Once A Welshman ...

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31071, 28 May 1966, Page 12

Once A Welshman ...

DISTINCTION that St. David, patron saint of Wales. could claim over the other patron saints of the British Isles, said a Welsh comedian ll’yn Calvin in the 8.8. C. World Service programme, was that he was the only one who really belonged to the country he represents.

St. Patrick was bom in South H ales, the son of a Welsh girl and a Roman soldier, and came to his mission in Ireland by way of France. St. Andrew, patron of Scotland, was of course a lew. one of the Twelve Apostles. As for St. George he might have been English. Russian. Estonian. Hungarian, or Cypriot, for all these countries claimed him.

According to Calvin, the Welsh saint certainly showed a strongly national bias and he related a story to confirm this. A former Welsh Rugby international on presenting himself at the Gate of Heaven, was commanded to confess anything in his

past life that lay on his conscience before he could pass the portals, said Calvin.

"Well. St. Peter." he admitted, "there is one thing that has troubled me ever since that international when we were playing England at Twickenham. It was an exciting game, and a very close one. I got the ball, and managed to get right through to skid my face with the ball just on the line. It decided the game—for us. Yet. although no-one else saw it. 1 put that ball just half an inch on the wrong side of the line. The referee had not noticed, and who was I to argue with 50.000 people who had decided it was a worthy try? Yet it has troubled my conscience ever since.

"/ remember the incident well. said the Saint. "It had been a good game, so forget it. We'll sag no more about it." "Oh. thank you. thank you. St. Peter." "Carry on. my son. By the way. St. Peter isn't on duty today. I m St. David.