Geiriau o Gariad: A Welsh love story for Santes Dwynwen

Llinos Dafydd

As Diwrnod Santes Dwynwen approaches, it’s the perfect time to reflect on love — its quiet moments, its grand gestures, and how we express it in our own words.

Geiriau o Gariad, which I recently adapted into Welsh and is published by Gwasg Rily, brings these themes to life in a way that feels both timeless and deeply rooted in Welsh culture.

Originally written and illustrated by Jake Biggin as Words of Love, the book captures poetic reflections on love, friendship, and human connection.

For Biggin, the Welsh adaptation is particularly significant — his ties to Wales run deep, having spent much of his childhood visiting Cardiff and the Gower Peninsula, where he drew inspiration from the landscapes around him.

Words of Love

Biggin recalls childhood visits to family friends near Swansea, where the rolling dunes, ancient Norman ruins, and lush, garlic-scented woodlands of Gower became an intrinsic part of his creative identity.

These landscapes, he explains, find their way into his illustrations, often subconsciously. “When I began illustrating Words of Love, I took reference photographs on our walks in the Gower countryside,” he says. “In fact, the front cover directly references a moment I caught of my own daughter sitting on a tree across a stream.”

The book’s themes were also shaped by conversations with his children, particularly during lockdown walks when they would share thoughts and worries about the world.

These organic exchanges inspired the gentle narrative of Words of Love, and now Geiriau o Gariad brings those reflections into the Welsh language, ensuring that more readers can connect with its message.

“Vital”

For Biggin, seeing his work translated into Welsh is both an honour and a recognition of the importance of linguistic diversity.

“This is the second book of mine to be translated into Welsh, and it’s always a thrill,” he says.

“Twelve languages die every year around the world, and publishing books bilingually is vital for ensuring the health of languages, both culturally and socially.”

With personal ties to Wales and a multilingual household — his children speak Catalan — he understands firsthand the significance of maintaining linguistic heritage.

As a gift for Santes Dwynwen’s Day, Geiriau o Gariad offers something truly special.

It isn’t just about love in the conventional sense — it’s about connection, understanding, and those moments of quiet reflection that say more than words ever could.

Biggin’s favourite scene in the book? A moment where the characters simply stand together, absorbing their surroundings.

“Sometimes there are no words,” he notes. “It feels like the Gower.”

With Geiriau o Gariad now available from all good bookshops, it serves as a timely reminder that love, like language, is something to be nurtured, shared, and celebrated.

This Santes Dwynwen’s Day, what better way to honour that than with a book that speaks straight to the heart?