Flag of Wales
Encyclopedia
The Flag of Wales
( or Y Ddraig Goch, meaning "The Red Dragon") consists of a red
dragon
passant on a green
and white
field
. As with many heraldic charges, the exact representation of the dragon is not standardised and many renderings exist.
The flag incorporates the Red Dragon of Cadwaladr
, King of Gwynedd
, along with the Tudor
colours of green and white. It was used by Henry VII
at the Battle of Bosworth Field
in 1485 after which it was carried in state to St Paul's Cathedral
. The red dragon was then included in the Tudor royal arms to signify their Welsh descent. It was officially recognised as the Welsh national flag in 1959.
Wales and Bhutan
are the only countries to have a dragon as a major design element on their flag, though the Chinese flag also featured a dragon during the Qing Dynasty
, and a dragon appears on the badge of the George Cross
on the flag of Malta
.
for centuries, though the origin of the adoption of the dragon symbol is now lost in history
and myth
. A possible theory is that the Romans
brought the emblem to what is now Wales during their occupation of Britain
in the form of the Draco standards
born by the Roman cavalry, itself inspired by the symbols of the Dacians
or Parthians. The green and white stripes of the flag were additions by the House of Tudor, the Welsh dynasty that held the English throne
from 1485 to 1603. Green and white are also the colours of the leek, another national emblem
of Wales.
The oldest known use of the dragon to represent Wales is from the Historia Brittonum, written around 830; the text describes a struggle between two serpents deep underground, which prevents King Vortigern
from building a stronghold. This story was later adapted into a prophecy
made by the wizard Myrddin
(or Merlin) of a long fight between a red dragon and a white dragon. According to the prophecy, the white dragon, representing the Saxons
, would at first dominate but eventually the red dragon, symbolising the Celts, would be victorious and recapture Lloegr. According to the legend, this victory would be brought about by Y Mab Darogan
. This is believed to represent the conflict in the 5th and 6th centuries between the British Celts and the invading Saxons. A version of the tale also appears as part of the poem 'Cyfranc Lludd a Llefelys' in the Mabinogion
. One twelfth century account of this is Geoffrey of Monmouth
's Historia Regum Britanniae
, where he states Merlin's prophecies.
The red dragon is popularly believed to have been the battle standard of Arthur
and other ancient Celt
ic/Romano-British
leaders. It is particularly associated in Welsh poetry with Cadwaladr
king of Gwynedd
from c.655 to 682.
Despite the close link throughout early Welsh history, the dragon was not used exclusively as a symbol for Wales during this period, and it was used throughout Britain as a symbol of authority. In 1138 it was adopted by the Scottish as a royal standard, and Richard I
took a dragon standard to the Third Crusade in 1191. Henry III
fought under the dragon at the Battle of Lewes
and it was used later by Edward III
at the Battle of Crécy
. The Battle of Crécy has a notable connection to Wales, due to Edward's use of Welsh longbowmen from Llantrisant
, who wore the colours of green and white, the Tudor colours, which would later be used as the background colours of the flag of Wales.
In 1400 Owain Glyndwr raised the dragon standard during his revolts against the occupation of Wales by the English crown. Fifteen years later the English crown, under the rule of Henry V
, used the red dragon standard itself during the Battle of Agincourt
. The English forces during the battle utilised Welsh longbowmen, along with their own archers. In 1485, the most significant link between the symbol of the Red Dragon and Wales occurred when Henry Tudor
flew the red dragon of Cadwallader during his invasion of England. Henry was of Welsh descent and after leaving France with an army of 2000, landed at Milford Haven
on 7 August. He made capital of his Welsh ancestry in gathering support and gaining safe passage through Wales. Henry met and fought Richard III
at the Battle of Bosworth Field, and in victory took the English throne. After the battle, Henry carried the Red Dragon standard in state to St. Paul's Cathedral, and later the Tudor livery of green and white was added to the flag.
which metaphorically refers to a bull copulating. The badge was the basis of a flag of Wales in which it was placed on a horizontal white and green bicolour. In 1959 government use of this flag was dropped in favour of the current flag at the urging of the Gorsedd of Bards
. Today the flag can be seen flying from the Welsh Assembly building
in Cardiff
, and from the Wales Office
in Whitehall
, London each day.
Apart from the national Flag of Wales, the flag most associated with the country of Wales is the Flag of Saint David
. The Flag of St David has grown in recognition from the late 20th century to the early 21st century. The Flag of St David, a yellow cross on a black field, is used in the emblem of the Diocese of St David's and is flown throughout Wales during St. David's Day, and in recent times the flag has been adopted as a symbol of Welsh nationalism
.
However, traditionally, in both Protestant and Catholic traditions, crossed emblems have only been allocated to those martyred in the name of Christianity. Examples are saints such as St. Andrew (Scotland), St. George (England), St Denis (France), St. Alban (England/Hertfordshire). This argument was decisive in the rejection of a supposed St. Patrick's Cross to depict Ireland.
, which was hosted in Wales, the opening ceremony used the motif of the dragon several times, though most memorably, the flag was worn on a dress by Welsh singer Shirley Bassey
.
Other musicians to have used the flag, include Nicky Wire
of the Manic Street Preachers, who will often drape the Welsh flag over amps when playing live, and Cerys Matthews
who has worn the image on her clothes, while classical singer Katherine Jenkins
has taken the flag on stage during live performances.
Roger Waters
' album Radio K.A.O.S.
follows the story of a young Welsh boy. The song "Sunset Strip" contains the lyrics:
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
( or Y Ddraig Goch, meaning "The Red Dragon") consists of a red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
dragon
European dragon
European dragons are legendary creatures in folklore and mythology among the overlapping cultures of Europe.In European folklore, a dragon is a serpentine legendary creature. The Latin word draco, as in constellation Draco, comes directly from Greek δράκων,...
passant on a green
Green
Green is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 520–570 nanometres. In the subtractive color system, it is not a primary color, but is created out of a mixture of yellow and blue, or yellow and cyan; it is considered...
and white
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
field
Field (heraldry)
In heraldry, the background of the shield is called the field. The field is usually composed of one or more tinctures or furs. The field may be divided or may consist of a variegated pattern....
. As with many heraldic charges, the exact representation of the dragon is not standardised and many renderings exist.
The flag incorporates the Red Dragon of Cadwaladr
Cadwaladr
Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon was King of Gwynedd . Two devastating plagues happened during his reign, one in 664 and the other in 682, with himself a victim of the second one. Little else is known of his reign...
, King of Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, along with the Tudor
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
colours of green and white. It was used by Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
at the Battle of Bosworth Field
Battle of Bosworth Field
The Battle of Bosworth Field was the penultimate battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the House of Lancaster and the House of York that raged across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by the Lancastrians...
in 1485 after which it was carried in state to St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
. The red dragon was then included in the Tudor royal arms to signify their Welsh descent. It was officially recognised as the Welsh national flag in 1959.
Wales and Bhutan
Flag of Bhutan
The national flag of Bhutan is one of the national symbols of Bhutan. The flag is based upon the tradition of the Drukpa Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and features Druk, the Thunder Dragon of Bhutanese mythology. The basic design of the flag by Mayum Choying Wangmo Dorji dates to 1947...
are the only countries to have a dragon as a major design element on their flag, though the Chinese flag also featured a dragon during the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, and a dragon appears on the badge of the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
on the flag of Malta
Flag of Malta
The Flag of Malta is a basic bi-colour, with white in the hoist and red in the fly: colours from the blazon of the arms of Malta. Tradition states that the colours of the flag were given to Malta by Count Roger of Sicily, in 1091...
.
Red Dragon of Wales
The flag was granted official status in 1959, but the red dragon itself has been associated with WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
for centuries, though the origin of the adoption of the dragon symbol is now lost in history
History of Wales
The history of Wales begins with the arrival of human beings in the region thousands of years ago. Neanderthals lived in what is now Wales, or Cymru in Welsh, at least 230,000 years ago, while Homo sapiens arrived by about 29,000 years ago...
and myth
Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons, has come down to us in much altered form in medieval Welsh manuscripts such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin....
. A possible theory is that the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
brought the emblem to what is now Wales during their occupation of Britain
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
in the form of the Draco standards
Draco (military standard)
A draco was a Roman cavalry military standard borne by a draconarius. It was the standard of the cohort as the eagle was that of the legion. In Europe, the dragon was originally a Dacian emblem...
born by the Roman cavalry, itself inspired by the symbols of the Dacians
Dacians
The Dacians were an Indo-European people, very close or part of the Thracians. Dacians were the ancient inhabitants of Dacia...
or Parthians. The green and white stripes of the flag were additions by the House of Tudor, the Welsh dynasty that held the English throne
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
from 1485 to 1603. Green and white are also the colours of the leek, another national emblem
National emblem
A national emblem symbolically represents a nation. Most national emblems originate in the natural world, such as animals or birds, but another object may serve. National emblems may appear on many things such as the national flag, coat of arms, or other patriotic materials...
of Wales.
The oldest known use of the dragon to represent Wales is from the Historia Brittonum, written around 830; the text describes a struggle between two serpents deep underground, which prevents King Vortigern
Vortigern
Vortigern , also spelled Vortiger and Vortigen, was a 5th-century warlord in Britain, a leading ruler among the Britons. His existence is considered likely, though information about him is shrouded in legend. He is said to have invited the Saxons to settle in Kent as mercenaries to aid him in...
from building a stronghold. This story was later adapted into a prophecy
Prophecy
Prophecy is a process in which one or more messages that have been communicated to a prophet are then communicated to others. Such messages typically involve divine inspiration, interpretation, or revelation of conditioned events to come as well as testimonies or repeated revelations that the...
made by the wizard Myrddin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
(or Merlin) of a long fight between a red dragon and a white dragon. According to the prophecy, the white dragon, representing the Saxons
Saxons
The Saxons were a confederation of Germanic tribes originating on the North German plain. The Saxons earliest known area of settlement is Northern Albingia, an area approximately that of modern Holstein...
, would at first dominate but eventually the red dragon, symbolising the Celts, would be victorious and recapture Lloegr. According to the legend, this victory would be brought about by Y Mab Darogan
Y Mab Darogan
Y Mab Darogan is a messianic figure of Welsh legend, destined to force the Anglo-Saxons out of Britain and reclaim it for its Celtic inhabitants. A number of figures have been called Y Mab Darogan in history...
. This is believed to represent the conflict in the 5th and 6th centuries between the British Celts and the invading Saxons. A version of the tale also appears as part of the poem 'Cyfranc Lludd a Llefelys' in the Mabinogion
Mabinogion
The Mabinogion is the title given to a collection of eleven prose stories collated from medieval Welsh manuscripts. The tales draw on pre-Christian Celtic mythology, international folktale motifs, and early medieval historical traditions...
. One twelfth century account of this is Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth
Geoffrey of Monmouth was a cleric and one of the major figures in the development of British historiography and the popularity of tales of King Arthur...
's Historia Regum Britanniae
Historia Regum Britanniae
The Historia Regum Britanniae is a pseudohistorical account of British history, written c. 1136 by Geoffrey of Monmouth. It chronicles the lives of the kings of the Britons in a chronological narrative spanning a time of two thousand years, beginning with the Trojans founding the British nation...
, where he states Merlin's prophecies.
The red dragon is popularly believed to have been the battle standard of Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
and other ancient Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic/Romano-British
Romano-British
Romano-British culture describes the culture that arose in Britain under the Roman Empire following the Roman conquest of AD 43 and the creation of the province of Britannia. It arose as a fusion of the imported Roman culture with that of the indigenous Britons, a people of Celtic language and...
leaders. It is particularly associated in Welsh poetry with Cadwaladr
Cadwaladr
Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon was King of Gwynedd . Two devastating plagues happened during his reign, one in 664 and the other in 682, with himself a victim of the second one. Little else is known of his reign...
king of Gwynedd
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
from c.655 to 682.
Despite the close link throughout early Welsh history, the dragon was not used exclusively as a symbol for Wales during this period, and it was used throughout Britain as a symbol of authority. In 1138 it was adopted by the Scottish as a royal standard, and Richard I
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
took a dragon standard to the Third Crusade in 1191. Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
fought under the dragon at the Battle of Lewes
Battle of Lewes
The Battle of Lewes was one of two main battles of the conflict known as the Second Barons' War. It took place at Lewes in Sussex, on 14 May 1264...
and it was used later by Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
at the Battle of Crécy
Battle of Crécy
The Battle of Crécy took place on 26 August 1346 near Crécy in northern France, and was one of the most important battles of the Hundred Years' War...
. The Battle of Crécy has a notable connection to Wales, due to Edward's use of Welsh longbowmen from Llantrisant
Llantrisant
Llantrisant is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The town's name translates as The Parish of the Three Saints. The three saints in question are St Illtyd, St Gwynno and St...
, who wore the colours of green and white, the Tudor colours, which would later be used as the background colours of the flag of Wales.
In 1400 Owain Glyndwr raised the dragon standard during his revolts against the occupation of Wales by the English crown. Fifteen years later the English crown, under the rule of Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
, used the red dragon standard itself during the Battle of Agincourt
Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
. The English forces during the battle utilised Welsh longbowmen, along with their own archers. In 1485, the most significant link between the symbol of the Red Dragon and Wales occurred when Henry Tudor
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
flew the red dragon of Cadwallader during his invasion of England. Henry was of Welsh descent and after leaving France with an army of 2000, landed at Milford Haven
Milford Haven
Milford Haven is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, a natural harbour used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was founded in 1790 on the north side of the Waterway, from which it takes its name...
on 7 August. He made capital of his Welsh ancestry in gathering support and gaining safe passage through Wales. Henry met and fought Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
at the Battle of Bosworth Field, and in victory took the English throne. After the battle, Henry carried the Red Dragon standard in state to St. Paul's Cathedral, and later the Tudor livery of green and white was added to the flag.
Modern use
In 1807 the red dragon on a green mount was adopted as the Royal Badge of Wales, and on 11 March 1953 the motto Y Ddraig goch ddyry cychwyn ('The red dragon gives impetus') was added, a line from the poem by Deio ab Ieuan DuDeio ab Ieuan Du
Deio ab Ieuan Du was a Welsh language poet from Ceredigion, west Wales.Deio composed eulogies to the nobility of the area, including Gruffydd Fychan, a supporter of Jasper Tudor....
which metaphorically refers to a bull copulating. The badge was the basis of a flag of Wales in which it was placed on a horizontal white and green bicolour. In 1959 government use of this flag was dropped in favour of the current flag at the urging of the Gorsedd of Bards
Gorsedd
A gorsedd plural gorseddau, is a community or coming together of modern-day bards. The word is of Welsh origin, meaning "throne". It is occasionally spelled gorsedh , or goursez in Brittany....
. Today the flag can be seen flying from the Welsh Assembly building
Senedd
The Senedd , also known as the National Assembly building, houses the debating chamber and three committee rooms for the National Assembly for Wales in Cardiff. The Senedd building was opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 1 March 2006 and the total cost was £69.6 million, which included £49.7M in...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, and from the Wales Office
Wales Office
The Wales Office / Swyddfa Cymru is a United Kingdom government department. It replaced the former Welsh Office, which had extensive responsibility for governing Wales prior to Welsh devolution in 1999....
in Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
, London each day.
Flag of Saint David
Flag of Saint David
The flag of Saint David is normally a yellow cross on a black field, although it has also appeared as a black cross on a yellow field, or with an engrailed cross...
. The Flag of St David has grown in recognition from the late 20th century to the early 21st century. The Flag of St David, a yellow cross on a black field, is used in the emblem of the Diocese of St David's and is flown throughout Wales during St. David's Day, and in recent times the flag has been adopted as a symbol of Welsh nationalism
Welsh nationalism
Welsh nationalism emphasises the distinctiveness of Welsh language, culture, and history, and calls for more self-determination for Wales, which may include more Devolved powers for the Welsh Assembly or full independence from the United Kingdom.-Conquest:...
.
However, traditionally, in both Protestant and Catholic traditions, crossed emblems have only been allocated to those martyred in the name of Christianity. Examples are saints such as St. Andrew (Scotland), St. George (England), St Denis (France), St. Alban (England/Hertfordshire). This argument was decisive in the rejection of a supposed St. Patrick's Cross to depict Ireland.
Cultural references
The flag of Wales has been used by those in the arts, sport and business to show a sense of patriotism or recognition with Wales. During the 1999 Rugby World Cup1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
, which was hosted in Wales, the opening ceremony used the motif of the dragon several times, though most memorably, the flag was worn on a dress by Welsh singer Shirley Bassey
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Bassey, DBE , is a Welsh singer. She found fame in the late 1950s and was "one of the most popular female vocalists in Britain during the last half of the 20th century"...
.
Other musicians to have used the flag, include Nicky Wire
Nicky Wire
Nicholas Allen Jones, known as Nicky Wire, is the lyricist, bassist and occasional vocalist with the Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers.-Early life:...
of the Manic Street Preachers, who will often drape the Welsh flag over amps when playing live, and Cerys Matthews
Cerys Matthews
Cerys Elizabeth Matthews is a Welsh singer and songwriter. She is known as the lead singer of the Welsh rock band Catatonia, her more recent bilingual solo career, and for a 1998 Christmas duet with Tom Jones.-Biography:...
who has worn the image on her clothes, while classical singer Katherine Jenkins
Katherine Jenkins
Katherine Jenkins is a Welsh mezzo-soprano. She is a classical-popular crossover singer who performs across a spectrum of operatic arias, popular songs, musical theatre and hymns.-Early life and education:...
has taken the flag on stage during live performances.
Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
' album Radio K.A.O.S.
Radio K.A.O.S.
Radio K.A.O.S. is a 1987 concept album by former Pink Floyd bassist, singer songwriter Roger Waters. It is his second solo album.-Storyline:The concept is based around a 23-year-old disabled man from Wales named Billy....
follows the story of a young Welsh boy. The song "Sunset Strip" contains the lyrics:
And I sit in the canyon with my back to the sea
There's a blood red dragon on a field of green
Calling me back
Back to the Black Hills again
See also
- List of flags of the United Kingdom
- List of Welsh flags
- National symbols of WalesNational symbols of WalesThe National symbols of Wales include a diversity of official and unofficial images and other symbols.-Flags:- Heraldry :-Other symbols:...
- Flags of EuropeFlags of EuropeThis is a list of international, national and subnational flags used in Europe.-Supranational and International flags:-Flags of European countries:-Flags of European sub-divisions:-Flags of European dependencies:...
External links
- HiJack, an article addressing the question of why Wales has no explicit symbolic representation on the Union FlagUnion FlagThe Union Flag, also known as the Union Jack, is the flag of the United Kingdom. It retains an official or semi-official status in some Commonwealth Realms; for example, it is known as the Royal Union Flag in Canada. It is also used as an official flag in some of the smaller British overseas...
.