Hapus dydd dewi sant

That's Happy St. David's Day, in Welsh.

David is the patron saint of Wales, canonized in the 1100s. March 1, 589 was the day of his death and is celebrated by Welsh and the Welsh diaspora every year. People wear daffodils (the national flower) and leeks (Davis's flower -- are leeks a flower?). Children sing in eisteddfodau, and girls wear traditional costumes to school. Unlike St. Patrick's Day, St. David's Day is not a national holiday in the UK.

But let's talk eisteddfau. Pronounced "eye-stev-ci-da" (sort of), it is a traditional singing contest of sorts. These are held throughout the year, in Wales and the US. (I'm sure they're also celebrated in Australia and New Zealand.) Choirs compete in multi-day contests. The largest eisteddfod in the US was held in Chicago in 1893; it will play a part in my next novel, but I don't know quite how just yet.

I've been researching the Welsh in America for my next novel, tentatively titled Music of the Mines. I've only just begun my research, but here are a few tidbits to whet your appetite.

1. Mining anthracite coal is different than mining bituminous coal. Most of my readers probably know anthracite is what made Scranton rich enough to become the first fully electrified city in the US -- hence its nickname. But in the mid-1800s, anthracite was new to the American market, and mine owners needed help figuring out how to get this rich mineral out of the ground.

2. While we think of miners in Pennsylvania as low man on the totem pole, the Welsh that came to America were not. They had been mining for a hundred or so years in Wales before they came to America in the early/mid 1800s, because South Wales is rich in anthracite. They were recruited by mine owners specifically to be supervisors and managers, because they knew what they were doing.

3. The Welsh were religious folk. Unlike later immigrants to the area (Polish and Italian, specifically), they were not Catholic. England broke from Rome with King Henry VIII, and both England and Wales followed an Anglican liturgy. Beginning in the 1700s, there was a revival, and the Welsh became known as "nonconformists." As the name implies, there was more than a little rebellion in it. Some became Methodists, or Baptists, or Congregationalists. When they settled in Scranton, they brought all of it with them.

This nonconformity of religion will play a part in my new story, as will the singing. Welsh Baptists and Congregationalists are known for their lovely voices, even if modern Americans can't understand the language. Music of the Mines will highlight the strength of family and faith. I can't wait to share it with you!