The reason why we are proud to be Cornish

St Piran's Day on March 5, widely adopted as Cornwall's national day, is a moment for people in the county, and all over the world, to celebrate their Cornishness.

One song that will be sung lustily is Trelawny , also known as The Song of the Western Men, with lyrics by the Victorian vicar Robert Stephen Hawker.

In a line borrowed from the anthem, BBC Cornwall has been asking people "the reason why" they are proud to describe themselves as Cornish.

Nicola Lloyd from Perranporth works as a consultant helping Cornish businesses reach a worldwide audience - and she is an enthusiastic advocate.

"I fell in love with Cornwall when I first visited, maybe 15-20 years ago, and decided I wanted to make it my home," she said.

"I class myself as 'Cornish by choice' just because it's the place I have lived the longest in my life and actually can't ever see myself as not being connected to Cornwall.

"The beauty of the place, the traditions here, the Celtic heritage, combined with all of the natural aspects, the innovation we see, there are just so many things that lure you into Cornwall and I absolutely love it."

Writer and film director Mark Jenkin has exported his very individual vision of Cornwall all over the world - such as a grainy and intense village in his 2020 debut Bait or the eerie island landscape of folk horror Enys Men (2023).

But what is undeniable is that this is a filmmaker who is very aware of his roots.

"The reason I love Cornwall is because it shaped me, everything that I am goes back to my formative years which were in Cornwall, " he mused.

"The thing that brought me back to Cornwall having had to move away for a couple of years was realising how important how Cornish identity was to me once I had left."

Asked about the 5 March celebrations, Jenkin said: "The Cornish traditions like St Piran's Day are important because they are an opportunity for Cornish people to define what they are.

"There's a trap which you can fall into, which I have fallen into in the past, which is defining yourself by what you are not; by rejecting, for example, Englishness, in the name of trying to be more Cornish.

"Something like St Piran's Day allows Cornish people, or people who live in Cornwall, to promote themselves in a positive way and define what they are."

Mark Jenkin's new film Rose of Nevada is due for release in April.

Running is at the centre of Tegan Pryce's day and Cornwall is the place she loves to do it.

"Getting outdoors and being active is such a huge part of my lifestyle and Cornwall is such a good place to do that," she said.

"I run a women's-only run club, we just have so many beautiful locations to do our runs.

"I actually moved away for uni and then came back because I just missed the beaches, I missed the different outdoor activities and also the quieter pace of life.

"I just love that you can finish work and be on a beach within five minutes, have an evening dip in the sea or go for an evening run along the cliffs, it's just gorgeous."

Rugby player John Stevens has more credentials than many when it comes to being proud of being Cornish.

The back row forward is the captain of the Cornish Pirates rugby team, although he has not featured for more than a year in the Champ due to a long-term injury.

When asked what Cornwall means to him, he grinned: "I've grown up here, it's home. Family, home, farm, different things, nice place to be, isn't it?

His take on the importance of St Piran's Day traditions? "Probably just keeping your heritage and your local identity alive, because otherwise everyone would be the same," he said.

Andy Anthony came to Cornwall on the train from Wolverhampton as a child, a journey he remembers well.

"I knew then this is where I was meant to be, it was where I was meant to live and and die and I've been here ever since," he smiled.

Anthony, 62, from Redruth works as a volunteer driver as a way of saying "thank you" to those who have made him feel so welcome in Cornwall.

He said: "Because the community has always welcomed me, they've always been friendly to me, I like to give back to the community that's helped me.

"I love the scenery in Cornwall, this car is my office, you couldn't ask for a better office window.

"One minute you've got St Michael's Mount, Lamorna Cove, Truro - it's all so beautiful."

Additional reporting by Hannah Stacey, Maddie Baker and Helen Munro Berry.

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