IT IS generally believed that David was born to Non, who later became a saint, around the year 520.

Legend has it that she was either seduced or raped by a local chieftain and became pregnant. She gave birth to David on cliffs by the sea, and the legend states that when he was born a bolt of lightning from heaven struck a rock and split it in two.

Saint David was baptised by Saint Elvis of Munster, and it is said that a blind man was cured by the water used for the baptism.

He went on to study under Saint Paulinus in Cardigan before he went on pilgrimages around Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, Ireland and Jerusalem.

In 550, David is said to have founded a monastery close to the place where he was born. He is said to have lived a simple life, drinking only water and eating only bread and herbs.

He became known as Dewi Dyfrwr which translates to David the water drinker or water man, because of his modest diet where meat and beer were forbidden.

The saint spent his life spreading the word of Christianity and founded 12 monasteries in his lifetime. One of these sites still stands today – the present St David’s Cathedral which was built in 1181. It was destroyed by Cromwell’s forces in the 17th century, but was later restored between 1862 and 1870.

St David is thought to have died on March 1, 589 AD, and his remains were buried at the site of the Cathedral. He was canonised by Pope Callixtus in 1120.

In his last sermon David told his monks to “do the little things, the small things you’ve seen me doing”.

St David’s Day has been a national festival in Wales since the 18th century. It’s traditional for people to wear a leek or daffodil on our national day, but the origin of this custom is not entirely known.

The history of these national symbols are to be found in legends, although there is some debate about when they were adopted by Wales.

According to one legend about why the Welsh wear leeks on St David’s Day, the soldiers of the ancient British King Cadwaladyr of Gwynedd, were about to fight their traditional enemy, the Saxons. Dewi Sant (St David) advised the Welsh to wear a leek in order to recognise their fellow countrymen during the battle.

Another says that in 1346, when Edward the Black Prince, defeated the French at the Battle of Crécy, the Welsh archers fought in a field of leeks. The legend states that the Welsh began to wear a leek in their caps every St David’s Day as a reminder of their bravery.

In Shakespeare’s Henry V the character Fluellen wears a leek in his cap on Saint David’s Day in commemoration of the victory against the Saxons.

Leeks have always been a favourite with the Welsh, and were often used as medicine and was seen as a healthy and virtuous plant.

The daffodil is a much newer Welsh emblem and was chosen to replace the leek in the 19th Century. Former Welsh prime minister David Lloyd George advocated the daffodil as a national emblem as its appearance in early spring coincides with St David’s Day.

The Welsh name for leek is cennin, while the Welsh for daffodil is cennin Pedr. Some say that the daffodil was adopted as a second emblem because of confusion over the names.

On March 1, there will be celebrations across the region. CADW sites around Wales will be free to visit including Tintern Abbey, Chepstow, Caerphilly and Raglan Castle.

At Pontypool Indoor Market, former Welsh International Eddie Butler will be joined by the legendary Pontypool front row Graham Price, Charlie Faulkner and Bobbie Windsor, and current members of Pontypool RFC for a special meet and greet. There will also be music, crafts and face painting at the event that starts at 11am.

Mardy Park Resource Centre in Abergavenny is holding a St David’s Day fundraiser for the St David’s Hospice on March 1, from 11am to 4pm. Blaenavon Male Voice Choir and local performers will be performing at the Borough Theatre in Abergavenny from 7.30pm.