Whenever people holiday in Wales, one of the first and most exciting signs of the start of the holiday is seeing our unmistakable dragon. The red dragon is arguably Wales’ most famous symbol and is proudly emblazoned almost everywhere, from official government buildings to local cafes and even some Ceredigion holiday cottages.
How did a mythical creature become such an important symbol of Wales? The story goes deep into Welsh folklore, and yet it still holds so much relevance for Welsh people in the modern age, making the dragon more important than ever.
What is the Welsh Dragon?
The Welsh dragon, or y Ddraig Goch, is a widely used symbol in Wales. While most famously used on the Welsh flag, it’s also used by Welsh Government organisations, sports teams and various cultural groups.
There are not many strict rules on how the dragon should be depicted, so it can look slightly different depending on the context. However, it is almost always red, and very often faces to the left, a tradition dating back to the symbol’s military origins.
Did Dragons Ever Live in Wales?
Unfortunately, while Wales is strewn with symbols of the red dragon, visitors will be hard-pressed to find a real one during their holidays.
Dragons are a part of folklore that can be found in almost every culture of the world, from the great flying dragons of Chinese mythology to the bible’s Leviathan and beyond.
Various ancient European cultures had versions of these giant serpent creatures. The dragons seen in British folklore are believed to be inspired by the motifs used by the Roman military, which regularly featured dragon-like creatures.
The Mythical History Behind the Welsh Dragon
The tale of how y Ddraig Goch came to symbolise Wales goes all the way back to the 12th-century Mabinogion, the earliest recorded collection of Welsh folklore.
The Mabinogion tells of a fight between a red dragon and a foreign white dragon, and attempts to bury them both. This story is continued later in the Historia Brittonum, where King Vortigern, fleeing attack, tries to build a castle on the hillside at Dinas Emrys, where the foundations keep collapsing due to an underground lake containing the red and white dragon.
Other stories wrapped this tale of two dragons into the wider myth of King Arthur, with Merlin supposedly the one to warn Vortigern of the dragons beneath his foundations.
At some point, the battle between the red and white dragons is used to symbolise the native Britons against the invading Anglo-Saxons. As the Saxons took over England, the red dragon became a popular motif for Welsh kings as they fought against the invaders.
The Welsh dragon as we know it today is largely a result of the famous War of the Roses. That 15th-century civil war led to the ascension of the Tudor Dynasty, which used a red dragon as its symbol. Henry VII, born in Pembroke Castle and the first Tudor monarch, rode into battle with a red dragon on a white and green background.
What Does the Welsh Dragon Represent Today?
In the modern age, the Welsh dragon is a powerful symbol holding a lot of different meanings.
First and foremost, it is a symbol of national pride. Some refer to it as the Unconquerable Dragon of Wales, a reminder of our proud history of standing up for ourselves in the face of bigger powers. Many also see the dragon as an important part of our Celtic roots, tying it to the various Welsh traditions and folklore that make our country so special.
More important than anything is how the Welsh flag unites communities across the land and beyond. Whether it’s flying over an old castle or being painted onto cheeks at rugby games, the Welsh dragon continues to inspire and unite everyone.
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