashed into the mountains. However, according to one eyewitness, the bodies they discovered were not human. This eyewitness was later whisked away and never seen again.
8. Welsh food is usually made from local ingredients. Some traditional dishes include laverbread (made from seaweed), bara brith (fruit cake), cawl cennin (leek stew), Welsh cakes, Welsh Rarebit, and Welsh lamb. Cockles are often served with breakfast.
9. The Welsh National Anthem is 'Land of my Fathers' ('Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau'). It was written by Evan James in 1856. The English translation of the opening two lines honour brass bands…
‘The land of my fathers is dear unto me,
Old land where the minstrels are honoured and free’..
10. The Welsh rugby team are the current Gland Slam winners of the Six Nations tournament.
Historically Wales have won 10 Grand Slams and 20 Triple Crowns and have won 51.54% of the 586 games they have ever played since 1881.
