Cornish Gorsedh Dancing

The Gorsedh Kernow perform a traditional Celtic dance

The Gorsedh Kernow or in English Gorsedd of the Cornish Bards perform a traditional step dance and troyl, a Cornish ceilidh or barn dance during their annual meeting. Established in 1928 Members of the Gorsedd aim to maintain the national Celtic spirt of Cornwall by encouraging the study of the Cornish language, arts and history. Gorsedd is a Celtic word meaning Bardic Assembly and Bard comes from the Greek to mean story teller, verse-maker and music composer.

Gorsedh Kernow was set up at Boscawen-Un by Henry Jenner (1848-1934) known as Gwas Myghal or servant of Michael, one of the early champions of the Cornish language revival. In 1903 he was made Bard of the Breton Gorsedd and with Louis Charles Richard Duncombe-Jewell founded Cowethas Kelto-Kernuak, the Cornish Language Society. Jenner and twelve others were initiated by the Archdruid of Wales and there have been over 1000 Cornish Bards. Jenner stated his aim as that of inculcating in to the Cornish people a sense of their Cornishness.