http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/feed/blog Thu, 28 May 2026 10:17:45 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/gaabi/blog/5770/mother-bear-the-water-poets-and-a-trip-to-alabama http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/gaabi/blog/5770 Two years later, Welsh artist John Petts raised small donations from people all over Wales to make possible the creation and gifting of a stained glass window for the church , in response to the tragedy and in support of the church and its community.
60 years later, his son Mick Petts joined a group of Carmarthen musicians, The Water Poets, in traveling from Wales to Birmingham, to mark the anniversary of this gift with 16th Street Baptist Church. Andy Edwards of Mother Bear Productions documented their trip.

]]> Sat, 09 Aug 2025 17:39:14 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5769/how-prehistoric-society-advanced-in-iron-age-wales http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5769 Though first arriving around 1,000 BC, by about 600 BC, the Celtic tribes emigrating to Britain from Europe had well-established themselves on the island. Iron Age Wales was in full swing. As the Bronze Age drew to a close, people still utilized some bronze weapons and tools, but the use of iron became more prevalent. The Celts absorbed much of the existing Beaker culture and likely clashed with and eliminated some of them. Those who joined the Celtic society or lived alongside it for a while learned blacksmithing (iron craft) from the newcomers. 
So, who were these newcomers to Britain, and why was their arrival so significant? Research from archeological finds has shown that the Celts weren’t a distinct genetic group but more of a loosely-knitted collection of tribal societies that once covered much of Europe. They had no written language but did share the common tongue of Continental Celtic. Once they got to the British Isles, this language developed into Insular Celtic. Insular Celtic split into two groups: Gaelic and Brythonic, the latter of which eventually gave us Cymraeg (Welsh).
In addition to their language being the distant ancestor of modern Welsh, another contribution of the Celts to Wales was their fortifications. The Celts lived in roundhouses inside hill forts, which provided better protection and defense. Over 700 hill fort ruins still exist in Cymru today! The tribes also brought better ways of farming with stronger, improved tools over those of wood, such as an iron plow and other implements. These included spades, sickles, scythes, axes, forks, and hedge tools. But that isn’t all. The Celts brought even more changes to what is now Wales, and their art, structures, and wild spirit are still very much with us, which we’ll dive into below.
What time period was the Iron Age in the UK? 

The Iron Age in Britain ran from roughly 800 BC to 43 AD. While people in Britain used iron as early as 1,000 BC with the arrival of the first Celts, people didn’t widely use it until later in 500 – 400 BC. The period ended in 43 AD with the Roman invasion. That began the period known as Roman Britain, or in the case of Cymru, Roman Wales. 
For dominating a period of less than 1,000 years, the Celts made a massive impact. Even over 2,000 years later, we can still find many remains of Iron Age Wales hill forts. You can also find the ruins of many Iron Age settlements in the UK in England, Scotland, and Ireland. Maiden Castle (perhaps from Celtic “mai-dun,” which means a “great hill”) in Dorset is the largest hill fort in Britain. The Celts constructed it around 600 BC. Another major settlement is Traprain Law in East Lothian, Scotland. Covering approximately 40 acres at its peak, the Votadini tribe occupied it.
Who lived in Wales in the Iron Age? 

Mostly, it was the Celts who occupied Wales during the Iron Age. However, that happened gradually from about 1,000 to 600 BC as the Celts absorbed or reduced the existing Beaker population of Britain. By about 600 BC, Beaker culture had ended, and the new Celtic societies had taken over.    
Were the Celts from the Iron Age?

The Celts brought the Iron Age to Britain, so we strongly associate them with the Iron Age. So, yes, they are from the Iron Age in this sense. However, Celtic culture on the European continent actually began earlier than the Iron Age in Wales. They got their start as early as 1,400 BC in the Bronze Age. Archaeologists believe the inception of Celtic society was in the Danube area of Central Europe. So, the complete answer to the question is that, no, the Celts weren’t from the Iron Age. They came from the Late Bronze Age and lived through the Iron Age. 
Farming and Tools

As tribes gradually shifted from using bronze to iron for crafting tools, the Celts contributed a remarkable innovation in farming: the iron plow. Before the iron plow, the tool people used for tilling a field was basically a pointed stick that two harnessed animals pulled. The plow wasn’t very durable and only worked well in light, well-drained soils generally found in upland areas. The iron plow made it possible to cultivate the rich soils found in the lowlands. The only drawback to this valuable new invention was that it took a team of eight oxen to pull it. For that reason, the Celts made their fields long and narrow. This way, farmers could turn the team of animals as few times as possible. 
The Celts in Wales grew wheat as their primary and most important crop. They also grew oats and barley. Tribes also continued to hunt and gather. Depending on where they lived, they could forage for nettles, mushrooms, berries, nuts, and crab apples. They also kept bees for honey and mead making. (Fun fact: the Beaker folk were the first in Britain to make mead.) Welsh Celts raised pigs, cows, and sheep, and they hunted deer and boar. 
Housing and Settlements

Like the Beaker People, the Celts still lived in a type of roundhouse. Tribes constructed their roundhouses of different materials depending on what was available in the area. For example, they often used wicker for the walls, but in some areas, they used stone if there weren’t a lot of trees nearby. They made the roofs from thatch. People commonly made thatch from straw, but they could also make it from reeds or other plant material—again, like the walls, it depended on the region of Cymru and what grew nearby. 
The most significant change in housing and settlements was the construction of hill forts. A hill fort is generally a walled hut village or similarly well-fortified settlement on a hill or other advantageous land. The oldest hill fort in Wales that we know of is the one found in Dinorben. It dates back to about 1,000 BC. By about 700 BC,   Welsh tribes   were building hill forts as standard practice. The Celts often built hill forts on high ground, such as a hill, cliff, or promontory (high ground over water). 
Usually, people built a stone wall around the settlement. The wall may have had a wooden portion above the stone with a flat surface where guards, archers, etc., could walk and protect the village. Like the roundhouses, the construction of hill forts varied slightly by region. In southwest Wales, tribes often used a ditch and dyke structure to enclose the settlement by the sea on three sides. 
Weapons and War

The Celts loved fighting and engaging in warfare. While they were skilled warriors, their belligerent nature ultimately got the best of them, as the tribes never unified. They were too busy fighting one another! But I digress. 
In Iron Age Wales, the Celts made iron swords, spears, axes, and shields. The change from bronze to iron weapons meant better defense, as iron was slightly stronger. It also has the interesting property that the more times one repairs it, the stronger it gets. An unfortunate drawback is that iron tends to rust. However, iron was more widely available than bronze. Tribes could find it just about anywhere, giving them more independence with resources for weapons.
While the Celts didn’t invent the chariot, they did bring its use to Britain. (In case you were wondering, chariots were first known to be used in northern Syria by the Hurrians, the ancestors of modern Armenians, in 1,700 BC.) Evidence shows that by the late Iron Age, Celtic chariots were widely used in warfare. 
They also improved the saddle by giving it four pommels (the raised part like those on the front of Western saddles): two in front and two behind. The advantage of this was that it helped prevent a warrior from getting knocked off his horse so easily.
How the Celts Governed Their Tribes

Like the Beaker People who occupied the land before them, Celtic tribes in Wales were usually governed by a warrior king, chieftain, or sometimes a queen. However, each tribe had its own ways of structuring its leadership. At first, they elected their leaders. Rulers didn’t come to their status by birth as they did in later times in the Welsh kingdoms.
A village in Wales usually consisted of an extended family, like a clan. These clans were part of a larger tribe. Children were usually fostered out to other family members rather than being raised by their birth parents. The tribes traded goods with other tribes, as well as the peoples of Europe—after all, the Celtic tribes emigrated from the continent, so it makes sense that they retained valuable connections. 
Women in Celtic tribes were treated more equally to men than in many parts of the world at the time. They often participated in activities that, in other cultures, were restricted to men only. For example, the Romans gave accounts of Celtic women hunting, fighting alongside the men, advising in the running of the village (or, in some cases, being the one running it), owning property, and choosing their husbands. Research from burial sites has pointed to evidence that the early Celts may have traced their ancestry through the female line rather than the male. This practice changed at some point during the Iron Age to the patriarchal structure in later Welsh society. 
Religion and Burials

While we don’t know a great deal about the religion of the Bronze Age Beaker People, we know a bit more about the Celts’ religious beliefs. They were polytheists who believed in many gods and goddesses. The deities worshipped also varied by region and tribe. The Celts believed that spirits lived in everything—animals, plants, weapons, tools, everyday household items, and even stones, lakes, mountains, and streams. 
Celtic Head Hunters?

The Celts of Iron Age Wales greatly respected the human head as the seat of spirituality to the point that they would take enemies’ heads in battle and display them. In this way, perhaps they were taking some of the slain person’s power for themselves. Tribes or individuals also sacrificed to deities by leaving valuable items in that god or goddess’s domain, such as a lake or cave. Roman accounts also tell of human sacrifices to the gods. Human remains found in bogs back up this claim. 
Druids

Druids were not only the Celts’ priests but also healers (kind of like Iron Age doctors), teachers, advisors, and judges of sorts. They held very high authority, possibly higher than the king/chieftain. They also had their own schools where they passed down secret religious teachings and the oral traditions necessary to the lay people. 
Diverse Burial Styles

In Iron Age Wales, we see the round barrows of the Beakers transition to the diverse burial practices of the Celts. They made mounds covered with stones in some places. In Wales, this structure is called a “cairn.” They also performed cave burials, constructed burial chambers like people from the Neolithic period, or continued to use round barrows. Practices varied by region and tribe. For instance, some tribes cremated their dead before burial, and others did not. 
You can find a listing of 53 burial chambers from the Bronze and Iron Age in Wales at the   People’s Collection Wales . 
What is the oldest settlement in Wales? 

A Neolithic settlement in Llanfaethlu, a village in northwest Ynys Môn (Isle of Anglesey), is the oldest known in Wales. It dates back almost 6,000 years. Archeologists have found the remains of four Neolithic houses at this site. 
Even though the wild and painted Celts are no longer with us in body, their tenacity, strength, and love of their land endure in modern Cymru. The unofficial Welsh National Anthem, “ Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau” (Land of My Fathers ), indeed conjures the spirit of the   ancient Welsh people   who came before and forged such a proud nation.  ]]> Thu, 27 Mar 2025 20:38:53 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/gaabi/blog/5768/llafur-ni-reviving-black-oats-a-vital-lost-heritage-crop-in-wales http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/gaabi/blog/5768 Once common, black oats had become a difficult to find "lost crop" until Miles and Katie Hastings , regional coordinator for the Gaia Foundation’s UK Seed Sovereignty Programme, formed Llafur Ni, and recruited other farmers in Wales to work to bring them back.
'When Shiers first heard Miles was searching for black oats, he thought the description of the shiny grains sounded similar to a crop he had seen growing near his home in Machynlleth. The crop belonged to Evans, who Shiers knew through playing folk music. When Miles arrived in Machynlleth, for the first time in decades he saw black oats shining in the field. Hastings believes Evans was the very last farmer growing them. “We didn’t realise how rare we were,” says Evans.' Search for the holy grain: lost Welsh crops offer hope for future varieties
Welsh artist Miranda Whall visited Iwan Evans Coedfadre's farm to watch, and help, him and Owen Shiers thresh black oats, and you can hear an audio recording of that process. ]]> Tue, 25 Mar 2025 22:48:37 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/gaabi/blog/5767/from-the-bbc-who-exactly-gave-the-usa-ellis-island http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/gaabi/blog/5767

"The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island in New York harbour remain two of the world's iconic sites - and sights.
"Ellis Island gained its historic status as the first place millions of immigrants arriving in America would have set foot on US soil .
"And remarkably, two American men of Welsh origin with the same name can lay claim to being the founder of Ellis Island.
"But all these years on, the question remains: which Samuel Ellis was it?"
]]> Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:49:10 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5766/helen-love-john-mouse-collaboration-the-doors-to-the-double-diamond-club-are-open http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5766
The Double Diamond Club are officially open for business, releasing their self-titled debut single via Alcopop! Records back on New Years Day got 2025 off with a bang with the video previewing on Louder than War and receiving play on BBC Ulster and BBC Wales.
The original Double Diamond Club were a renowned vocal duo that dominated the South Wales club scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Hailed (or maybe that should be mythologised?) as the greatest club singing duo in Caerphilly and surrounding areas, they captivated audiences across the valleys and beyond, playing to sell-out crowds at working men’s and social clubs. Their unique blend of tight harmonies and high-energy performances made them household names in the local club circuit, earning them a loyal fanbase and a reputation for putting on electrifying shows.


After a decade of success and excess, the duo’s remarkable run came to a dramatic end. Personal and artistic differences led to their split, marking the close of a golden era in Welsh club entertainment. Thanks to an unlikely collaboration the legend of ‘the club’ has been revived by Welsh ‘Indie Pop royalty’,  Helen Love , and the unofficial ‘voice of the Rhondda Valleys,’  John MOuse . Although according to an anonymous insider their relationship is as rocky as the original duo’s!




Somehow, they have managed to produce a selection of recordings that pay homage and are testament to the remarkable talent that defined that golden era. Fittingly the Video features many great Welsh icons from the 80’s including ITV’s Arfon Haines Davies, the ‘godfathers of modern Welsh comedy’ Ryan Davies and Ronnie Williams, star of stage and screen Margaret Williams along with actress Myfanwy Talog, tenor Trebor Edwards and former Mrs Roger Moore and singer Dorothy Squires.


Double Diamond Club can be found on  X/Twitter  and  Instagram
]]> Sat, 18 Jan 2025 02:20:03 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5765/4-best-books-about-wales-for-all-night-reading http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5765 Each of the four best books about Wales listed below will give you a deeper look at this fascinating country and make you feel closer to it. Why is Wales so important? Cymru (Wales) is important for retaining its unique Welsh culture and traditions. Some customs are more modern, while others trace back to the Celts and even earlier to the Beaker folk (like cawl!). Wales also boasts breathtakingly beautiful castle ruins and wilderness. 
In addition to all of that, Welsh is the oldest language in the British Isles that has been spoken continuously since its inception. It’s a Celtic language that began as Insular Celtic, then became Brythonic, and eventually, with many changes, became Cymraeg (Welsh) as we know it today. Wales has also kept certain mystical elements from its folklore, some richly preserved in The Mabinogion. 
What is the most famous thing about Wales? Wales is famous for many things, but some of the most notable are its beautiful flag with the red dragon on a green field, having the most castles per square mile anywhere in the world, and the Welsh language, which is the oldest in the UK. You might be interested in learning that Cymraeg (Welsh) traces back to its Brythonic beginnings around 4,000 years ago. 
What Welsh town is famous for books?

Hay-on-Wye (known as Hay or “Y Gelli” in Welsh) is also called “Town of Books.” Located in Powys, which is situated in Mid Wales and borders England, it dates back to the Middle Ages.

Here are the four best books about Wales in no particular order. They are all completely different, and each is excellent for a unique reason.



Best Books About Wales: A History of Wales by John Davis

Undoubtedly, it is one of the best Welsh history books in existence. While it isn’t a concise history of Wales and is not for the casual reader, it’s well worth the time spent immersed in its pages for the author’s expert knowledge and detailed descriptions.  
A History of Wales   takes the reader on a colorful journey that begins in Wales’ distant past in the Ice Age. From there, Davis takes you forward from a time when woolly mammoths roamed the frozen plains through the Beaker culture to the days of the Celts and their hill forts. He explores the Roman Occupation, the Reformation, and the Industrial Revolution. You’ll learn how mining, with its hardships and toil, became a part of Welsh culture. The book shows how the Welsh people have been able to endure and keep their spirit no matter the changes that come their way.
Davis’ incredible book also explains how the English conquered and subjugated the Welsh in several stages after the Normans had already partially conquered Wales. The first occurred when Edward I defeated Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (“Llywelyn the Last”) in 1282. Two hundred and fifty years later, Henry VIII’s Act of Union incorporated Wales into England and made English its official language. The Glorious Revolution of 1688 saw the Catholic King James II overthrown and changed England from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. New commercial opportunities opened that would eventually lead to the Industrial Revolution. This more modern era brought good and bad changes for Wales, especially regarding mining. However, for a time, the country became a leading producer of coal, copper, slate, and iron.
What makes A History of Wales one of the best books about Wales? 

Davis isn’t overly sentimental but tells it like it is. Yet, he still succeeds in portraying the Cymry (Welsh people) as the proud, strong folks they are. He also goes into more recent politics, including Plaid Cymru, a nationalist party. One of their main goals is to make Wales an independent state within the European Union. In   A History of Wales , you’ll also find many little-known facts and a few interesting rumors. For example, America may have been discovered by a Welshman, Prince Madog, in the 15th century. 


Amazon US

Amazon UK









Novels About Wales: Pigeon by Alys Conran

Pigeon   is a heartbreaking and beautifully written story about hardship. While not a young adult novel due to some of the mature issues it deals with, it’s definitely a coming-of-age story. The story is set in a small Welsh town near Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. The main character, Pigeon (not a nickname but his real one), loves storytelling and words in general. The story centers around him and his best friend, Iola. They live in their own make-believe world to try to escape the realities of growing up in broken homes. Iola was raised by her older sister after her mother and grandmother died. Pigeon has it even worse. He’s been living in the garden shed ever since his abusive stepfather began making life at home unbearable. 
What makes Pigeon one of the best books about Wales? 

Although a fiction novel,   Pigeon   paints a picture of the challenging dynamic between the Welsh and the English. Despite Welsh being Pigeon’s first language, we learn how he sometimes has a complex relationship with his native tongue and his identity. The story also shows us some of the challenges in modern Wales.
Another aspect of the book that stands out to me is how it shows the power of our words and what they can do, both good and bad. Stories and imagination can heal and inspire; sometimes, our tales can have devastating consequences.  
This poignant novel won the Wales Book of the Year award in 2017 and has even been made into a play. Not many have heard of it outside of Wales, making it an underrated book—another gem waiting for you to read it and discover a brilliant author! The book is also   available in Welsh on Amazon UK .


Amazon US

Amazon UK

Welsh Edition





Books on Welsh Mythology




The Mabinogion (Oxford World’s Classics) Illustrated Edition by Sioned Davies

If you want to learn about Welsh mythology, reading   The Mabinogion   is the best way to start. If you’ve never heard of this and don’t know what the title means or what it is, I’ll explain. The book is a famous collection of eleven mythology stories from Wales’ past. Although compiled in the Middle Ages, the tales of gods, goddesses, and folklore pre-date Christianity. 
The book’s title is from the word “Mabinogi,” which comes from the word “mab.” In earlier days, it meant “youth” or “boyhood.” However, over time, it evolved to mean “tale of a hero’s boyhood” and eventually was shortened to simply “a tale.” Lady Charlotte Guest, the first to translate the tales into English in the mid-nineteenth century, incorrectly called the entire body of work “The Mabinogion,” thinking that “Mabinogion” was the plural of “Mabinogi.” 
We still don’t know who the original authors of   The Mabinogion   were. These anonymous writers gave us 11 tales comprising the book’s four branches. The four branches are Pwyll, Branwen, Manawydan, and Math. These are the names of the “main characters,” if you will, the people whose lives form the foundation of the world depicted within. You’ll learn of Gwydion, the shape-shifter who brings a maiden named Blodeuwedd to life from flowers; of dragons, witches, and giants; of Arthurian romance, kings and heroes, quests to the Otherworld and back again; stories of love, revenge, and royalty. Through these tales of Celtic mythology, we also see the Welsh people fighting to keep their independence as a nation.  
What makes The Mabinogion one of the best books about Wales?

Davies’ translation is lively and engaging, and she formatted the book in shorter paragraphs. She’s also included notes in the back that explain specific phrases and give the reader context. A lot has changed in the many centuries since the stories were first told by the ancient Welsh. Davies ensures that modern readers can understand and enjoy the tales just as they did.   The Mabinogion   also preserves the pagan mythology of ancient Wales. It’s raw, powerful, and connected to all of nature, giving us a glimpse of how the Celts viewed life. While it may not be precise to classify it among books about Wales’ history, it still shows us aspects of it. The stories let us travel back in time, giving us a connection to the past we can feel.


Amazon US

Amazon UK

The Mabinogion in Welsh











Owen – Book One of the Tudor Trilogy by Tony Riches

One last book in case you’re looking for a fiction novel with romance! Welsh servant Owen Tudor falls in love with the English queen in 1422. The stunning Catherine of Valois, the warrior king Henry V’s widow, is lonely, and her son Henry VI, the future king, exhibits symptoms of the family’s insanity. Owen has to decide if he’s willing to sacrifice everything to keep her safe as the nation teeters on the verge of civil war. In   Owen   by Tony Riches, we find out how the Tudors created a dynasty and altered British history.
Why is Owen one of the best books about Wales?

It’s a great way to learn about some of the true history of the   Tudor dynasty   through fiction. The story is told from Owen’s perspective. He’s fallen in status after losing his rights as a Welsh nobleman’s son. Owen develops a strong romantic attachment to the Queen despite having an affair with Juliette, the Queen’s maid. After the young Prince Henry departs the household to begin training for the throne, Catherine notices the loyal Owen and starts showing him affection. They have a covert wedding and settle in the sleepy village of Much Hadham (about forty miles north of London). While filled with turmoil and complicated matters of state, the book also shows the romance between the couple and Owen’s early life. Definitely worth a read!


Amazon US

Amazon UK













]]> Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:09:10 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5764/an-interview-with-dan-rhys-author-of-knight-in-the-scarlet-cloak http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5764
...







AmeriCymru:  Care to introduce your novel 'Knight in the Scarlet Cloak' for our readers?'
Dan:   Yes…set in late thirteenth-century Pembroke,  Knight in the Scarlet Cloak  takes an unusual approach for a Welsh novel by centering on an eighteen-year-old squire who is due to become a knight for the English crown. Young Robert, whose Anglo-Welsh family has benefitted from its position in the Welsh Marches, suddenly realizes the injustice of the local government when it expels the family of his close Welsh friend Iolo and his sister Angharad (whom Robert loves) from Pembroke for only a minor infraction. 
Infuriated by the event, Robert leaves Pembroke and his pending knighthood behind to start life anew in North Wales, but, through a bizarre sequence of events, ends up joining the biggest Welsh rebellion ever against England until he is eventually captured and brought to Hereford’s Pleshey Castle. From there, Robert must navigate his tricky new role as a highly valued prisoner, even winning the heart of the Lady of the Castle, before making his daring attempt to escape. 
The story is based heavily on real events and people, including my own ancestors, among whom is the actual Robert of Pembroke, born in 1275.  
AmeriCymru:  Care to tell us a little more about Madog ap Llewelyn who figured prominently in the novel'?
Dan:  Prince Madog was essentially the Welsh William Wallace, who rebelled against Edward Longshanks’ control of Wales just a couple of years before the Wallace rebellion in Scotland began. Branding himself ‘Prince of Wales,’ Madog united virtually all of Wales against England and was every bit as difficult for King Edward to handle as was Wallace, for Madog ravaged many English-controlled towns and disrupted English supplies before he was finally captured. Unlike Wallace, however, Madog lived out his days in captivity, never being executed. While Madog’s time in the novel itself is brief, the rebellion he started and which Robert joins sets Robert on a path that carries through the rest of the novel.
AmeriCymru:  Where can readers buy the book online?
Dan:  Currently,  Knight in the Scarlet Cloak  is available only on Amazon (in Kindle and paperback format), but I hope to make it available on other outlets soon.
AmeriCymru: You are a fluent Welsh speaker. How did you go about learning the language?
Dan:  I began by watching skits from the Big Welsh Challenge that were once available on the BBC Wales website. I was obsessive and watched the skits over and over, reading and translating every word of the Welsh subtitles until I could perfectly understand the skits without looking at the subtitles at all. I then went to the same website and listened to the Welsh radio soap opera,  Ysbyty Brynaber , which, to its credit, presented Welsh characters of various dialects and who spoke at native speed, forcing me to keep up and truly develop my Welsh. I went over the skits there as well until I understood every word. After spending over a year listening to the episodes, my Welsh was good enough to where I began to listen to shows on BBC Radio Cymru (which I still do today) and try my best to comprehend them, replaying segments that I don’t fully understand and looking up words that are unfamiliar to me. It has paid off tremendously. I now speak only Welsh to my six-year-old son Evan. 
AmeriCymru: Care to recommend any resources for other aspiring learners?
Dan:  I would gladly recommend the BBC Big Welsh Challenge resources, but they are no longer available. However, I also spent a little time listening to the free items on Say Something in Welsh (which has a website), but as I was financially very poor, I stopped after the free lessons. Nonetheless, I benefited greatly from the lessons that I was able to go through, impressing the people who run the site with how fast I learned them. Anyone who has a little money to buy the remaining lessons would, no doubt, benefit tremendously. If one’s Welsh has advanced enough, regularly listening to BBC Radio Cymru on its podcast, which allows one to pause and replay segments as often as needed, will keep one’s abilities nicely honed. 
AmeriCymru: Are there any Welsh authors and/or titles that you particularly admire and would like to recommend?
Dan:  I have gotten into reading the Della Arthur mysteries by the lovely and humorous Gwen Parrott, who takes it upon herself to write her own Welsh and English versions of each book, refusing to leave it up to a translator. Her devotion to producing Welsh-language literature is an inspiration. I am in the middle of reading  Cyw Melyn y Fall , a Welsh-edition book in Gwen’s Della Arthur series, and I highly recommend her more recent novel  Dead White . Reading a Welsh-language novel can be tedious for someone new to Welsh, but the immersion is very helpful for developing one’s grasp of the language.
AmeriCymru:  What's next for Dan Rhys? Any new projects in the pipeline? 
Dan:  In all honesty, it depends on how successful  Knight in the Scarlet Cloak  turns out to be over the next two years. If it is successful, I would like to do one or two more stories focusing on Robert. If not, I will either try a standalone novel with an entirely new character or continue on my Bob Kelton series, which focuses on a Welsh-American college professor who gets into very bizarre situations. My only published Kelton story reached the semifinals of the Chanticleer Book Review ‘Clue Awards’ in 2018. If I am successful, I do not plan to keep churning out novels. Instead, I would like to give back to the community that helped me and do all I can to bring attention and prosperity to Wales.
AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?
Dan:  While I applaud and celebrate all efforts to enjoy and preserve every element of Welsh culture, I think if one can learn the language and pass it down to someone, that is perhaps most important of all. A language truly is a window into a culture’s ‘soul’, as they say, and I certainly feel more a part of Welsh culture having learned the Welsh language and passed it down to my son. Welsh almost went out altogether forty years ago, and after all of the efforts by England to erase it and the Welsh to keep it alive, I believe it is our duty to build on the work done to preserve it. I am thankful that I am playing a part in its preservation, and I thank you for giving me this opportunity to talk about my novel to your audience. I hope it spurs its own movement towards a more self-governing Wales. 





Disclaimer - I would like to add, with regard to the cover of  Knight in the Scarlet Cloak , that the individual I hired to create the image chose to add the modern Flag of Wales to it in order to make clear the story’s association with Wales. Since some may find the modern flag asynchronously on medieval attire offensive, I want to clarify that it was an honest oversight by the illustrator and that the novel itself accurately describes the banner that would have been used to represent Wales in the thirteenth century. Diolch yn fawr!




]]> Wed, 08 Jan 2025 20:13:10 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5763/gruffudd-ap-llywelyn-last-of-the-ancient-kings-of-wales http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5763 The story of the ancient kings of Wales begins with the Roman departure from Britain in 383 AD. Celtic tribal chieftains, freed from the yoke of Roman rule, fought amongst themselves to keep or establish control over their lands and defend their territory from invaders. These territories eventually became kingdoms. 
The most important of these realms were Ceredigion (later known as Gwynedd), Seisyllwg (later Powys), Dyfed (later Deheubarth), and Morgannwg (formed of Glywysing and Gwent). Welsh kings and princes ruled their kingdoms until the Middle Ages when King Edward I of England overthrew Wales’ last ruler, Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, in 1282—over 200 years after Gruffudd ap Llewelyn’s death.
Known as “Llewelyn the Last,” like some other Welsh rulers, Llewelyn ap Gruffydd went by the title of “Prince” and not “King.” Why? The truth is that the Welsh used both titles at different times and for different reasons. One reason may have been to distinguish themselves from other independent rulers in Wales and set themselves apart from the English king. After Edward I conquered Llewelyn and gained control of the land, Edward gave his son the title “Prince of Wales.” Since then, the heir apparent to the English and British throne has always inherited the title. 
Another reason Welsh rulers often used the title of “Prince” instead of “King” was that the kingdoms weren’t united—there was no “King of the Britons.” A single ruler seldom led them, and when he did, it wasn’t for long. The last Welsh ruler to hold the title of King was Gruffudd ap Llewelyn in the 11th century. Today, we sometimes refer to him as “the first and last king of Wales.” Not only did he unify Wales, but he also conquered some of the border lands the English had previously controlled. When Gruffudd was killed in 1063, the remaining Welsh leaders called themselves princes again. 
While we hear more about   Llewelyn ap Gruffydd   in the 13th century, the last ruler of Wales before the English subdued it, Gruffudd ap Llewelyn (200 years earlier) was a key figure in history as the last of the ancient Welsh kings. By that, we should clarify that we’re referring to the title used more than how the rulers functioned. The princes in ancient Wales acted very much like kings in their capacities. They often ruled subkingdoms, smaller kingdoms within larger ones such as Gwynedd or Powys.
Gruffudd ruled as the King of Wales from 1055 – 1063. Something worth noting here is that Gruffudd’s given name also frequently appears with the spelling “Gruffydd.” In this article and throughout this website, we’re using “Gruffudd” as the spelling. Michael Davies and Sean Davies, the authors of the exceptional book   The Last King of Wales: Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, c. 1013-1063 , have listed the king’s name as above.
The Life of Gruffudd ap Llewelyn in the Ancient History of Wales

Historians believe Gruffudd was born a prince in 1010 or 1011 AD in Rhuddlan, in the Kingdom of Powys, North Wales. Although history hasn’t left us much about Gruffudd’s childhood, we know a bit from the stories of Walter Map, a writer and the courtier of King Henry II of England. Map said that Gruffudd was slow, downcast, and generally without direction in his youth. However, later in life, he became ambitious and took on responsibilities. It didn’t take long until his aspirations soared higher than anyone could have guessed!
In 1039, after Iago ab Idwal, the King of Gwynedd, was killed by his own men, Gruffudd took the lead and became king of both Powys and Gwynedd. He then took on the Saxons of Mercia, the neighboring kingdom to Welsh borders. He and his fighters achieved a victory in the battle of Rhyd-y-groes on the Severn River. As the Welsh kingdoms had been fighting the Saxons for hundreds of years, Gruffudd gained favor immediately among the   Welsh people . 
The Welsh Marches

Gruffudd’s victory over Mercia made the borderland between Wales and England known as the “Welsh Marches” safe for his people. Not only did this bring the Welsh more security, but it instantly boosted Gruffudd’s status and influence with his subjects. Quelling the Saxons gave him the support he needed to take the other Welsh kingdoms by force or bring them under his rule through diplomacy. By about 1055, Gruffudd ap Llewelyn had united all of Wales. 
Alliance with Mercia 

A critical reason that Gruffudd succeeded in solidifying his rule of the Welsh kingdoms was that he allied with Aelfgar, the Saxon King of Mercia. As Mercia was a neighboring English kingdom, this alliance only increased the security Gruffudd achieved with his victory over the Marches. How was this possible, especially since Wales and England had been enemies for centuries, and it was the Mercians who Gruffudd had defeated at Rhyd-y-groes? Aelfgar had his own enemies he needed help with—the Godwine family in Northumbria. 
When Aelfgar was exiled, he recruited an Irish mercenary fleet. Gruffudd also gathered a vast army, and together, he and Aelfgar attacked the Saxons and Normans under Earl Ralf. With Gruffudd and Aelfgar’s forces victorious, they set the town of Hereford afire. Aelfgar was later able to return to his own lands. Gruffudd then married Aelfgar’s daughter, Ealdgyth. The alliance of Gruffudd’s Wales and Aelfgar’s Mercia eventually culminated in a peace treaty with Edward the Confessor of Wessex in 1056. 
The Death of Gruffudd ap Llewelyn

Unfortunately, Aelfgar’s death late in 1062 gave discontent members of the Godwine family the opportunity they’d been looking for. Harold Godwinesson, the Earl of Wessex, attacked Gruffudd’s court without warning. He then turned some of Gruffudd’s own compatriots against him. Not all the princes and other lords of Wales agreed with Gruffudd’s rule, so Harold used these rivalries to his advantage. In 1063, Gruffudd ap Llewelyn, the last king of Wales, was slain by his own men. The traitors then sent the earl Gruffudd’s head.
Gruffudd’s death left England and Wales vulnerable to the Norman rule that soon followed. For a brief time, of all the ancient kings of Wales, he had brought his country together in a way like no one before him. Gruffudd may have given the people of his time more than any other leader had. He brought vision, identity, and alliance with Anglo-Saxon England. We’ll always remember Gruffud ap Llewelyn’s story among famous Welsh kings and as a founding father of Cymru.
Ancient Kings of Wales in Order

Here is an ancient kings of Wales timeline showing the leaders of the kingdoms in Cymru in the order they ruled. While we don’t know the exact dates for many of these kings and princes, we do have a good idea of their approximate times of leadership based on historical records. Larger kingdoms, like Gwynedd, often had a king with princes ruling over sub-kingdoms within it. This king of Wales list includes some rulers of petty kingdoms, cantrefs, and commotes (subdivisions of cantrefs).
Kingdom of Gwynedd



King of Gwynedd Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Cunedda Wledig ap Edern   370 Einion Yrth ap Cunedda Einion the Impetuous 410 Cadwallon Lawhir ap Einion Cadwallon Long Hand 440 Maelgwn Hir ap Cadwallon Maelgwn the Tall, Maelgwn Gwynedd died 547 Rhun Hir ap Maelgwn Rhun the Tall 500 Beli ap Rhun     Iago ap Beli   died approx. 616 Cadfan ap Iago   565 Cadwallon ap Cadfan   died 634 Cadafael ap Cynfeddw Cadfael the Battle-Shirker   Cadwaladr Fendigaid ap Cadwallon Cadwaladr the Blessed died 664 Idwal Iwrch ap Cadwaladr Idwal Roebuck 660 Rhodri Molwynog ap Idwal Rhodri the Bald and Gray died 754 Caradog ap Meirion   died 798, Prince of Rhos Cynan Dindaethwy ap Rhodri   died 816 Hywel ap Caradog     Merfyn Frych ap Gwriad   died 844

Kingdom of Dunoding (Sub-kingdom)

Princes of Dunoding     Title, Notes               Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Dunod ap Cunedda Wledig   400 Eifion ap Dunod ap Cunedda   430 Dingad ap Eifion   470 Meurig ap Dingad   500 Eifion ap Meurig   530 Issac ap Eifion ap Meurig   570 Pobien Hen ap Isaac   600 Pobddelw ap Pobien Hen   630 Eifion ap Pobddelw   670 Brochwel ap Eifion   700 Eigion ap Brochwel ab Eifion   730 Ieuanawl ab Eigion   770 Caradog ap Ieuanawl   800 Blieddud ap Caradog   830 Cuhelyn ap Bleiddud   870

Kingdom of Rhufoniog (Sub-kingdom)

Princes of Rhufoniog Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Rhufon ap Cunedda Wledig   400 Breichiol of Rhufoniog   830 Mor ap Breichiol   870 Aeddan ap Mor   900 Morudd ap Aeddan   930 Mor ap Morudd   970

Kingdom of Dogfeiling (Sub-kingdom)

Princes of Dogfeiling Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Dogfael ap Cunedda Wledig   410 Elno ap Dogfael   440 Glas ap Elno   470 Elgud ap Glas ap Elno   500 Elaeth ab Elgud   530 Meurig ap Elaeth   570

Kingdom of Rhos (Sub-kingdom)

Princes of Rhos Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Owain Ddantgwyn ap Einion Yrth   440 Cynlas Goch ab Owain Gwyn   470 St Einion (Llŷn) ap Owain   470 Maig ab Owain ap Cynlas   500 Cadal Crysban   560 Idgwyn ap Cadwal Crysbyn   590 Einion ab Idgwyn   620 Rhufon ap Einion ap Idgwyn   650 Hywel ap Rhufon   680 Meirion ap Hywel ap Rhufon   710 Hywel ap Caradog   825

Ancient Kings of Wales: Kingdom of Dyfed

Kings and Princes of Dyfed Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Triffyn Farfog   430 Aergol Lawhir   460 Vortiporius     Cloten ap Nowy ap Arthur Also called “Gwlyddein” 600 Maredudd ap Tewdwr   died 796 Rhain ap Maredudd   died 808 Owain ap Maredudd   died 811 Triffyn ap Rhain   died 814 Hyfaidd ap Bleddri   died 893 Llywarch ap Hyfaidd   died 904 Rhodri ap Hyfaidd   died 905

Kingdom of Morgannwg
Kingdom of Ewyas (Sub-kingdom)
The Kingdom of Ewyas (also spelled “Ewias”) was a regional kingdom existing in what is now Wales and Herefordshire, England.
Kings of Ewyas     Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Clydog ap Clydwyn Grandson of Brychan 400

Kingdom of Ergyng (Sub-kingdom)

Kings of Ergyng     Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Peibio Clafrog ap Erb   525 Cynfyn ap Peibio   550 Gwrfoddw     Gwrgan Fawr ap Cynfyn   650

Kingdom of Glywysing (Sub-kingdom)

Kings of Glywysing     Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Glywys ap Solor     430 Pawl Penychen     465 Mechwyn ruler of Gorfynydd, which was possibly a cantref of Glywysing   Ithel ap Morgan     ruled from 710–745 Hywel ap Rhys   died around the year 886 Gruffydd ab Owain King of Gower died in 934 or 935 Cadwgan ab Owain King of Margam died 949 Hywel ab Owain King of Glad Forgan – Glamorgan died 1043


Prince of Glywysing         Athrwys ap Meurig   620

Cantref of Gwynllŵg
Gwynllŵg was a cantref (a medieval land division similar to a county) in Glamorgan (Gwent).
Rulers of Gwynllŵg     Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Gwynllyw ap Glywys ruler of Gwynllwg, cantref of Glywysing 460 Saint Cadoc son of Gwynllyw, ruler of Gwynllwg 495

Kingdom of Gwent (Sub-kingdom)

Kings of Gwent     Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Ynyr Gwent     450 Caradoc ap Ynyr     480 Ffernfael ab Idwal     Ithel ap Hywel     Ffernafael ab Ithel ap Morgan   775 Meurig ap Hywel     Ffernfael ap Meurig     Brochwel ap Meurig   830 Arthfael ap Hywel   860 Ithel ab Athrwys ap Ffernfael   died 848 Arthfael ap Noe   930 Rhodri ab Elise     Gruffudd ap Elise     Edwyn ap Gwriad   1020

The Kingdom of Morgannwg (Sub-kingdom)
The Kingdom of Morgannwg was sometimes an independent kingdom, and at other times, it was formed from the two Kingdoms of Morgannwg and Gwent.
Kings of Morgannwg     Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD   Ithel ab Athrwys ab Meurig   650 Owain King of Morgannwg 930 Morgan Hen ab Owain   died 974 Owain ap Morgan Hen   974

The Kingdom of Ceredigion

Kings and Princes of Ceredigion     Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD   Ceredig ap Cunedda   possibly 410 Usai ap Ceredig       450 Serwyl ab Usai       490 Boddw ap Serwyl       530 Arthfoddw ap Boddw       570 Arthlwys ab Arthfoddw   610 Clydog ab Arthlwys     650 Seisyll ap Clydog,   King of Seisyllwg, Ceredigion, and Ystrad Tywi 690 Arthen ap Seisyll   died 807 Dyfnwallon ab Arthen   750 Meurig ap Dyfnwallon   780 Gwgon ap Meurig     died 872

Kingdom of Powys

Kings of Powys Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Vortigern High-King Gwrtheyrn. Ruled Buellt and Gwrtheyrnion 365 Cadeyern Fendigaid Also called Cateyrn ap Gwrtheyrn 400 Rhuddfedel Frych     Morgan ap Pasgen Also called Mawgan ap Pascen 430 Cadell Ddyrnllwg son of Cadeyern 430 Cyngen Glodrydd son of Cadell 460 Pasgen ap Cyngen     Brochwel Ysgithrog   490 Cynan Garwyn   520 Selyf ap Cynan Also called Selyf Sarffgadau 550 Manwgan ap Selyf Also called Mael Myngan ap Self Sarffgadau 580 Eiludd Powys     Beli ap Eiludd son of Manwgan/Myngan   Elisedd ap Gwylog   680 Brochfael ap Elisedd Also called Brochwel ap Elise 705 Cadell ap Brochfael Also called Cadell ap Brochwel ap Aeddan   Cyngen ap Cadell Also called Cyngen ap Cadell ap Brochwel died 855 Merfyn ap Rhodri Son of Rhodri the Great (Rhodri Mawr) died 904 Llywelyn ap Merfyn Grandson of Rhodri the Great 870

Kingdom of Pengwern (Petty Kingdom)
Pengwern was a petty kingdom located in what is now the Midlands. It was possibly near the Wrekin, a hill in Shropshire, England.
Kings of Pengwern     Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD   Cyndrwyn   535 Cynddylan ap Cyndrwyn   alive during 642

Kingdom of Brycheiniog

Kings of Brycheiniog Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD   Anlach mac Cormac     Brychan Brycheiniog ap Anlach   400 or 470 Tewdwr ap Rhain   700 Nowy   725 Gruffudd ap Nowy   750

Ancient Kings of Wales: Welsh Regional Kingdoms
All of Wales

Gruffudd ap Llywelyn Ruler of all of Wales by 1055 1039–1063

North Wales
Gwynedd and Powys

Kings and Princes of Gwynedd and Powys Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Iago ab Idwal   died 942 Bleddyn ap Cynfyn   died 1075 Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn   died 1070

South Wales

Cadell ap Rhodri   878–910

Cantref of Buellt and Commote of Gwrtheyrnion
Note: A “commote” is a territorial division under a cantref.
Kings and Princes of Buellt and Gwrtheyrnion Title, Notes   Approx. Year Began Rule, AD   Pasgen ap Gwrtheryn Also called Pascent. Son of Vortigern 400 Pawl ap Mepurit   510 Eldog ap Pawl   550 Eldad ab Eldog ap Paul   590 Morudd ab Eldad   630 Pasgen Buellt ap Gwyddaint   700 Tewdwr ap Pasgen   730 Gloud ap Pasgn Buellt   730 Ffernfael ap Tewdwr   760

Deheubarth and Gwynedd
Regions: West and Northwest of Wales.
Kings of Deheubarth, Gwynedd Title, Notes   Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Maredudd ab Owain Owain ap Hywel’s son died 999 Aeddan ap Blegywryd   died 1018 Llywelyn ap Seisyll   died 1023

Ceredigion, Meirionnydd, Gwynedd
Regions: Kingdom of Gwynedd when it encompassed a larger area, including Ceredigion (Deheubarth), Meirionnydd, and Dyffryn Clwyd, making the king’s realm Northwest and West Wales. He also ruled Rhos and Rhufoniog.
Gruffudd ap Cynan   King of Gwynedd 1081–1137  

Deheubarth, Gwynedd, Powys  
Regions: North and Mid to Southwest Wales.
Kings of   Dyfed, Brycheiniog   Title, Notes   Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Cathen ap Gwlyddein   625 Cadwgon ap Cathen   650 Rhain ap Cadwgan Also called Cadwgon. Also ruled Ystrad Tywi in Southwest Wales. 675


King of Deheubarth, Gwynedd, Powys                                 Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Rhodri Mawr   872–878


King of Dyfed, Gwynedd, Powys, Seisyllwg     Hywel Dda Hywel the Good. King of all of Wales, except for Gwent and Morgannwg in the south.   died 950

Ergyng, Gwent
Region: Southeast of Wales
King of Ergyng, Gwent Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Erb   500

Glywysing, Gwent
Region: Southeast of Wales
Kings of Glywysing, Gwent     Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Tewdrig Glywysing and Gwent 575 Meurig ap Tewdrig Glywysing and Gwent 590 Morgan ab Athrwys Glywysing and Gwent 650 Meurig ab Ithel   born approx.. 720, reign 745–775 Arthfael Hen ap Rhys Arthfael the Old 760 Owain ap Hywel   860 Caradog ap Gruffydd   died 1081 Iestyn ap Gwrgan Lord of Glamorgan. Also called Iestyn ap Gwrgant. 1081–1093

Gwent, Morgannwg
Regions: South and Southeast of Wales
Kings of Gwent, Morgannwg Title, Notes Approx. Year Began Rule, AD Meurig ap Hywel Gwent and Morgannwg   Cadwgan ap Meurig Gwent and Morgannwg  

Who Is the King of Wales Now?
No one has held the title “King of Wales” since Gruffudd ap Llewelyn. However, Charles III held the title “Prince of Wales” for 64 years. He acceded to the British throne on 8 September 2022, upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Since then, Charles III has been the king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The UK consists of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland (but not the Republic of Ireland). If you’d like to see an ancient kings of Wales map, this one on Britain Express shows the   major kingdoms of Cymru from 500 to 700 AD . ]]> Fri, 03 Jan 2025 22:10:10 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5762/the-fascinating-history-behind-3-popular-welsh-gifts http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5762 Three popular Welsh gifts given throughout the years in Wales are Welsh love spoons, Welsh slate gifts, and gifts featuring the Welsh Lady—a woman wearing the traditional Welsh costume of a woolen dress with an apron, neckerchief, stockings, red cloak, and tall black hat. Before the early 1800s, Wales didn’t have a national dress for women. We’ll explore its origin and the woman who popularized it. 
Did you know that love spoons aren’t unique to Wales? However, crafters of the love spoon in Cymru brought their own style, skillfulness, and attention to detail virtually unmatched anywhere else, truly bringing the Welshness factor into what we know as Welsh love spoons. 
The history of slate in Wales goes back over 1,800 years. People in North Wales began quarrying slate in Roman times. When the Industrial Revolution swung into high gear in Wales in the 1800s, the Welsh slate industry boomed. Slate in Wales is around 500 million years old and is the highest quality worldwide. A gift of slate from Cymru is a gift of the land itself. 
The Welsh Lady (Welsh National Costume) 


You may have seen small dolls in Wales dressed in a particular manner or an image of a woman wearing a tall, black hat painted on ornaments or other decorative items. This woman has become known as the “Welsh Lady.” She represents the Welsh National Dress, the traditional clothing women in rural parts of Cymru wore in the early 1800s. 
What does this traditional costume consist of, and why has it become a symbol of Welsh identity? The outfit is comprised of a loose-fitting dress (also called a “bedgown”) made of wool and worn over a corset. Underneath this, ladies wore an undergarment called a “petticoat,” which is a shorter skirt and was usually also made of wool. Women wore aprons over their bedgowns and also put on knitted stockings, a neckerchief, and a red cloak. They finished off the look with a tall black hat. The iconic black hat has become known as the “Welsh Hat.”
Before the 19th century, Wales did not have a specific cultural dress, although women who lived in remote parts of Cymru did wear wool dresses. Ladies drew inspiration for their gowns from 18th-century fashions, but beyond that, they didn’t have a national costume. 
How Did the “Welsh Lady” Identity Turn into Popular Welsh Dolls?

Augusta Hall (born Augusta Waddington [March 21, 1802 – January 17, 1896]) popularized the idea of a Welsh national costume. Also known as “Lady Llanover,” as her family was from Llanover, Monmouthshire, she was well educated and had traveled all over Britain and Europe. In 1823, Lady Llanover married Benjamin Hall, an MP (member of parliament) for 22 years. Among his other contributions, he’s remembered as the person in government who oversaw the construction of Big Ben in Westminster. Yes, if you were wondering if the clock is nicknamed after Benjamin Hall, indeed it is! Its official name is “Elizabeth Tower,” after the Queen. 
Lady Llanover was busy with her own worthy endeavors of promoting Welsh folk culture and the Welsh language. She was one of the leading proponents of the triple harp as Wales’ national instrument. She also ensured that Welsh was taught in two schools and assisted in starting a women’s Welsh language magazine called “Y Gymraes” (“The Welsh Woman”).
Lady Llanover was also responsible for forming the foundations of the Welsh national dress. At the Eisteddfod in Cardiff in 1834, she submitted an essay under her bardic name, “Gwenynen Gwent.” (A “bardic name” is a fictitious name used by artists and poets in Cornwall, Brittany, and Wales.) The essay was entitled “The Advantages Resulting from the Preservation of the Welsh Language and National Costumes of Wales.” It won Best Essay in the competition. Her dress ideas took hold, and women accepted them throughout the country. One might say that Lady Llanover was the original Welsh Lady! While the traditional costume is now only worn on St. David’s Day or by performers at eisteddfodau (festivals of music or poetry), the Welsh Lady is very much alive as a cultural symbol in art, gifts, and the cute dolls we see. 
Welsh Love Spoons 


People began giving Welsh love spoons as gifts in the 1600s. They were made either from scratch or from large wooden kitchen spoons and carved with symbols and shapes, especially on the handles. The spoons began as a token of affection that a young man would create and give to the woman he loved, hoping she would accept his offer of a relationship. While he might also give her sweets or flowers, a love spoon was a highly personalized gift and went beyond merely a beautifully crafted woodwork. For one thing, he chose what symbols to place on the spoon, conveying a message only for his beloved. Secondly, the many hours of work he put into perfecting each little detail in the gift showed his commitment to her. And finally, the craftsmanship itself showed his skill and good qualities as a potential husband. 
The Oldest Love Spoon in Wales

The custom of carving love spoons does not actually originate in Wales. They’ve been found all over Europe—especially in the Celtic areas. However, the Welsh people took this tradition and gave it their own style, creating some of the most intricate and unique love spoons in the world. The spoons carved in Cymru varied in every way, from size to the wood used to different degrees of intricacy. Each spoon was a unique creation with a separate and special meaning from every other spoon. Unfortunately, we don’t know who made the first love spoon in Wales. However, we do know of the oldest surviving love spoon from Cymru that a young suitor made in 1667. You can see it at   St. Fagan’s National Museum of History . 
Love and Marriage in Remote Parts of Wales

Another interesting aspect of the history of Welsh love spoons is that when people first began making them, couples in remote parts of Cymru rarely had a formal engagement or marriage ceremony. They merely started a relationship and later lived together as husband and wife. (This changed during the 1800s when the registry of marriages became mandatory in England and Wales.) The new wife would then proudly display her love spoon on the wall to symbolize the couple’s bond. Seen in this light, especially as many families were poor and couldn’t afford jewelry, the love spoon almost acts as a kind of wedding ring and token of their vows to one another. 
In this post about   Welsh Mother’s Day gifts , you can learn about some symbols on Welsh love spoons, their meanings, and the different types of wood used. 
Welsh Slate Gifts


What makes slate so valuable? For one thing, it can last a very long time. On a roof, it can last for over a hundred years. Of course, depending on what builders use it for, slate can last far longer than that. For example, the Bronze Age ring cairn, Bryn Cader Faner in North Wales, could be as much as 4,000 years old! Much of it remains, and you can still visit this haunting ring of stones today.
One reason slate lasts so long is its low water absorption. This quality makes it resistant to damage from frost and erosion. In addition to that, unlike some materials, slate’s color only improves with time. That means that its rich hue only deepens rather than fades. Slate is also a dense stone, which makes it withstand lots of weather without cracking easily.
Slate has always been a part of life in Wales. The ancient Welsh used it since antiquity for various purposes, including burial sites, tools, and shelter, to name a few. The more “recent” history of Welsh slate goes back over 1,800 years to when the Romans built their military forts in Britain. They constructed Segontium, a fort in Caernarfon, using slate from the quarries in North Wales. The slate was also used in building castles, such as Conwy Castle, which King Edward I built. However, it wasn’t until the advancements of the Industrial Revolution that Wales’ slate industry boomed. Wales soon became the leading slate producer in the world!
While the last slate mines closed in the 1960s, people still prize Welsh slate for its beauty, durability, and high quality. It’s used in everything from roofs to buildings to ornaments, cutting boards, and   keepsakes. As a gift, Welsh slate is a fun and unique way to connect with this intrinsic part of Wales’ past. 
More Ideas for Sharing a Love of Cymru

For other ideas for Welsh gifts, check out the following posts:


Welsh Gifts for Him:   9 Welsh Gifts for Him That Are Thoughtful and Fun
Welsh Terrier Gifts:   The Breed That Inspired the Cute Welsh Terrier Stuffed Animal
Books About Wales:   7 Great Welsh Gifts for the Bookworm in Your Life
Unusual Welsh Gifts:   5 Ways to Celebrate Memories and Connections With Unique Welsh Gifts
Welsh Food Gifts:   7 Exciting Ideas for Giving Welsh Food Gifts
Traditional Welsh Gifts:   7 Cute and Fun Ideas With Traditional Welsh Gifts
Welsh Gifts for Her:   11 Welsh Mother’s Day Gifts Filled With Love and Joy

]]> Fri, 27 Dec 2024 19:28:28 +0000 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5760/powerful-ancient-welsh-symbols-and-their-meanings http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5760 Where do ancient Welsh symbols originate? Why are some of the traditional Welsh symbols we see today relatively new in comparison? Ancient symbols of Cyrmu come from the Celts who lived in Britain during the Iron Age. By 600 BC, they had established quite a presence on the island. They were pagans who believed in many deities intimately connected with the natural world. The Celts were also animists, which means they thought spirits lived in everything, even inanimate objects like stones or swords. These spiritual beliefs gave us the ancient Welsh symbols and their meanings.
As to the answer to the second question, when Christianity swept through Britain and replaced the earlier Celtic beliefs, symbols people held sacred also changed. Some symbols remained. Others fell away from widespread use or changed meaning. And other symbols appeared closer to modern times, such as the daffodil. The flower is closely tied to St. David, who spread Christianity throughout the Welsh tribes.
How old does something have to be to be considered “ancient?” Generally speaking, something is ancient if it is roughly 2,000 years old. However, it also depends on the subject matter. For example, in   Wales, woodland   is considered ancient if it contains trees dating back to the 1600s. In this post, we’ll cover ancient Welsh symbols that stay as close to being at least 2,000 years old or more as possible. So, as another example, the red dragon as a symbol of Wales (or Celtic tribes) traces as far back as Roman times. While it may not hit the 2,000-year mark precisely, it goes so far back that it predates the Welsh language. 
Y Ddraig Goch: The Red Dragon

One of the most well-known ancient Welsh symbols is the red dragon or “y ddraig goch” in Welsh. We see it as the emblem on the Welsh flag, and people also refer to the flag itself as “Y Ddraig Goch.” This mythological beast as a symbol of Wales dates back to the 5th century. Legend has it that the red dragon defeated the white dragon in battle (the Welsh defeated the Saxons). This story comes to us from Arthurian legend. The terms “Red Dragon” and “White Dragon” also became metaphors for the Britons (who would later become the Welsh) and the Saxons (the English), mainly as conflict persisted. 
While there is no proof that King Arthur existed (at least, not in the legendary way he is portrayed), his father, Uther Pendragon, may have been the Welsh king who brought the dragon into use as an icon. The name “Pendragon” is a Brythonic name. Brythonic is the branch of Insular Celtic that eventually evolved into Welsh, Cornish, and Breton. Pendragon means “Dragon Head” or “Chief Dragon.” 
The legendary King Uther is said to have used the red dragon symbol not only on his banner but also on the ring he wore. During Uther and Arthur’s time, the red dragon came to stand for the Britons who fought the Anglo-Saxon invaders. The twist in the story is that Uther Pendragon may have originally got the dragon symbol from the Romans, whose standards bore the symbol. The theory is that after the Romans left Britain, some tribal chieftains may have adopted dragon symbols on their own banners, and this may be what inspired Uther to use the mythological beast as his own.
The Wild Boar in Ancient Welsh Culture

The ancient Celts revered the boar, and it became one of their sacred animals. Wild boars are known to be aggressive and downright vicious. They will defend themselves to the death, seemingly without fear. The Celtic   tribes of ancient Wales   admired these qualities. The boar represented characteristics such as strength, courage, danger, and fearlessness. Warriors often wore boar skin when going into battle. They also adorned their swords, helmets, and shields with images of boars. Additionally, statues of boars graced altars and burial chambers. They seem to urge the deceased into the Otherworld with strength and courage. 
The boar is one of many important ancient Welsh symbols because of its occurrence and depiction in the Mabinogion. These stories are the earliest compilation of eleven Welsh tales handed down orally for centuries. While they weren’t written down until the Middle Ages, the stories go much farther back, as the   beliefs and mythology   present in their content clearly predate Christianity.
Twrch Trwyth is a monster boar that appears in the Mabinogion. It was first mentioned in Historia Brittonum, a story about British history from the 9th century. “Twrch Trwyth” means “the Boar Trwyth” in Welsh. Trwyth was once a prince. He was cursed and turned into a monstrous boar with venomous bristles covering his body.   
Another reference to boar appears in the third branch of the Mabinogion. In the story of Pryderi and Manawydan, a shining white boar leads a hunting party into a trap in the Otherworld. 
The Oak Tree 

The oak was the most sacred tree to the Celts. They believed it was a gateway to the Otherworld and viewed it as a symbol of strength, endurance, and wisdom. The Druids, who were the Celts’ priests and scholars, paid particular reverence to the oak tree. While we don’t know the exact origins of the word “Druid,” it is believed to come from the old Irish-Gaelic word for oak tree, which was “doire” and meant “wisdom.” 
This noble tree appears in   the Mabinogion   in the Story of Math. When Lleu Llaw Gyffes is struck with a spear, he transforms into an eagle and perches on an oak tree until he is rescued and turns back into a human. 
The Celtic Tree of Life symbol shows an oak tree with its branches reaching towards the sky and a network of roots beneath the earth. An intricate weaving of Celtic knots often encircles the tree and connects the “above” to the “below.” While the precise meaning the Celts had for the Tree of Life is debatable, it may be showing the connection between the earth and the heavens. It also shows the repeating cycle of birth, life, and death. 
Although the Tree of Life was a powerful symbol to the Celts in Wales, it predates them, and many cultures used it. Its origins go back to ancient Mesopotamia. The oldest Celtic Tree of Life ever found dates back to the Bronze Age. As for where the Celts adopted the ancient symbol, they may have borrowed it from the Norse culture. 
Old Welsh Symbols

Other important Welsh symbols you may recognize are not necessarily ancient, but they have been with us for years and have become well-known emblems in Welsh culture.
The Leek

The leek became a symbol of Wales during the days of the Welsh kingdoms. There are several guesses as to why. According to one legend, King Cadwaladr of Gwynedd instructed his troops to wear leeks when engaging in combat with the Saxons. In another story, it was St. David who told the soldiers to put the plants in their helmets.
Another legend describes Edward the Black Prince’s victory over the French at the Battle of Crécy in 1346. In a field of leeks, the Welsh archers faced off against the French. As a reminder, the Welsh started wearing leeks in their caps on St. David’s Day every year.
The Daffodil

Compared to the leek, the daffodil is a newcomer on the scene. Wales had a surge in daffodil popularity during World War I thanks to the support of Welshman David Lloyd George. He was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the time. According to several media stories, he proposed that the daffodil be adopted as the Welsh national symbol. He also wore the flower to the Prince of Wales’ 1911 investiture (a formal ceremonial conferring a rank). The article “ Why is the daffodil a symbol of Wales? ” goes into detail about this bright yellow flower and how it was adopted as an emblem of Wales.
The Welsh Harp

Harps have been played in Wales as early as the 11th century. However, the national instrument, the triple harp (with three rows of strings instead of one), arrived in Cymru from Italy during the 1600s. A harp with this triple-string design became known as the “Welsh Harp.” Although other areas of Britain lost interest in the instrument by the 18th century, it thrived in Wales. The eisteddfodau (festivals) of music and poetry have been the perfect way for harpists to keep the love of the instrument alive.
Ancient Welsh symbols remind us of a powerful and unbreakable connection to the land and nature, and the resilient people descended from a turbulent yet vibrant past. The strength of the Celts lives on in the proud spirit and culture of the modern Welsh.  ]]> Fri, 09 Aug 2024 19:33:33 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5759/mwy-o-straeon-ffraeth-i-ddysgwyr-gan-sion-tomos-owen http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5759



Mae’r arlunydd, cyflwynydd, bardd ac awdur Siôn Tomos Owen yn cyhoeddi ail gyfrol o straeon am fyw yn y Rhondda’r wythnos hon. Mae  Y Fawr a’r Fach 2: Mwy o Straeon o’r Rhondda  yn rhan o’r gyfres Amdani, ac mae llyfr Siôn yn addas ar gyfer dysgwyr lefel Sylfaen.  
Mae Siôn yn wyneb cyfarwydd i wylwyr S4C, diolch i  Pobol y Rhondda , cyfres oedd yn mynd ar daith trwy Gwm Rhondda, ac roedd ei gyfrol gyntaf o straeon ffraeth am ei blentyndod a’i arddegau yn boblogaidd iawn.  
Meddai Siôn Tomos Owen:
“Pan sgwennes i’r gyfrol gyntaf nôl yn 2018 ges i lawer o hwyl ond ges i drafferth yn dewis pa storïau i’w cynnwys, ac o’n i’n gwybod byse rhaid i mi sgwennu ail lyfr rhywbryd! Ac ar ôl magu fy mhlant yn y cwm hefyd, mae gen i hyd yn oed mwy o straeon doniol i’w rhannu.  
“Mae’r ymateb i’r gyfrol gyntaf wedi bod yn wych a dwi wedi siarad a gwneud ffrindiau gyda chymaint o ddysgwyr Cymraeg sydd wedi darllen fy llyfr – pobl o Brighton i Lithuania, Gwlad Pwyl a hyd yn oed Santa Barbara yng Nghaliffornia! Ac mae pawb yn dweud eu bod nhw’n mwynhau’r ffaith bod yna gartwnau yn cyd-fynd gyda’r straeon hefyd, sy’n gwneud i fi wenu.”  
Cafodd Siôn Tomos Owen ei eni a’i fagu yn y Rhondda, ac mae e’n byw yno o hyd. Mae’r ail gyfrol yma yn dweud ei hanes yn tyfu’n ddyn a dod yn dad, ac am y lle mae’n ei garu – y Rhondda.  
Mae lluniau du a gwyn Siôn yn cyd-fynd â phob un o’r 18 stori fer. Mae geirfa ar bob tudalen a rhestr eirfa yng nghefn y llyfr.  
Meddai Siôn Tomos Owen:
“Un o fy hoff bethau am deithio yw cwrdd â phobl newydd ac mae’r niferoedd dwi wedi cwrdd â nhw yn ddiweddar sy’n dysgu Cymraeg mor galonogol. Yn ddiweddar, mae teulu ffrind fy merch wedi newid iaith y tŷ i’r Gymraeg ar ôl dysgu’r iaith – rwy’n sgwrsio gyda’r fam ar y ffordd wrth fynd â fy merch i’r ysgol bob dydd. Mae’r profiad yn gwneud i mi eisiau ysgrifennu mwy o lyfrau i ddysgwyr oherwydd y cynnydd yn y nifer o bobl sy’n dysgu ac mae brwdfrydedd dysgwyr i siarad Cymraeg yn anhygoel!”  
Lansiwyd cyfres Amdani yn 2018, prosiect a welodd gweisg Cymru yn cydweithio gyda’r Ganolfan Dysgu Cymraeg Genedlaethol a Chyngor Llyfrau Cymru i ddatblygu a chyhoeddi llyfrau darllen cyffrous yn arbennig at gyfer oedolion sy’n dysgu Cymraeg. Erbyn heddiw mae yna dros 40 o gyfrolau i gyd.  
Mae cyfres Amdani eisoes yn boblogaidd ac wedi meithrin darllenwyr brwd. Y gobaith yw y bydd llyfrau fel straeon Siôn Tomos Owen yn annog darllenwyr hen a newydd i ddatblygu eu Cymraeg.
 
Bydd straeon  Y Fawr a’r Fach 2  yn cael eu darllen bob diwrnod ar Faes D yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol am 2 o’r gloch.
Mae  Y Fawr a’r Fach 2: Mwy o Straeon o’r Rhondda  gan Siôn Tomos Owen ar gael nawr (£6.99, Y Lolfa).





]]> Thu, 01 Aug 2024 20:31:39 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5758/welsh-born-experimental-drone-folk-duo-peiriant-new-can-idris-single-out-friday http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5758

BIOGRAPHY

 

Peiriant are a duo of violin and electric guitar, who play with melody and tonality to create atmosphere and soundscape. Electronic equipment, samples and found objects also add to their semi-improvised pieces, which are spun from grounded ideas.

 

Rose and Dan Linn-Pearl draw from their foundation in folk and classical in addition to post-rock, minimalism and sound art to weave experimental music that is anchored in the Welsh landscape. They play with layers of drone and dissonance, contrasting with songs and pure tones to give a rich and sonorous auditory experience. 

 

‘Welsh-born duo Peiriant’s self-titled LP sculpts startling instrumentals from the bones of folk music, guitar delays and deep drones.’

- Jude Rogers (The Guardian)  

 

Live performances have included BBC Radio 3: Late Junction at Chapter arts centre, Cardiff 2017, NAWR concert series (Swansea & Hay on Wye 2018 to present). They are regular performers at Nozstock festival & How The Light Gets In. In 2021 they released River Songs E.P : A collection of four pieces inspired by the River Wye.

 

 

ABOUT

 

Rose Linn-Pearl balances playing the violin with work as a veterinary ophthalmologist.

 

Early classical training and folk complemented a lifelong interest in improvisation and experimental music. Her interest now lies predominantly in tonal shifts and playing with discord and pattern.

 

Dan Linn-Pearl is a composer, songwriter and sound artist. His work includes alternative rock and electronic music, sound installation, experimental film and moving image under Deaf Pictures. He is a founding member of sound art collective Gwaith Sŵn who produce a monthly thematic show for award-winning arts station Resonance 104.4FM.

 

Both Rose and Dan are members of experimental concert series NAWR whow curate shows featuring established and up-and-coming artists. These take place in Swansea, Aberystwyth and Hay on Wye.

 

 

'Peiriant' Online


https://peiriant.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/peiriantband/



https://x.com/peiriantband?lang=en-GB



https://www.facebook.com/peiriant/




]]> Thu, 01 Aug 2024 02:28:36 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5757/the-boy-from-the-coach-by-jas-rees-a-review http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5757
The Boy From The Coach is a delight to read. If you have ever wondered how life is lived in the innumerable small pubs and Inns which dot the Welsh countryside this book is for you. The author,, J.A.S. ( Tony) Rees, was a frequent visitor to the pub in the late 40's and 50's when he stayed during the school summer holidays. The pub was owned and run by a relative of his mother, May Morgan, who greeted him every summer, "with a Craven A cigarette lodged at the center of her mouth" .

The book provides an insight into many of the colorful aspects of rural village life in Wales at the time. The pub's plumbing arrangements are described in the following terms:-

"At the roadside, set against the wall of the Coach and with open access from the road was the 'Gents': a corrugated iron 'privacy' wall was all that sheltered participants from inquisitive eyes and from the weather (there was no roof)."

The village of Llangynidr stands at the confluence of the River Usk and the Afon Crawnon (see map below) . In a later chapter we learn that after heavy rainfall the water would be inundated with brown mud which contained many treats for the fish who would gather there:-

"The locals also took advantage of the opportunity presented. Fishing the Usk proper was only allowed by permit and fee paid, but not so for the Crawnon. So, with thanks for rain and flood, locals...., would crowd the lowest point on the Crawnon, just inches from the Usk , and fish, and fish, for hours. There was jovial local rivalry, and some comments about tangled lines not meant for youthful ears. In all it was a kind of rebellion against the control of fishing waters by the bailiff and the wealthy."

Although short this book offers an invaluable insight into the lighter side of Welsh village life in the post war period. The author's son, Matthew G Rees is a brilliant short story writer ( see linked interviews and reviews below ) and it is evident from the quality of the writing that literary talent runs in the family.

We unreservedly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the area or Welsh rural life in general.



Matthew G. Rees on AmeriCymru


The Coach & Horses, Llangynidr ]]> Sun, 28 Jul 2024 02:37:37 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5756/skal-release-their-raucous-debut-single-all-of-the-people-on-friday-the-30th-of-august-on-snowdonia-records http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5756






Skäl release their raucous debut single 'All of The People' on Friday the 30th of August on Snowdonia Records. 

‘All Of The People’  is an urgent, infectious and exciting debut track from  Skäl , that bursts out of the speakers on a wave of tremulous guitar hooks, grooving bass lines and quickfire drums, while Ev Kirwan's vocals hook you in with a swaggering confidence as the song spirals into a frenetic guitar anthem and a rollicking crescendo with fantastic carousel of guitar solos. It reminds one of the resplendent early sound of  The Stone Roses,  they call it a   "cross between  The Verve  and  The Replacements ".  It's a frenetic union of anthemic melodies, floor filling grooves and uproarious rock, with an all for one attitude of all the best fledgling gangs possess. Engineered, produced and mixed by Jono Tringham,  was recorded at Allo Sounds in Studio Widnes.

Skäl are an alternative five piece rock band from Winsford in Cheshire and a brand new signing to Snowdonia Records, the North Wales based record label that's home to  Holy Coves,   Sister Envy, Box of Trash, Subterrania . They are made up of Ev Kirwan on vocals, Jack Enty on guitar, Darcy Smith on guitar and backing vocals, Adam Latham on bass and Tom Giltrow on drums and backing vocals. 

They cite bands like  Smashing Pumpkins,  The Verve, The Las, The Replacements, Pixies, Echo and the Bunnymen, Wunderhorse, High Vis  and  The Real People  as an influences yet they are filtered through young magpie eyes of emerging musicians from their hometown of Winsford, with a knack for melodic shots of rock songs, with a burning ambition to be heard by as many people as possible. With a string of releases and shows in the works their unmissable debut single  'All Of The People'  is a statement of intent. 


Ev Kirwan - Vocals

Jack Enty - Guitar 

Darcy Smith - Guitar / Backing Vox 

Adam Latham - Bass 

Tom Giltrow - Drums / Backing Vox  



























 





















]]> Sat, 27 Jul 2024 03:09:28 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5755/the-true-fighting-spirit-of-the-ordovices-tribe http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5755 The Iron Age for Wales spans from 800 BC to 48 AD. During this time, Celtic tribal societies occupied the island of Britain. No king or chieftain ever organized the tribes under a single ruler. Additionally, they didn’t always get along or work well together—facts that didn’t improve matters when Roman troops first stepped foot on British soil in 43 AD.  
To understand the Ordovices and what life was like at the time, we need to take a step back and look at how different things were in the British Isles when the Romans invaded. The Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Brittany, and Wales as we know them today didn’t exist. If you asked a tribesman if he spoke Welsh, he wouldn’t have known what you meant. Members of the Ordovices tribe spoke Brythonic, a branch of the Insular Celtic language. It would one day give us Cymraeg, but not for another 500 years. 
England, on the southeast side of the island, didn’t exist yet, either. The Anglo-Saxon tribes didn’t establish dominance over the land that became England until the 5th and 6th centuries after the Romans left. In fact, England wouldn’t officially become a kingdom until 927 AD. In other words, to conquer Britain, the Romans had to fight their way through screaming, ax-wielding Celts from one end of the island to the other. It wasn’t easy. The Ordovices were one of the tribes who made sure of that.
What is the Meaning of “Ordovices?”

The word “Ordovices” was the Latin name for the Celtic tribe. While we can be sure the Celts didn’t refer to themselves in Latin, various ideas exist about their real name and what it meant. 
The Celtic word “ordo” shares a relationship with the word for “hammer” in modern Welsh, which is “gordd.” “Ordo-wik” in Celtic could mean “hammer fighters” as a tribal name (the literal translation is “hammer fight”).
There is also another meaning of “ordo,” which is a variation of the Common Celtic word “ard,” which means “high.” The Welsh word “gwych” comes from Brythonic and means “brave” or “energetic.” The words together could have formed a Brythonic name, “Ordogwych.” Its meaning could have been “brave highlanders” since the Ordovices lived in the mountains in North Wales. It’s hard to be sure since there were likely different dialects of Brythonic, just as there are different dialects of modern Welsh today.
Another idea comes from the name given to a small village in North Wales: “Dinorag.” The Welsh historian Sir John Edward Lloyd suggested that the proper name of the Ordovices has been retained as the word part “-orwig” or “-orweg” in the name of the hillfort Dinas Dinorwig for which the village is named. It means “Fort of the Ordovices.”
How Do You Pronounce “Ordovices?”

For the Ordovices pronunciation, in English, you say the word “Ordovices” like this: “OR-doe-visses,” with the stress on the first syllable. 
The Ordovices Tribe: Life in Ancient Celtic Britain

The Ordovices lived in and around heavily defended hillforts. Hillforts were well-fortified settlements built on top of hills or other advantageous positions—often on hills or promontories, but not always. They enclosed the hillforts by a high wall. This wall was often stone on the bottom half, wooden on the top, and wide enough for a man to walk on. In addition to needing good visibility, guards needed to be able to move to and fro while keeping watch. While many Iron Age Celts, like the Ordovices tribe, built hillforts, peoples in the earlier Bronze Age sometimes created them as well. We also see hillfort ruins from the Middle Ages.
Within these well-guarded settlements, people lived inside stone or wooden roundhouses with straw or reed-thatched roofs, depending on the environment. They sealed the walls of their homes with waddle and daub, a mixture of mud and sticks. The tribal chieftain and his family lived in the largest house or building within the hillfort. Some tribe members also lived outside the hillfort near their fields or with their herds of animals. However, they were still relatively close by and could seek shelter within the gate if trouble arose.   The Forts of Celtic Britain by Angus Konstam   goes into Celtic settlements in detail.
The Celts were highly skilled metalworkers, and having iron meant better tools and weapons. Strong tools made farming more manageable, and iron weapons meant better defense. In Iron Age villages, it was common for people to work as carpenters, potters, and metalworkers. There was often a large building inside a hillfort (a “factory” of sorts) with one or more forges where craftspeople smelted iron and other metals to make necessary items.  
The Ordovices and the Romans

Of the Celtic tribes that the Roman Empire had to deal with, the Ordovices put up the biggest fight besides the Silures. When Rome invaded, the Ordovices fought back with everything they had. They refused to submit tamely to Roman rule. When Caratacus (Caradog) came to their aid and led the fight, this Celtic tribe only became more unruly. 
Caratacus was a chieftain who had come from the Catuvellauni tribe in what is now Herefordshire, north of the River Thames. He and his warriors had been fighting against Rome for many years. However, after defeat, he was exiled from his lands and went to help the Ordovices and the Silures. Unfortunately, after eight years of fighting the Romans, they defeated him in 50 AD. Although he escaped death that day, Queen Cartimandua betrayed him and gave his whereabouts to the Romans. 
Governor Publius Ostorius Scapula captured Caratacus and sent him to Rome. He was allowed an audience with Emperor Claudius. The great tribal chieftain told the emperor that it was only right that he should fight for his people and lands. He stated his case, not begging, pleading, or bowing, even though he knew Scapula would likely execute him. The emperor was so impressed that he let Caratacus go. The warrior king was now exiled from Britain but was allowed to live out the rest of his life in Rome. 
The Fight Continues

Not about to give up, the Ordovices continued fighting and resisting the Romans for a remarkable twenty-eight years. In 77 AD, just before the Roman Governor Agricola came to power, the Ordovices won a great victory. They nearly wiped out an entire Roman cavalry regiment stationed in their territory. 
Agricola regarded this as a blatant act of war. In 78 AD, he assembled a force of veterans and additional troops and marched into the Ordovices’ land in North Wales. With Agricola’s more organized soldiers and warfare methods, he and his men nearly wiped out the entire tribe. The battle may have occurred at or near Dinas Dinorag, the location of the Ordovices hillfort. 
Following this, Agricola and his troops are said to have gone to Ynys Môn (Isle of Anglesey). One tactic Agricola may have employed is taking Batavian soldiers as his auxiliary troops. These Germanic people who used to live in what is now the Netherlands had particular seafaring skills. They were accustomed to swimming alongside their horses in their armor. It is said that Agricola and his soldiers then invaded Ynys Môn and destroyed the Druid stronghold there.
Where Did the Ordovices Come From?

The Ordovices tribe’s history traces back to European Celts, who migrated to Britain from the continent as early as 1,000 BC and ended their migration as late as 100 BC. By the time the Roman Empire sent troops to the island, the Ordovices had well established themselves in North Wales. 
What Celtic Tribes Were in Wales?

The Ordovices, Silures, Deceangli, Gangani, and Demetae were the five   ancient Celtic tribes   living in Cymru during the Iron Age. The Deceangli tribe is believed to be an offshoot of the Gangani tribe. The Deceangli and Gangani share a connection to the Irish Concani, a seafaring tribe that traveled to Wales by boat.
The Demetae tribe was peaceable and didn’t resist Roman rule like the Ordovices. They were given citizenship status and absorbed into Rome’s administration.
Ordovices Tribes Facts at a Glance

The Ordovices were a Celtic tribe who lived in ancient North Wales and parts of western England. Their lands were bordered by the Silures to the north and the Deceangli to the south. 
How long did the Ordovices fight the Romans? They fought the might of Rome for approximately 30 years, from 48 to 78 AD. (Rome invaded Britain in 43 AD but didn’t reach Wales until 48 AD.) One of the main ways they could hold out so long was through guerrilla warfare.
After Agricola defeated the Ordovices once and for all, he incorporated the tribe into the Roman province of Brittania Major. Their lands became a tribal administrative district. 
Some Celtic tribes, like the Dematae, were more peaceful and didn’t want to go toe to toe in battle with the highly organized Romans. The Orodovices, however, were one of the warlike tribes of Wales. They shared this with the Silures, the Gangani, and the Deceangli.  
It took the Ordovices until the 3rd century AD to recover their numbers after their defeat at Dinas Dinorag by Agricola, if, in fact, that location is where the final battle occurred. 
Cymru will never forget these brave Celts who had true fighting spirit.  ]]> Sun, 21 Jul 2024 22:00:50 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5754/round-barrows-bronze-age-wales-treasures-of-the-beaker-people http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5754
Round barrows, Bronze Age burial sites called “cairns” in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, are ancient graves their creators covered with a mound of earth. There are two types of barrows: long and round.
Why are round barrows, Bronze Age burial mounds, often referred to as “cairns” in Scotland, Ireland, and Wales—and is there any difference? The terms “barrow” and “cairn” are sometimes used interchangeably, but they can have different meanings. A barrow is a burial mound from ancient times. The word “barrow” comes from the Old English word “beorg.” Beorg originates from Germanic and is related to the German word “berg,” meaning “hill” or “mountain.
A “cairn” is a mound of stones used to cover a grave, as a landmark, or as a memorial. The word “cairn” comes from Scottish Gaelic “carn,” which means “pile of stones.” The Welsh word for this is also “carn.” Often, cairns were placed over burial mounds, but not always. They were sometimes made symbolically. Cairns were often used to cover burials where the soil was rocky, or digging a deep grave, such as in mountainous regions, would have been difficult or impossible.
The etymology of the words “barrow” and “cairn” is one of the reasons ancient burial mounds in England are referred to as “barrows.” In the Celtic countries like Cymru (Wales), which this article will focus on, gravesites covered with stones are called “cairns.” The word “cairn” can refer to the grave, the pile of stones, or both. However, there are still barrows in Wales (the same or similar constructions you’d find in England), so we’ll use both terms as appropriate. 
Wales’ Round Barrows: Meaning and Design

What is a round barrow? A round barrow is a hill-shaped burial mound. In Wales, the Beaker Folk of the Bronze Age used this method to bury their dead. However, round barrows were built from the late Neolithic to the beginning of the Iron Age, with the majority dating to the Bronze Age. You can also find tens of thousands of round barrows in Western Europe, the Americas, and elsewhere. 
Besides being called “cairns,” burial sites in Wales can be called by other terms depending on the structure of the grave. For instance, a “cromlech” is a megalithic tomb built of several large upright stones supporting a large, flatter capstone. After being built, the structure was then covered over with earth. Sometimes, the builders also covered the earth with a cairn. So, there’s also an example of how words like “cairn,” “barrow,” and “grave” could get used interchangeably. 
Prehistoric peoples constructed two types of barrows: long barrows and round barrows. Long barrows are elongated grave mounds. They were usually built of only earth or a combination of earth with wood or stone. Neolithic people of the earliest agricultural communities built these types of barrow from about 3,800 – 3,500 BC. Some long barrows are chambered, while others are not. Round barrows are spherical and were built in the Bronze Age from about 2,000 – 1,500 BC. The Cwm Bwch Barrows in Powys, South Wales, are an example of this type. We’ll focus on round barrows: Bronze Age Wales’ windows into this intriguing historical time.  
Round Barrows Bronze Age Facts

Ancient societies built round barrows to bury their dead. These barrows appear throughout Western Europe, the British Isles, and other parts of the world, such as the Americas.
Burial practices changed during the transition from the Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age. While in the Stone Age, people built long chambered tombs (long barrows), in the Bronze Age, they abandoned this funeral style and buried their dead in round barrows.
You may also see a round barrow referred to as a “tumulus (plural “tumuli),” as they were called on early maps. The word tumulus is from Middle English, which comes from Latin and means a human-created mound or small hill. It especially refers to an ancient grave. 
Round barrow tombs are divided into five shapes: bell, saucer, pond, bowl, and disc.
Who Built the Round Barrows in Wales?

The Beaker People (also “Beaker Folk” or the “Beakers”) were the builders of the round barrows dotting the landscape of the British Isles. These ancient tribal people are so named because of the bell-shaped pottery they made. They buried their dead along with their beakers (the pottery) in the round barrows and similar structures. 
Sometimes, the Beaker Folk buried one individual alone in the grave, probably a tribal chieftain or other significant person. At other times, they buried many people together. Excavations across the British Isles show that no specific burial practice remained constant—it varied by region and tribe. 
Older Than Stonehenge

Long barrows, and some round barrows as well, actually predate Stonehenge, the ironic prehistoric structure on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England. Builders constructed the massive stone circle in several stages spanning 1,500 years from the Neolithic Period into the early Bronze Age. Stonehenge’s builders obtained its bluestones (spotted dolerite) from quarries in the Preseli Mountains in Southwest Wales. Many other stones used in the megalith’s construction were also obtained from Wales.
Where Can I Find Round Barrows in Wales?

Here are some sites of round barrows tombs from Bronze Age Wales you might like to visit:










Beacon Hill Round Barrows in Beguildy (Bugeildy), Powys, South Wales. This site contains four barrows in total, dating to the Bronze Age between 2,300 and 800 BC. 



You can visit the Cwm Bwch Barrows, also in Powys. Two round barrows are situated on a high point of land overlooking the Radnor Forest. A third barrow, Cwm Bwch III, is a separate barrow on the western side of the valley (Cwm Bwch) that has a fence passing through it.



A famous burial mound is Bryn yr Ellyllon, near Flintshire, in North Wales. The name translates as “The Hill of the Goblins.” Now that you know that, who could blame you for wanting to visit? The site was a literal treasure trove that produced the famous solid-gold artifact, the Mold Gold Cape, and many others. Among the finds were stone tools, pottery fragments, and vessels filled with crematory remains. The round barrow dates back nearly four thousand years to 1,900 – 1,600 BC.



There are also many cairns in the upland areas surrounding the Cynon Valley. To the north of Hirwaun, you’ll find several on Mynydd Y Glog. Many of these round barrows overlaid with cairns were believed to be built on the hills because of their prominent positions overlooking the valley.



You can find a round barrow at the summit of Picws Du in the Black Mountain Range (also called the Western Beacons). It’s one of many you’ll find in Brecon Beacons National Park (Bannau Brycheiniog).

Featured Books


Cromlechs and Cairns in Northern Wales by Michael Senior

A cromlech is a megalithic tomb in Wales. It’s constructed of several standing stones placed vertically and one large, flat capstone placed on top. This structure was then covered with earth, often leaving an opening to serve as a door. Some cromlechs, like Bryn Cader Faner, have a narrow passage made of stone leading to the inner chamber.
From the blurb:
Following the pattern of his previous books about northern Wales’ prehistoric artefacts, the standing stones and the hillforts, Michael Senior now deals in a similar way with the earliest of them all—the burial chambers and cairn burials—by setting them in their universal contexts, then tracing the origin of the forms, as well as dealing with the examples of them here in detail.











The Beaker Folk (Ancient Peoples & Places) by Richard J. Harrison—Copper Age Archaeology in Western Europe

The Beaker Folk is a very detailed account of the people and their way of life. While it may not be for everyone (not for the casual reader, for instance), ancient history enthusiasts will find themselves in their element between these pages. You can also read about the Beaker People in the post   Ancient Welsh People . 


Neolithic and Bronze Age Funerary and Ritual Practices in Wales, 3600-1200 BC by Geneviève Tellier

What the book is about: 
Neolithic and Bronze Age Funerary and Ritual Practices in Wales  describes how Neolithic burial grounds were studied and how funerary practices changed with the construction of round barrows, Bronze Age Wales’ preferred method of interment. The Prehistoric Society has also provided a comprehensive review of the book  here . 
This book gathers, for the first time, all the burial and funeral practices in Wales from the middle of the Neolithic Age until the point that the Middle Bronze Age ended (3600-1200 BC) into one complete volume. It is the first to offer a modern summary of monument forms and burial practices in Neolithic and Bronze Age Wales. The book provides a thorough overview of all human bone deposits (both cremation and burial) from this period. It includes the analysis of over 250 human bone deposits, with new insights and interpretations. The book also discusses current debates on the changing nature and importance of burial rites in later prehistory.
The Beaker Folk of the Bronze Age may be gone, but they left us an incredible wealth of information about their way of life. For more information on notable sites from this period, visit   Cadw , Wales’ historic preservation service.


















]]> Wed, 03 Jul 2024 22:15:25 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-evans/blog/5753/crackshot http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-evans/blog/5753



Town Cryer Barry Short took his usual place in the Square of the little South Walian Hamlet of Merthyr Tydfil and ascended a wooden crate. Short by name and short by nature, at 5 foot 4 it was a strange choice of job given his diminutive stature but needs must when the devil calleth and with most of the men having been killed in the Napoleonic Wars there was not that many men to go around -Short or tall.But at least he was more difficult to hit with a musket ball. As he unrolled his parchment written by a quill on velum, Barry summoned up all his vocal strength to announce the week’s entertainment to the paupers and the very common people ofthe South Wales Valley area.“In the Year of Our Lord 1844, on the forthcoming Sabbath of 14th March, there shall be a duel to be held on the Morlais Castle Common at 11.30pm at Night between local publican,Morris Dancer of Ye Crown Inn, Merthyr Tydfil and his opponent Bartemius Pugh to settle a point of honour!” shrilled Barry.The great unwashed that gathered around now had something else to look forward to -to ease their plight which was filled with malnutrition, rickets and cholera- their own version of Match of the Day.“A duelling scheme up at the Heads of the Valleys is long overdue” muttered Old Hag, Bubo Popp in her native Welsh tongue clad in her Welsh shawl and Stove-pipe hat.
As usual, the tiny hamlet had become turned ‘Rumourville’ with idle tongues wagging as to the cause of such dispute.The real reason was that Morris Dancer, the Innkeeper of the Crown – a local hostelry and stage coach departure point - had accused Bartemius Pugh, a Venetian traveller o fgentlemanly standing, of groping his barmaid, Melony Toby, in front of several witnesses,who would swear blind that was what Mr Pugh had deliberately done, when she had bentover to pick up the Landlord’s latest culinary invention.A bar snack of potato origin mixed with fish into a pie – the ancestor of latter-day scampifries. A ‘Me-too’ list was chalked up on the Inn blackboard but one or two of them had to be ignored as they were actual requests. Bartemius also swore blind (as he was in fact truly blind after taking a pistol shot to the face in a previous duel in Paris).The Italian was well versed in duelling by pistol- it was in fact his tenth such duel, as he had been raised by fellow Venetian Casanova and was on the Grand Tour of Europe and just like his mentor- he was in fact a crack-shot.Somewhat ironic really, as he was now in another potentially deadly contest over a different crack that he was alleged to have fondled. Barmaid Melony Toby,- (or Toby Jugs as she was known to the local sheep farmers and swineherds that frequented the establishment with its solid stone slab flooring covered in sawdust & straw and spilt Rhymney Brewery Ales) was a lady of loose morals but only with gentlemen that took her eye.As Bartemius didn’t have any of his own, she wasn’t prepared to give him any.The Venetian tried to defend his actions by claiming that hadn’t realised that he was in fact in an Inn but thought that given the smell of the ‘plaice’ that he was in Olde Morgan’s the Fishmonger’s Shoppe.Toby Jugs, like most Merthyr residents past and present was not known for her love o fbathing – in fact B.O. was another invention that had been credited to the Hamlet. But then again Merthyr had little access to clean water- a Well at Tydfil’s and of course the River Taff often polluted with dead bodies floating down from the rough area known as China being the only options.“Why are they holding a Duel at night under the light of the Brecon Beacons?” asked another wizened old hag, Gwennie Turnip, a great grandmother at 40 years of age- though her solitary remaining tooth in the front – used for central eating her diet of thin porridge.It was a very ‘gruel’ existence.
“It is to even out the contest- replied the local Beadle- Jeremy-it was at the insistence of Morris Dancer’s friend and brave Second Mr Thomas Cooper!” continued the lawman.“Why is HE a brave man?” asked Gwennie looking puzzled.“Mr Pugh is blind but is known to have killed several men by accident in such events most of whom were Seconds!”“With a pistol?” asked local crazy cat woman Nut Meg.“It would hardly be with an epee now would it .....otherwise it would have been over in a split Second? “ Chortled the Beadle at his unintentional quip.The Beadle was not a big fan of the Landlord who had refused to pay him protection money or the manner in which he kept the Tavern going.“But I heard that the Blind Venetian only agreed to the terms put forward by Mr Cooper if Mr Morris Dancer would wear his traditional May Day costume to the duel!” whispered theBeadle as if imparting knowledge not readily available to the public- which had in fact been his own condition.“Pull the other one it’s got bells on!” replied the disbelieving Bubo.“Exactly!” replied the Beadle.“ Be careful who you tell that to mind .... you don’t want that Scold’s Bridle on again now do you?”Gwennie Turnip shivered at the memory of that metal cage around her mouth as punishment to stop her gossiping – she was still left with a drooling problem and mouth fatigue- but at least for the month that she was compelled to wear it,- she didn’t have to perform the usual matrimonial blow jobs.“Are you going on the Black Sabbath Night?” asked Gwennie to her fellow gossips.“Count me in!” – said an eavesdropping local pest controller from high up on a thatched cottage roof- Ozbert Osborne, as he bit into a fruit bat- in doing so risking COVID.“Why are you eating a fruit bat?” asked Bubo Popp confused.“Got to get my five a day in haven’t I ....-Herbie- the man who makes the potions told me that I should have a balanced diet ......”So I will bring the magic mushrooms! to sell at the Event””
Fast forward to the weekend and poor old Morris Dancer was cacking himself.
He was too young to die.He had never fired a flintlock pistol before let alone had a duel with a European Marksman.Thomas Cooper formerly of Caerphilly, took off his fez that he had once acquired from a tradesman when he had ordered by mistake some salad in.“Look ....said the second....I booked the last duelling slot available just before Midnight as there is an Act which went through Parliament making duelling illegal- it comes into force at12.01am....so you only have to delay the event for 30 minutes and then it’s over!” “To shoot you after that would be illegal and he would hang for murder!” Thomas continued. “Just like that?” “THIRTY minutes .....you are getting ahead of yourself .....how can I a simple Publican know when it is closing time?.....in the future there may be devices to measure the time like hour glasses or a device that can read the movement of the sun and moon .....but at present Iam governed by crows of the cock....!” moaned Morris .“That’s what got you into this mess in the first place....an argument over a woman!” said Tommy.“Just like twat!” he said mumbling but trying to create a family catchphrase.“Crows?” replied a confused Morris .“Sorry... I thought you said Grows!” replied the Second.“There’s me in less than two hours about to die and you are telling funnies....who do you think you are some kind of comedian?” said the nervous Innkeeper.“How the Hell am I going to delay the duel anyway!” asked Morris still sitting on the po on the floor of the food preparation area of his pub.“I’ll think of something!” replied his friend.
It is near Midnight and a crowd of villagers gathered around the light of a brazier.“How the Hell am I going to know when the time is up?” whispered Morris nervously to his second.Tommy Cooper said “Don’t worry I have arranged a few distractions to take us passed thewitching hour and save your bacon!”
“Besides I have asked Evans the Coal to pour some tar on the pitch to signify the end of legal hostilities....he has agreed to burn the ‘midnight oil’ as he is a hard worker in exchange for a few groats!” he continued.The independent Magistrate, Judge Jeffries Junior called for silence from the gathered throng- as he was of the opinion that people that were involved in duels deserved be hung-but then again he thought that way about every person that came before him – they all deserved to be hung- sheep stealers, thieves, highwaymen who ruined the safe passage of coaches around the Country- especially the highwaymen as the bastards took your road tax but didn’t fill in the potholes on the turnpikes.He had got himself stuck in a rut many a time and even hung hungry children as young as eight for stealing apples from overflowing gentry orchards.They wouldn’t do it again!The combatants were called together- and after they had turned Bartemius round in the correct direction first were read the rules of the day as to the duelling scheme.“Do both of you gentlemen wish to continue this dispute over honour or will either of you apologise and admit they were wrong?” questioned Jeffries.“He groped my barmaid....the foreign bastard!....he should be sent to Rwanda once it opens for business!” declared the future Brexit-loving Morris with false bravado not wishing to lose face in front of the majority of his xenophobic clientele.“I didn’t .....it was an accident....there was something fishy about the ‘hole’ place...I can’t see ....so how was I know it wasn’t the fish shop.....besides ask him why all the cats in the area follow her around otherwise?” grumbled the Venetian Blind marksman.“In that case, do both of you Seconds have the pistols?”“Yes!” declared Thomas Cooper and Casanova simultaneously.They both held mahogany boxes with green velvet inside and of course a single shot flintlock pistol.Toby Jugs stared at Casanova, cleavage poking out over the top of her Nell Gwynne style dress.Casanova fumbled with the pistol before using the ramrod to force the bullet down into the chamber.“Ooh I do love Sloppy Seconds!” she declared licking her lips and adjusting her ample bosom for the benefit of Casanova.“Are the pistols loaded?” asked the Judge.“Both barrels!” said Casanova staring back at Toby’s Jugs- not concerned with the single barrel flintlock pistol.
“Yes!” replied both seconds.“Now Gentleman you will both take ten paces back each and then turn and fire a single shot!”ordered the Judge.Morris replete in his May Day outfit started to ring out, as he went with the bells giving his opponent a big clue as to his direction.The time was now 11.40pm with twenty minutes left to kill without being killed.With that came the first of Tommy Cooper’s distractions. He had paid local harlot Erica Roe a few groats to invade the pitch topless.Obviously, this didn’t affect Bartemius as he couldn’t see the titties.But it did have some effect on the timing. Bartemius on 5 steps just stopped hearing the commotion and feeling the milk from the cowpox suffering merry milkmaid splattering on his face, wondering what the Hell was going on.Judge Jeffries ordered a reset and that as punishment Erica was to be sent to his room in the local law courts whilst he administered the cat of nine tails.He wasn’t just the local Magistrate but the Chief Whip too.“What you got there then Megan – a handwarmer?” asked Bubo Popp to her friend.“No...it’s my black cat!” said Megan.“Looks Familiar!” said local refuse collector ‘Dennis’ Norden.“He is missing half his ear only one eye and three legs left and has the mange!” continuedMegan.“He has been run over twice by Dennis’s ‘bring out of your dead’ recycling cart.“I thought I recognised him!” said Dennis.“What’s he called?” asked Bubo looking at the poor wretched creature and then at the cat.“Lucky!” replied Megan without any sense of irony.“What’s that around his neck?“ interjected Gwennie.“It is a home-made collar- he is a terror to kill local song birds -so I attached some metaltubular chimes around his neck to warn them he is around!” said Megan.“I found it by the Old Field!”
The duel continued with both Bartie and Morris standing back- to- back, pistols pointing upward to the full moon as they came together. It was now 11.45 and still plenty of time for the duel to continue legally. Morris was sweating under his horsehair wig and tricorn hat. All around him the common was busy filling up.The local brotherhood of monks had appeared in their ‘Dry Robe’ outfits so prevalent for the Merthyr area.They began a ‘Modern Talking’ chant about one of their order - Brother Louie, Louie, Louiewho apparently was a big fan of duels and being ‘undercover’. This had been arranged by Thomas to distract one of the few senses that had been enhanced by Bartie’s loss of vision.Bartie’s objection was lost in the chant. Magistrate Jeffries ordered the recount.“Ten paces each... then turn and fire...no more delays!” he declared with some authority.Both combatants began to pace out with Morris so nervous, he could feel the urine running down his campanologist trouser leg.Like a newly expectant Father filling his babies bottles with breast milk from a lactating milkmaid , he had lost count of the strides he took away from the Venetian crack-shot.Was it seven or eight?It was now five to midnight.Did he risk the wrath of the Magistrate and local reputation if he ducked?That decision was taken away from him by the appearance of Gwennie’s black cat Lucky which had crossed his path. Frozen in terror, Morris looked on helplessly as the Blind Venetian turned in one fell movement and fired his single shot in the direction of the hapless moggie that had been making a bee-line for Toby Jugs .“Talk about a black cat crossing your path .....how lucky was that?” said the open-mouthed Magistrate.“Did I get the Welsh bastard?” asked Bartie.“You killed my beloved cat!” wailed Gwennie.
The blood drained to the feet of the blind killer. He had not heard his opponent fire his shot and in terror and the heart of darkness stood there awaiting the impact of a bullet from Morris.Morris was in a quandary. He had never shot another human being before - especially one without sight. But on the other hand, he had called him a Welsh bastard and groped his barmaid. He owed it to all the women in the World to take out this sexual predator. Morris took aim at 10 seconds to Midnight.He pulled the trigger and out of the front of the flintlock pistol came a home- made flag withthe words B A N G written on it.“Watch out ....Beadle’s about!” said the local Magistrate before blowing his whistle to signal the end of legal duelling in Britain.
]]> Mon, 01 Jul 2024 02:23:14 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-evans/blog/5752/nerd-world-man http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-evans/blog/5752
Poor little Brad Stick was a natural victim. He was only 11 years and had just started going up to the big wide World of the Comprehensive School. Now separated from his earliest friends since Primary School it was a huge culture shock coming from a cossetted little school that he had spent seven years known merely ‘as the Nerd in the corner’. His only friends were imaginary and he was more of a loner than alleged JFK Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald but in the little school he was tacitly accepted and tolerated by his first school peers.
His emaciated frame, topped by Michael Gove ‘Milhouse’ glasses, struggled to carry the spanking new leather satchel his Mother had bought him, which she insisted he carry to school every morning on his daily 20 minute hike from his house in Brecon Road, Merthyr Tydfil to his new educational version of Borstal. It was a Sisyphean task for the puny schoolboy, as the satchel with his exercise books weighed nearly half his bodyweight and made him look like a myopic hunchbacked King Richard III, as he struggled up the steep hills that led up to his new Alcatraz.
To get there he had to go through hostile enemy territory – well named as ‘territory’ as he was terrified of who or what he would encounter each day on his journey up the ‘Red Lane’ though the notorious Gurnos Estate. The Lane was so called because it was bloodstained from beatings and muggings in this little corner of Paradise. He often sang THAT 1980’s Phil Collins song that he had heard on Spotify for confidence, usually as he passed rough sleepers with their rabid XL Bully dogs, lying in unbridled layers of dogshit, broken glass and used syringes.
But the worst of all- was the elder groups of boys- who hunted in packs of threes for someone to bully and steal their lunch money. His Mother (who had separated from his Biological Father Gordon) was his only protection – as his Mother had told him that his real Father had left for Silicon Valley years ago. He had no recollection of this Father but as he had a penchant for computer sciences -he was always proud of this fact -until the day he discovered that Silicon Valley was the nickname his Mother had given to the big breasted implanted woman he had eloped with.
Which was somewhat strange as his Mother had told him that his Father was only a little over Five Foot in height- she told her son she should blame him for his genetic shortcomings- so he innocently assumed that he must have used them as ear muffs. His Mother continued to be embarrassed by the doorstep gossips as some years later his Father was caught indecently exposing himself to Women in Cyfarthfa Park. She wanted nothing to do with him and made up a story for her young son that his dad was into science fiction whenever the pair were cruelly shouted at in the street about ‘Flash Gordon’.
Brad felt given his wan stature made him a more akin to a test tube baby, as his Mother had worked in the Sekisui science laboratory for years. She claimed to be responsible for the discovery of Viagra but her test case had failed to stand up in the Patent’s Court. Puberty had not yet kicked in for little Brad- the hair on his head was brown and very wavy and every morning it stuck up in all directions for fine weather. During his first ever PE lessons he could remember being assaulted by some older boys trying to discover if the school rumour was true in that he had one solitary pubic hair downstairs. 
Sadly for him it was. He had gone from being known as ‘the Nerd in the Corner’ to ‘One Pube’ in an instant.
A Tik-Tok moment that is when he was held down and filmed while one the bully boys put on a David Attenborough voice over – with the infamous words- “ And here we have the Amazon rainforest....decimated by illegal logging with only one tree left standing!”
He particularly hated cross country and was always last finishing last with all of the children returning hours before him but at least it had taught him how to run. One of his local sheep farmers had accused him of interfering with his livestock – suggesting he was seen lying down in his pasture smoking but it wasn’t certainly him- as despite his Mother’s claim to fame - he was incapable of Vape.
Brad had no social life- not surprising considering his face was permanently in a phone or computer screen. He like modern schoolchildren no longer sat around the dining table and actually spoke to his Mother. He only communicated with her by text. A lot of the time she was in work but it was often when they were in the same room. She – like most modern working single parents had little time to actually cook wholesome food- Brad survived on takeout meals from MuckDonalds & the bogus Colonel.
To get by she also worked part time in the evenings in a care home. Not surprisingly he was seriously malnourished, as his Mother was always taking part in clinical trials and was never there to ‘care’ for him. The only time he had nutrition in the form of fresh food was when one of his Mother’s ‘inmates’ went sick and the relatives brought in fruit. But even that stopped when Covid came.
His Mother would however bring home lots of old-fashioned clothes which were destined for the landfill when the old ladies died- which made Brad a little bi-curious when he put them on. He thought he had an alter ego which he called ‘Granny Tranny’. It was not his only alter ego though as he had discovered a new means of escapism from his miserable life. Online Gaming.
Here in the Meta Verse he was no longer called ‘Nerd in the Corner’, nor ‘One Pube’- he could be a virtual hero without challenge. Here he didn’t have to rub his Bitcoin with shit to get back at the bullies.

In cyber space, he was a keyboard warrior under his online masculine name of Arnold Schwarzawigga – which was totally inconsistent with his real life – as he was thinner than supermodel bulimia diet soup.Here in the Meta Verse he had an online presence that was noticed by his fellow female space aliens from all over the Universe. He loved his online Space Crusade game as part of World of Warcraft, where he could teleport into strange Alien Planets and spawn as his Schwarzawigga Hero or other sci-fi hero.
Brad, when walking to school, had his face in a mobile screen and then for six hours every night in a computer one. No wonder he had glasses thicker than the bottom of a milk bottle and that was even before he discovered the other ‘joystick’ evolution had given him.
At 11 years of age, he was like a mini-version of Mr Magoo – everything outside the end of his nose was a blur as he was always bumping into fellow pupils in the corridor as he passed in his own personal i-cloud. This didn’t engender to making new friends and he was often met with the jibe- “Careful One Pube or you will knock it off!”- not from the schoolchildren but from the cruel teachers, who doubled as Prison warders in his new reality Hell.
Academically, Brad was bright but sitting at the front of the class and raising his hand to answer questions just gave the bully majority more cause to pick on him. As soon as the teachers would turn their backs, the innocent child would endure more missiles than those in the Gaza strip. Brad wanted to learn- but the Neanderthal Bullies didn’t and disrupted the class at every opportunity.
He looked forward to the day that the knuckle-draggers were separated out into the remedial classes and he be placed into A-Band where he could actually learn something. Today had been particularly tiresome as his fellow classmates had discovered the art of chewing paper and then spitting it out like an old- fashioned pea-shooter through the hollow plastic tubing of Bic pens. His curly hair in the back was covered in them as he now contained more white spots than a septic tonsil. Even the teachers frustrated him by referring to him as ‘Boy’ when he had a perfectly good name.
No sooner than the school bell had rung for the end of the day than Brad was off running. Like Indiana Jones in the opening scene of the film Raiders of the Lost Ark, Brad sprinted towards the exit trying to get a head-start on the other Amazonian tribesmen throwing discarded cardboard boxes like boomerang frisbies, hoping to reach sanctuary before he lost his new adult teeth to a fist. Jogging down the Red Lane with a gravity assisted satchel the Nerd World Man made his escape. He had outwitted his tormentors once again who had paused to pick on some slower animals on the Gurnos/Serengeti Plain. In a race with a cheetah only the slowest of two men get devoured and he was determined today it would not be him.
That cross-country training must be finally paying off. In through the front door he leapt, stopping only to grab the remains of last night’s pizza delivery as he went upstairs heading for his safe space. His computer and the Meta Verse. He soon became immersed in an alien world of strange characters with blue hair and tattoos everywhere.
A World not dissimilar to James Cameron’s Avatar – a World he controlled and could interact with fake humans just like on Love Island. As he ‘spawned’ his character onto a planet with moon like craters. He was suddenly approached by a three-breasted semi-naked woman.
“Hello Muscles....why aren’t you handsome!” said the stranger. Brad suddenly had a picture in his head of a slim Ariana Grande. But just in case Brad kept his fingers poised above the X button. This was the button that enabled him to raise his gigantic Highlander sword.
He had encountered virtual sirens like this one before and always erred on the side of caution. “How old are you?” asked the virtual stranger in bubble speak. Brad looked at his spawn clock.
“Two minutes old!” the keyboard warrior replied also in caption form.
“What’s a good- looking thing like you doing in a place like this?”
Brad wasn’t sure whether to press the X button and strike or continue the Artificial Intelligence chat. He decided on the latter.
“Why don’t we go over to the power juice bar and I can buy you some liquid steroids ?”
Brad followed the stranger – interested to see where this new emotion of affection might lead him. He did after all have some stirrings in his Nether Regions that he could not explain even if he could put his finger on it.
“The bar takes payment by bitcoin or if you go to your Mother’s handbag and get her credit card its free!” said Three Tit. Brad paused the game and went downstairs to get the requested card.He could hear that his Mother was in the shower.
“Schwartzenwigga .....do you have the card?” asked the stranger. Brad typed back “Yes!”
“Good Boy!”
“ Now read me the long numbers off the middle there should be 12 of them!”
Brad started to get suspicious. “Why did the stranger call me Boy when I am a man in this World?” He still typed in the numbers but more slowly this time.
“Well done Boy!” replied the stranger. 
She called me Boy again he thought.
“What do you want to drink?... Power Juice....Steroid Surprise.... or a Tiny Cocktail?” questioned the Tri-mammoried Avatar.
“Power Juice please!” Brad replied knowing his character would take on extra energy for the game ahead.
“Okay Boy can you read me the expiry date on the card?” continued the stranger.
“Why do you need that?” typed back Brad hackles beginning to raise. He then typed the numbers.
“And finally Boy ....what about the three numbers on the signature strip....its so we can both pay for the Power Juice of course!” replied the Alien Avatar.
Brad began to smell a cyber rat.
“I can’t find them!” he typed.
“Boy ...look on the back of the card!” demanded the stranger.
“Sorry I can’t see it....the numbering is too small for my limited eyesight!” replied Brad frustrating the efforts of the Avatar who was now paused with three tits swaying angrily like a cat’s cradle.
“I say there Boy.... do you have a web cam?” asked the stranger.
The Avatar had now called Brad ‘Boy’ more times than cartoon rooster Foghorn Leghorn.
“Yes....a Spiderman Web cam from my Mother for Christmas!” said Brad.
“Good...then switch on then Boy and put the card up close to the camera!” ordered the stranger.
From his early schooling through to present day, Brad was hard-wired to do what he was told by adults but coming from Merthyr he had been born with the rebel streak. He was no longer confident that the alluring semi-naked space alien that was the other end in cyber-space was who she claimed to be, but in his innocence, he didn’t know what harm it could do to give his mother’s information out. He did however, reach across his desk fumbling for something. As the two-way camera whirred into action, the sight that met his bespectacled eyes was not what he had expected.
It was not the beautiful US cheerleader schoolgirl that he had imagined but a fifty year old man sat in stained vest and y-fronts squinting back at him trying to see the card. Brad turned the laser pen on full beam blinding the Yankee Con-Man as Brad took on the mantle of his old man -an alternative Flash Gordon and ‘Boy’ had he been ‘merciless’ to that Minging creature at the other end of that lens. Just like Mannfred the other Man had been ‘blinded by the light’ and the Nerd World Man had triumphed over the First World one.
The Welsh worm had turned.
]]> Mon, 01 Jul 2024 01:54:16 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-evans/blog/5751/not-much-cop http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-evans/blog/5751
It was December 13th 2023 and the delegates at the United Nations Climate Change Conference known as C.O.P 28 in Dubai the capital of the United Arab Emirates were just about to conclude matters, when the heavy golden double doors flew open and a size 10 Railtrack Boot appeared followed rapidly by a leg belonging to Welshman Morgan Chamber.
“Now hold on everyone......sorry I am late but I am the Official delegate from the Green Party of Wales...and I want to say my piece!”
Morgan Chamber, known locally as Mog the Smog, was never one to go or come quietly, as his Fifth Wife on their second Honeymoon would undoubtedly testify.
He strode purposely towards the 24- carat golden podium.
The assembled delegates from over 400 countries looked somewhat confused as he had a small round wooden boat attached to his back.
As he took to the stage – Security was on high alert- fearful of a terrorist attack from the World- renowned Free Wales Army- whose military wing had first formed in the Former Lamb Inn in Merthyr Tydfil- and understandably the Arabs were worried about their monopoly on the stage and the prospect of there being different Martyrs to the Cause.
The Head of the Conference, Prince Al Bin Chopiz Ed Off raised his oily palm for Security to hold on. He was a fair man and wanted to listen to different cultures just like his ancestors had done sat around their Bedouin campfires at the oases in past centuries blowing camels and smoking cigarettes too. He believed that everyone from the Third World should be entitled to voice their opinion before ignoring all recommendations on the reduction of fossil fuels.
Mog was not phased seeing so many different coloured faces before him wearing different white robes and multi-coloured attire -after all he himself was dressed in the new National Dress of Wales- the bright luminous orange Railtrack jumpsuit -which made him look like an escaped prisoner from San Quentin Penitentiary in California. He stood before World Royalty and influential power people – the actual ‘illuminati’ that kept the lights on and controlled Global economies and decided policy for innumerable Nations.
“Evening all!” he said upon reaching the Magic Mike.
By some unknown technological wizardry his words were instantaneously translated into over 400 different languages, except of course for Welsh, for the 1001 Arabian Knights sat in the Blue Zone of the Great Hall of Aladdin.
“I am here so that the World can hear the voice of Wales- one of the oldest continuous Celtic Nations now consisting of 4 million people and eleven million sheep-who have been subjugated by our English Ironmasters- men, women and children have toiled in the bowels of the Earth and have been subjugated and forced into economic slavery and to mine the black gold from the Planet’s soft underbelly, in doing releasing thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere  helping choke the lungs of the Earth- just like the English Ironmasters who filled the lungs of our little ones with pneumoconiosis and all for profit and greed- You the good people of the United Arab Emirates or the United States of America would never force anyone into slavery- just for greed, money and power – now would you?”
The room fell silent.
“We in Wales have tried our best to put in place many measures to reduce our genetic carbon footprint such as becoming the first Country in the former United Kingdom to impose a mandatory 20 MPH speed limit in urban areas – not just to reduce the number of accidents- but also to reduce traffic pollution from petrol and diesel engines- the extraction of oil and natural gas must stop otherwise we could turn the Planet into desert regions just like this one!” Mog continued.
The room was more silent than a Trappist Monk fart.
The Prince rolled his eyes but let Mog continue as each speaker was allotted 15 minutes.
Mog picked his nose and rolled it in-between his right thumb and fore finger and stuck the bogie to the underside of the podium- just like he did with his chewing gum in secondary school in his native Rhondda Valley.
“No more greenwashing- no more green credits for companies who burn wood from trees and claim tax relief on it.....otherwise the Ice Caps in Snowdonia will melt leading to the extinction of the endangered Welsh Yeti.....!”
Mog paused for dramatic effect.
“We conducted a survey in conjunction with Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace and it was found that one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas was old cow farts...so we immediately recalled the Senedd and insisted they wear Michelle Mone PPE masks to cut down on their Bullshit....we also send a message on Facebook to our online followers to ensure that if they were returning from England that it was manda-TORY to defecate on the English side of the Owain Glyndwr Prince of Wales Bridge!”
“It had 11 million likes and was clearly a popular policy with the second generation ovine voters too!”
“Westminster has reduced the amount of money it gives to the Principality Post-Brexit- under the ‘Trinkets for the Natives’ budgetary policy recorded in Hansard- the Welsh people now have to have a roads curfew as the street lighting and road lighting gets turned off by most County Councils at 7pm-!”.....”We even had to pull the slogan of the extra £350 Million a week for the NHS off the side of the former Pit Ponies!”
“We have tried alternative green measures to increase the amount going into the National Grid but just like our Welsh Water it is syphoned off by our colonial masters- Water Mills, Wind Turbines (personally I am not a big fan) and solar panels on the roof.....we even attached a lead to the Pelaton of Olympic cyclist Geraint Thomas but it wasn’t enough and he crashed yet again as a result....!”
“We stopped burning down holiday homes in West Wales too – although the advent of Ring doorbell technology was a deciding factor too...!”
Looking directly at the Papua New Guinea delegate- “We even took a ‘leaf’ out of your book and started eating Pro-European Vegans- as they were filled full of vegetables- but Port Talbot’s Anthony Hopkins confirmed he preferred to eat a liver and a nice Chianti and not just the ‘Remains’ of the Day!”
Mog cast his eyes to the back of the hall where two delegates were leaving.
“India and China.....I can see you sneaking out”  

The heads of the audience turned towards them – shaming them- and then back. Just like a Wimbledon Tennis Umpire when Anna Kournikova has bent over to pick up a ball.

“We Welsh and you Arabs must stick together....we go back over 2000 years to when Welshman Hugh Griffith playing Sheik Iderim in Ben Hur!”
“We must together stop the new chariots polluting our Cities ....I live in O.P.E.C that this generation of children will still be able to live on the Earth....after all there is no Planet B only a Cardi one....there can be no RE-GRETAS....we must (pointing at the sleeping or possibly dead US President Joe Biden) educate these Fossil Fools!”
“The two biggest perils to the Planet are caused by air pollution- how many of you 8,000.00 delegates walked in your Jesus sandals to this Climate Change Conference- you three (pointing at the British delegation consisting of Tory Prime Minster (this month) Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary & Pig F**ker David Cameron and King Charles III ....I bet you all flew here separately on private jets!”
“I, on the other hand set out a month ago arriving on this trusty coracle!” continued Mog.
  
 “How much damage did I do to the environment and ozone layer?”
“Admittedly, I had to dump all my daily faeces in the Palm Jumeirah & the World Islands but it is only what the Former United Kingdom Government is doing Post-Brexit to our Welsh rivers anyway- the ‘Bog’ Snorkelling Championship is no longer confined to Llanwrtyd Wells!”
“And the second one from Silicon Valley- all the Earth’s precious energy is being wasted on mobile phone charging, I-Pods, I-Pads & Laptops.....just like your close neighbour from your friends in Israel- Moses- we need to take the tablets away..... !”
“And Swedish Doom Goblin Greta Thunberg has her part to play too- unless we change the ways of the young as well as the old and their addiction to selfies and social media- as time is running out -Tik- Tokking away if you like!”
“The only electrical appliances to be charged into the National Grid should be the Sinclair C5 electric trikes- pioneered by the late Sir Clive Sinclair- the purported Saviour of the Hoovers Washing Machine Factory- before it was hung out to dry in my native Merthyr Tydfil-!”
“What do you need a mobile phone anyway- except if you are hanging off a cliff precipice?...and with the exception of the Burj Khalifa how many off them do you have in Abu Dhaba?”
“ That is why the Swiss yodel!”
“The Global economy should not be built on a house of fog and sand!”
“It’s time to shut down the reliance on oil and natural gas before it destroys the Earth and the Planet overheats and turns us into Mercury!”
“You lot sit here and play Good C.O.P but outside its bad and please remember that ULEZ stands for Ultra Low Emissions Zones in London and should not be a reference to the lead lady in a Pride March- you bunch of Shi-ites!”
Prince Al Bin Chopiz Ed Off now made eyes at the security guards that Mog’s time was up. In his muslin robe, he looked as white as a Sheikh. Mog’s fifteen minutes of fame that Andy Warhol he had raved on about was now over.

It was his time in the sun. The Hosts would peg him out naked in the desert with no Boots Factor 50 to help him. Either that or take him to the Turkish Embassy.
]]> Mon, 01 Jul 2024 01:27:00 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5750/tom-emlyn-releases-tender-new-single-double-crossed-and-video-filmed-in-cardiff-by-sam-ffoto-inbox http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5750



Tom Emlyn releases his new single ‘Double-Crossed’ on the 21st June. Accompanied by a video filmed by Sam Ffoto / Pypi Slysh. From his forthcoming new album Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat, Vol.2, due for release on August 29th, 2024.
Welsh singer-songwriter Tom Emlyn releases his new single, ‘Double-Crossed’ on the 21st of June. With tender vocals, introspective lyrics caressing a daydreaming guitar motif, and lo-fi percussion it explores the darker side of self-reflection to a stripped back  Velvet Underground -inspired groove. Originally written and recorded in lockdown, the song features on his forthcoming album  Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat, Vol.2 , due for release on August 29th, 2024.
The self-produced record is his fourth solo effort in the space of two years, continuing an impressive streak of creativity and inspiration. The single is accompanied by a video by Sam Ffoto - a series of photographs, taken rapidly enough to give the illusion of film, on a cold January day in Cathays Cemetery, Cardiff.
What is it that pursues our hero through these frigid spaces? Is it a stranger, a friend, or his own shadow? Explore ‘Double-Crossed’ and find out for yourself. A song that explores self-portrayal and small-town paranoia, but not without a sense of warmth and comfort.
Tom Emlyn's fourth album in two years,   Rehearsal For The Rain: Scaredycat Vol. 2   is a self-produced, powerful, fully realised creative statement.The album will be released digitally and on cassette, with a launch show at the Moon, Cardiff on August 29th to celebrate. 
In summer 2022, Tom released his debut solo album ‘News From Nowhere’, a bittersweet love letter to his hometown of Swansea, described by Adam Walton (BBC Radio Wales) as a record of “undoubted brilliance, eloquence and energy”. It has been positively received, with airplay and support from Radio Wales, BBC Horizons, R.E.P.E.A.T. fanzine, God Is In The TV, and Joyzine, among others. Tom’s second album ‘I’ve Seen You In Town’ followed quickly– a more mellow, acoustic affair which was also well received. He also released the ‘Scounger EP’ on Bandcamp last February.
His latest record follows hot on the heels of Return Journey Revisited: Scaredycat Vol 1, which was released in May 2023. In the same vein as the first volume, Rehearsal For The Rain gathers up lost fragments from years of songwriting and making music.


A dreamlike, lo-fi psychedelic bedroom pop journey, with elements of prog, blues, indie and alternative folk.
"Peripatetic musical genius" - Adam Walton
"The songs have true emotional depth, are highly tuneful and melodic with lyrical sharpness and shades of dark, combining the magical ingredients of melancholy and wit" - Cath Holland, God Is In The TV zine
"Tom has an unerring knack of turning up with an unexpectedly vivid phrase or metaphor that will jolt you, and make you think" - Richard Rose, R.E.P.E.A.T. fanzine
Artwork: Keith Bolton




https://linktr.ee/tomemlyn
https://tomemlyn.bandcamp.com/
https://twitter.com/tom_emlyn
https://www.instagram.com/tomemlyn/

]]> Thu, 27 Jun 2024 18:12:29 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5749/how-to-sagely-answer-are-the-welsh-celtic-or-gaelic http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/jaime-conrad/blog/5749 Are the Welsh Celtic or Gaelic? When we speak of Celtic and Gaelic, it’s important to understand that the terms are related but not interchangeable. “Celtic” refers to the language and culture of a   tribal people   who originated in central Europe as early as 1200 BC. They spread across Europe, Spain, Germany, France, and the British Isles. The common language, in particular, is what classifies them. Beyond that, a single ruler or group never unified the tribes, and each society was different, although they did hold some similar customs and religious beliefs. Even these, however, varied from tribe to tribe.  
The Celtic language is separated into two main branches: Continental Celtic and Insular Celtic. As the names suggest, Continental Celtic was spoken by people who lived in central Europe (on the continent). The Celtiberians, the Gauls, and the Galatians also spoke the language. Insular Celtic was spoken by the people who migrated to the British Isles. 
Insular Celtic is further divided into two branches: Goidelic (or Gaelic) and Brythonic (or British). Goidelic evolved into Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx Gaelic. The shortened terms are Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. The Brythonic branch evolved into the languages of Breton, Cornish, and Welsh. So, the Welsh are Celtic but not Gaelic. “Gaelic” refers to the culture or the language spoken, and it is not the language of Wales.
As mentioned above, in answer to the question, “Are the Welsh Celtic or Gaelic?” the Welsh are Celtic but not Gaelic. “Gaelic” refers to the Goidelic branch of Insular Celtic that evolved into Irish, Scottish, and Manx. The word “Gaelic” is pronounced “Gal-ick” (like “gal” as in “galaxy”) and   not   “gale-ick” (like “gale” as in a gale of wind). The Welsh people speak Cymraeg (Welsh), which came from the Brythonic branch of Insular Celtic. To further clarify this, you could say that Gaelic is always Celtic, but Celtic isn’t always Gaelic. It depends on the language the person speaks. 
Other commonly asked questions are: 1. “Are the Welsh Celtic?” and 2. “Is Welsh Celtic?” The answer to the first question is yes, as the DNA of the Welsh people traces back to the tribal societies of Europe, which held the ancestral Celtic language in common. The second question refers to the Welsh language itself. Yes, Welsh is a Celtic language from the Brythonic language group of Insular Celtic.   


What Are the Six Celtic Languages?



Six Celtic languages are still spoken today—the modern Celtic languages. These are Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Manx, Breton, Cornish, and   Welsh . All six Celtic languages are referred to as “living, “meaning they are still spoken. Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, and Breton have been continuously spoken. Manx and Cornish had died out, but thanks to a revival, they are now spoken again as a second language by several thousand people. Of all the Celtic languages, Welsh is the only one not considered endangered by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). In fact, from 2008 to 2020, the number of Welsh speakers has actually increased. In an   article published by the BBC   in 2020, a group of scientists from New Zealand say that within 300 years, 74% of the Welsh population will be able to speak and write Welsh. 


Where Are the Celtic Languages Spoken?



Irish   is spoken mainly in Ireland and Northern Ireland. However, Irish speakers are elsewhere in the UK, the US, Canada, and Australia. 
Scottish Gaelic   is the Celtic language spoken along the northwest coast of Scotland, the highlands, and the Hebrides Islands. Speakers can also be found in Australia, the US, and Canada (mainly Nova Scotia). Another language, separate from Gaelic, called “Scots,” evolved in the Middle Ages in the lowlands of Scotland. Scots is more similar to English, as it’s a Germanic language that developed from the Angles’ tongue. Scots has four different regional dialects. 
About 200,000 people speak   Breton   in Brittany in northwestern France. 
Manx   is spoken on the Isle of Man. Since revival efforts began, around 2000 people are believed to be speaking the language. 
Cornish   (“Kernewek”) is spoken in Cornwall in southwestern Britain. Like Manx, Cornish currently has around 2000 speakers. 
Cymraeg ( Welsh)   is spoken primarily in Wales and the Welsh colony in Patagonia, Argentina. There are also speakers in England, Scotland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the US. 
Are Welsh and Irish Related?



Welsh and Irish are related in the sense that they are both Insular Celtic languages. In other words, they are Celtic languages that evolved in the British Isles. Insular Celtic divides into Brythonic (British) and Goidelic (Gaelic). The Welsh language is Brythonic, while the Irish language is Gaelic.   
The Brythonic branch is also called “P-Celtic,” while the Goidelic branch is referred to as “Q-Celtic.” These labels came about because of how the words in each branch developed from Indo-European. Several words are common in each branch. However, on the P-Celtic (Brythonic languages) side, the “p” sound more frequently occurred in those words. The hard “k” sound was more prevalent on the Q-Celtic side. 
On this note, another question people ask is, “Is Welsh Gaelic?” No, Welsh is not Gaelic. As mentioned earlier, Welsh is Brythonic. Which leads us to the question: Are the Irish Celtic or Gaelic? They are a Celtic people, but they   speak   Irish (“Gaelige”), which comes from the Gaelic language group. “Gaelic” can also refer to their culture (Gaelic games, for example).


Scottish Gaelic vs. Welsh



Many words in Scottish Gaelic and Welsh are cognate. Cognate words are those that evolved from the same source word over hundreds or thousands of years. However, since Scottish Gaelic and Welsh don’t belong to the same branch of Insular Celtic, there are more similarities between Irish and Scottish Gaelic, for example. Irish and Scottish Gaelic are both Gaelic languages, whereas Welsh is Brythonic.
Here’s a comparison of some related words in Scottish Gaelic and Welsh. 






English
Gàidhlig (Scottish Gaelic)
Cymraeg (Welsh)
river abhainn afon name ainm enw soul, spirit anam enaid (also, the Welsh name “Enid” means soul; life) bread bairín bara (the word for “bread” is “bara” in all three Brythonic languages: Welsh, Cornish, and Breton) small beag bach, bychan brother bráthair brawd cheese càise caws

It’s interesting to see that although the words differ in Scottish Gaelic and Welsh, there are some similarities. The Gaelic words aren’t exactly like the Welsh, but they’re not entirely foreign, either. Having the English words there also makes a nice comparison. We can see that, for the most part, the English words are quite different than the Celtic ones. That’s because they evolved through the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family. The words for “bread” and “cheese,” though, manage to be a little similar across the board with Celtic and Germanic alike!  Welsh vs. Irish Culture

As with Scottish Gaelic, a Welsh speaker would find it hard to understand Irish. They might be able to pick up a few words here and there, but this is another example of the differences between the Goidelic and Brythonic languages. After all, they had thousands of years to grow apart. Still, with Wales and Ireland within 300 miles of each other, there are certainly links between the two cultures. There’s a history there of helping one another.  Both countries take pride in their languages, the history behind them, and in keeping them alive. They do this through literature, cultural events, music, and policies in their respective education systems. According to the 2021 census, 17.8% of the Welsh population speak Welsh. In the Republic of Ireland, however, in 2022, the percentage of Irish speakers was 39.8%. In Northern Ireland, as of 2021, 12.4% said they had some ability to read, write, or speak Irish.
Similarities and Differences

Both the Welsh and Irish love their sports! In Ireland, Gaelic games like Gaelic football, hurling, handball, and rounders are the most popular. In Wales, rugby is the winner.  Welsh culture is known for its friendliness and hospitality; Irish culture is similar. Ireland is very well known for its food and drink. The Welsh are renowned for their music, customs, and festivals.  Wales is part of the United Kingdom and operates as a devolved constitutional monarchy. Ireland, however, is an independent nation with a unitary parliamentary republic form of government. It means that parliament runs the nation. (Note: Northern Ireland is not a part of the Republic of Ireland but is one of the four countries that make up the UK.) Generally speaking, the Welsh and Irish are close with one another as fellow Celts and neighbors. They’ve been trading, swapping stories and songs, and helping each other when needed since at least the Iron Age. It’s a friendship that goes way back. Now you understand the difference between “Celtic” and “Gaelic.” If anyone ever asks you, “Are the Welsh Celtic or Gaelic?” you can smile sagely and tell them that the Welsh are Celtic but not Gaelic since Welsh is a Brythonic language.  ]]> Wed, 05 Jun 2024 20:38:59 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5748/adios-release-impish-dark-wave-of-new-single-they-on-the-7th-of-june-ffo-human-league-kraftwerk-depeche-mode http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5748



Adios MF will release the new single ‘They’ on the 7th of June through Dash The Henge Records.
Adios MF is a musical collective spearheaded by Nathan Keeble carving fresh dark wave and electronica sound the underground of Sheffield. Their latest single, "They," was recorded between Brooklyn and Brixton, serves as a sonic manifesto of what's to come. Their music defies categorisation, blending elements of post-punk, electronica, and avant-garde into a sonic tapestry that's uniquely their own.
With sleek production by Nathan Saoudi and Richard Wilson yet coursing with enough detail and character to set it apart, with this impish 80s beat, sinewy guitars, metallic dapping keyboards, and sample loops, it forges a uniquely futuristic sound that’s at once both familiar and yet mirrors the churn of the cityscape. 
With a sound that hints at the influence of acts like Human League, Depeche Mode, Kraftwerk and Molly Nilsson, the vocals are addictive and almost mechanical, driven with hooky melodic ticks that sink their nails into and won’t let go, and yet the lyrics reside with a disquiet at the creeping gentrification of urban redevelopment “They built a Starbucks on my street” and reference to shadowy figures who might take you away. It hints at a dark underbelly and Sci-fi dystopia where your every action is being watched. 
ADIOS MF say “They” is a Kitsch by product of existence amid the constant churn of urban development and the persistent buzz of drilling. It was written as a tonic to the realisation that resistance is futile; you must simply acquiesce to the world of urbanism and let it carry you along on its unpredictable journey, set to a naughty 80s beat.”
Born from the industrial landscape of the north of England. Adios MF was ideated in January 2024, South London's Dash The Henge Records signed them shortly after hearing their demos.
Digital Only
Words & Music by Corey Clifton & Nathan Keeble
Produced by Corey Clifton, Nathan Saoudi & Richard Wilson
Mastered By Richard Wilson
A release by Dash The Henge Records & Cracked Media
]]> Wed, 22 May 2024 03:25:58 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5747/classic-collection-of-welsh-folk-tales-republished-alongside-poster-of-artist-margaret-d-jones-and-author-robin-gwyndafs-wo http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5747



This week sees an updated 5 th  edition of a collection of Welsh folk stories republished.  Welsh Folk Tales  by Robin Gwyndaf (Y Lolfa) was originally published by the National Museum of Wales in 1989 and is an important record of the folk narrative tradition in Wales.  
The 2024 edition has been dedicated to the author’s late wife, Eleri Gwyndaf, who sadly died in 2023.  
For a period of over twenty years, Robin Gwyndaf interviewed over 2,500 informants, around 400 of them on tape. This material, both written – in books and journals – and oral testimony of around 600 hours of recordings, “gives the reader a vivid glimpse of that long and creative tradition,” as Colin Ford, Director of the National Museum of Wales, says in his foreword to the third edition in 1995.  
Welsh Folk Tales  records 63 stories from all over Wales, including ‘The islands of saints’ from Ynys Enlli, ‘The eagles of Snowdon’ from Caernarfonshire, ‘Owain Glyndŵr and the Abbot of Valle Crucis’ from Denbighshire and ‘The death of “Llywelyn our Last Prince”’ from Brecknockshire. It describes the legends and traditions and places them in their historical and social context. It also refers to the types and classification, the themes, function and meaning, as well as the value of the tales themselves. Pronunciation of Welsh words and placenames also features.  
Dr Robin Gwyndaf says:
“The need to present the history of Wales in an interesting and meaningful manner to all the inhabitants of the country and beyond, whatever their age or language, has never been more crucial. My hope is that this volume, in Welsh and English, will be a small contribution towards fulfilling a dream. It is my dream that all the people of Wales, and Welsh people living abroad – and, yes, the inhabitants of Britain also – come to appreciate the wealth of our inheritance as a nation – our native language, our literature and our culture. An intrinsic part of that vibrant, wide-ranging culture is our folk tales and folk traditions.”  
Only necessary changes have been made to the text, and the wonderful illustrations, now in colour, by artist Margaret D. Jones, who is now 105 years old, still shine in the volume. Margaret Jones was commissioned by the National Museum of Wales in 1988 to illustrate a map featuring the folk tales and traditions of Wales, to be published at the same time as the first edition of the book. Both the book and the A2 poster has been out of print for around 10 years, but will be available again this May for £9.99 each.  
The book:  Welsh Folk Tales  by Robin Gwyndaf (£9.99, Y Lolfa) is available now.  
The A2 poster: Welsh Folk Tales by artist Margaret D. Jones, and Robin Gwyndaf, researcher and designer, (£9.99, Y Lolfa) is available now.


]]> Wed, 22 May 2024 03:16:52 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-evans/blog/5746/on-the-job http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/philip-evans/blog/5746



“Good afternoon and thank you for finally attending this Job Start Interview!” Said the Civil Servant.
“You’re welcome Mr Isious!” replied the attendee politely-reading the name badge on the Official- with all the charm of a gentleman that had been to Gordonstoun and then Dartmouth Naval College.

“ Mr Andrew Albert Christian Edward Windsor I presume,…do you have any photographic identification on you to prove this fact?” asked the former DSS snooper.

“Sorry…one doesn’t carry a wallet around with me…money is vulgar…hang on …One has a photograph of oneself flying a helicopter in the Falklands War …would that suffice…is that what you are Sea King?” Asked the eighth in line to the throne of England, passing over a tattered old Kodak snapshot, now yellowing with age.

“Not really but it will have to do…don’t forget you won’t be allowed to vote at the next General Election without proper identification documents you know!” replied the know -it - all Government employee reading from the YouGov site.

“ So why is one here….is one in trouble?” asked the disgraced Royal.

“Not compared to recent events….you are here because officially you have not worked since 2002 when you left the Navy!” Replied the jobsworth.

“That’s 21 years to be precise and you are only aged 63 and therefore still of an age that you are eligible to work!” He continued.

The Duke of York gulped nervously but didn’t sweat it.

“So according to our Government records, you are receiving State benefit from the Sovereign Grant , formerly the Civil List, to the tune of £250,000.00 ….the question is are you actively looking for work?” the interviewer said looking over his bifocal glasses.

“Well ….stuttered the Prince….my Mother has only recently died …!”

“That was over six months ago in September 2022!” Continued the Questioner.

“And what about the previous two decades….were you just F***ing about?” asked the Civil Servant turning very uncivil.

“Look…one told that BBC Lady, Emily Mattress, in my other interview that one doesn’t drink coffee and therefore haven’t been anywhere near a Maxwell House!” denied the Duke.

“So what exactly have you been doing since your last recorded job in 1982?” Asked Mr Icious.

“Do you have a first name ?” Asked Andrew.

“Of course…it’s Malcolm!” Replied the Government Employee.

“May one call you Mal?….Mr Icious?” Queried the Duke.

“Most certainly NOT!” Replied the Job Centre Plus Interviewer.

“This is a formal interview to determine if you deserve to continue to receive handouts from the state!” He continued.

“So other than playing around with your chopper for two decades…what exactly have you
been doing?”

“Well…one has been waving a lot …!” replied the Royal with absolute sincerity.

The interviewer furrowed his brow and stared at the Duke.

“Mainly from the deck of the Royal Yacht Britannia…!” he stuttered.

“ Do you know the song a life on the ocean ‘wave’ is better than going to sea?” Said the posh
boy.

“Is that why you are called Handy Andy then?….I thought it was for a different reason!” said Malcolm turning the Royal colour Purple, apoplectic with rage.

“Well we both sponge money off the Taxpayer don’t we?” Said Andrew trying to find ‘common’ ground with the commoner.

“ You mean as a civil servant I am obliged to accept a below inflation pay award and work till I am 67 …five years longer than any Frenchman …whilst you live the life of Riley….it’s complete nonsense!”

“Some would say nonce-sense actually!” Replied the Sniggerer.

“And don’t mention Frogmore please….it’s still a sore point with my family!”

“So are you claiming too for any dependents?” Asked the Interviewer.

“Yes, for one’s daughters Beatrice & Eugenie !” The Royal outcast said.

“ And how old they…are they still in school or full time education?” Malcolm pressed
harder.

“Let me see Beatrice is 34 and Eugenie 32 and of course Sarah my other dependent is 63!” Andrew continued.

“Don’t any of them have their own jobs?” Asked Malcolm absolutely flabbergasted.

After three long minutes of laughing from Andrew he replied “Are you serious?”

Looking around the whitewashed walls of the Windsor Job Centre, he uttered.

“Come on…who set this up ….Michael McIntyre or Ant n Dec?”

“Can’t be Jeremy Beadle….he is no longer about after all!”

“This isn’t a laughing matter, Mr Windsor…I am here to make sure that you find work or we stop your State ‘benefit’ like everyone else in this Country!” said the official in a more Mal Icious tone.

“So what skills do you have?” Asked Malcolm.

Andrew racked his brain and repeated “Waving?”

“There are several job opportunities available working in the Pizza Express Woking Branch….do you know it?” asked the Interviewer.

“No!” Replied the Duke immediately.

“Never been there in my life….oops…on second thoughts one went there with one’s daughter on the night that one DIDN’T go to Tramp nightclub…!”

“What perks do you get ?”

“Well it is a bit like the Hooters restaurants they have in Canada and the US with young girls serving in skimpy outfits only with different ‘toppings!” said Malcolm luring the new Prince of Darkness in to bite.

“Interested?”

The Duke was now leaning forward at the desk.

Malcolm lifted the telephone up and spoke into it.

“Susan…would you be good enough to bring me in the Pizza Express bakery job application forms for the Woking branch….you will find them under the
P- Dough File!”

Andrew looked suspiciously at the Official he had heard that word chanted a lot when he was in Buckingham Palace ever since he had innocently paid Three Million Pounds to a charity suggested by a girl he had never met.

“You are aware that the allegations about One and Miss Go Free were never proved in a Court of Law do you? said the Duke rather testily.
“Not my concern really!” Said Malcolm.

“Do you know why One did that free interview with Emily Mattress?” Countered Andrew.

“Former BBC reporter Martin Bashir rang up the Palace claiming he had further evidence….bloody phoney wank statements….how dull does he think one is? …Princess Diana or something?” raged Andrew.

“Oh ‘hang on’….there is also an International Job going as a prison officer at the New York Correctional Centre….sounds like money for old rope…!”said Malcolm looking at his computer screen.

“ Are you still allowed to visit the United States ….?” challenged Malcolm.

“Come to think of it….One does have a lot of Air Miles left on One’s frequent flyer account to Palm Beach , Florida….but on second thoughts best not to go there again…you know with all those selfies of people One has never actually met….!” mused Andrew.

“Sauna Tester in IKEA in Kyrgyzstan?” proffered Malcolm.

“You could do that no sweat!”

The evil eye from the Royal followed.

“Why does one have to get a job anyway …surely with all those people coming over in those small boats ….they need a job more than One does…after all…One’s ancestors created the British Empire especially for people who DO have the ability to break sweat….!” Replied the oyal in a posh voice.

“Oh they are fast tracked to Rwanda these days…so the Post-Brexit fruit is still rotting in the fields without anyone to pick it!” said Malcolm.

“Do you fancy a try?….after all you have a plum in your mouth most of the time anyway!”
He continued.

Andrew leaned in and whispered

“One thinks we both know that neither One nor One’s family are ever going to do REAL work as we are too important to the British economy given the amount we bring in from tourism?” Replied Not so Handy.

“How much is that a year?”asked Mal.

“19 Million Pinds!” said the Royal gurning with the pronunciation.

“And the cost to the tax payer for the Sovereign Grant ?” questioned the Interviewer. “Don’t know or care!” Said Andrew churlishly.

“It’s amazing what you can find on the internet especially with a Freedom of Information form these days…..try £369 Million give or take a few clocks…!” Replied the clear Republican.

“ So what is your point exactly?” Asked the peeved Royal feeling more exposed than Prince Harry at a Las Vegas pool party.

“Everyone in Britain must now pay their way or get deported to Rwanda!” said Mal “That’s the most ridiculous thing one has ever heard!” said Andy channelling the late Kenny Everett.

“What about Stanley Johnson up for a knighthood?” asked Mal the inquisitor.

“Point taken!” sniggered Andy.
]]> Tue, 07 May 2024 22:36:55 +0100 http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5745/sybs-debut-album-albym-gynta-olew-nadroedd-out-mas-0305-via-libertino http://americymrunet.jamroomhosting.com/ceri-shaw/blog/5745
ALBWM CYNTAF SYBS ALLAN YFORY AR LIBERTINO
Mae albwm cyntaf SYBS, 'Olew Nadroedd', yn gapsiwl amser teimladwy o’r cyffro a’r pryderon â ddaw ynghyd wrth dyfu fyny. Er bod y byd o'n cwmpas yn gyffrous a'n lliwgar, mae ymroi yn llawn i'r profiadau newydd hynny yn frawychus ac ar adegau, yn anghyfforddus. Dyna'n union mae Osian Llŷr (cyfansoddwr, prif leisydd a gitarydd SYBS) yn ei gyfleu ar yr albwm.

Eglura Osain: "Yr hyn roedden ni moen cyflawni gyda ‘Olew Nadroedd’ oedd cymryd snapshot o ble oedden ni fel band pan gafodd llawer o’r caneuon eu cyfansoddi; ble roeddem ni’n arbrofi llawer ac yn ceisio ffeindio ein ‘sŵn’, a ble o ni’n agored i fyd o ddylanwadau cerddorol gwahanol.

Cefais fy ysbrydoli gan albyms fel 'I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One' gan Yo La Tengo a 'Fantasma' gan Cornelius, sy'n teimlo fel ryw collages mawr o synau a genres gwahanol, ond sy'n dal i swnio fel eu bod yn perthyn i'r un lle.

Roedd e’n adeg gyffrous iawn yn ein bywydau cyn covid, lle’r oedd y rhan fwyaf ohonom wedi symud i ddinasoedd gwahanol ar gyfer y brifysgol a'n cael yr holl brofiadau newydd yma, ond yn dal i ddod yn ôl i gigio yng Nghaerdydd yn aml iawn. Dwi’n hoffi meddwl ein bo' ni wedi llwyddo i ddal ychydig o’r anhrefn a’r egni o’r cyfnod hwnnw ar yr albwm.

Mae llawer o'r geiriau ar yr albwm yn fyfyriol, yn bryderus a'n ansicr, ond mae'r gerddoriaeth ar y cyfan yn lliwgar, swnllyd, a'n 'llawn'; a dwi'n teimlo bod hynny yn cyfleu'r ddeuoliaeth o ble'r oedden ni pan ddechreuon ni ddod â'r albwm at ei gilydd yn 2018."

Bydd 'Olew Nadroedd' allan ddydd Gwener 3ydd o Fai ar Libertino.


 

https://www.libertinorecords.com/

 



SYBS' DEBUT ALBUM OUT TOMORROW VIA LIBERTINO
SYBS' debut album, 'Olew Nadroedd', is a moving time capsule of the excitement and wide eye wonder — on one hand fear, and anxiety on the other — of young adulthood. The world outside entices and enthrals yet there is trepidation in fully embracing a life beyond the comfort of childhood. It’s this dichotomy that Osian Llŷr (songwriter, vocalist, guitarist) captures with every note and lyric on SYBS' debut album.

Osian explains: “I think what we wanted to achieve with 'Olew Nadroedd' is a snapshot of where we were as a band when a lot these songs came to fruition; when we were still experimenting with finding our sound, and where we opened ourselves up to a world of musical influences where anything goes.

I was really inspired by albums such as ‘I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One’ by Yo La Tengo and ‘Fantasma’ by Cornelius, that feel like this big collage of sounds and genres, but still manage to sound like they’re coming from the same source.

It was a really exciting time in our lives pre-covid where most of us had moved to different cities for university and were having all these new experiences, but still gigging in Cardiff very frequently, and I like to think we’ve managed to capture some of that chaos and energy in the album.

A lot of the lyrics are reflective, anxious and uncertain but the music for the most part is vibrant, noisy, and almost hyperactive; and I feel like that really captures the dichotomy of where we were at when the album started coming together around 2018. You have all this enthusiasm and curiosity for the world but you’re not really sure what to make of any of it or what you’re meant to be doing, so you end up being open to everything.”

'Olew Nadroedd' is out this Friday 3rd May via Libertino.  

 

https://www.libertinorecords.com/

 

 

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