ARTIST:GWIBDAITH HEN FRN
ALBWM:YN L AR Y FFORDD
LABEL:RASAL CD035
PRIS:9.99
DYDDIAD RHYDDHAU:DYDD LLUN, 29ainO ORFFENNAF Ar gael Iw rhag-archebu o fewn Sain yn awr!!!!

Yn l ar y Ffordd

Bydd Cymry penbaladr yn llawenhau dros yr haf wrth i bedwerydd albwm y grp gyrraedd y siopau - mae Yn l ar y ffordd yn gasgliad llawn hiwmor, direidi a gwallgofrwydd syn adrodd hynt a helynt cymeriadau unigryw cefn gwlad Cymru a straeon personol, emosiynol a doniol y pum aelod syn creu Gwibdaith Hen Frn.

Yn ddiweddar mae yna fynd a dod wedi digwydd yn aelodaeth y band - Paul Thomas a Robi Buckley wedi mynd a thri newydd, Ieuan Williamson, Gary Richardson a Justin Davies wedi dod i lenwir bwlch a dyma un or rhesymau tu cefn ir albwm newydd yma fel yr esbonia Phil.

Oedden nin awyddus i wneud albwm newydd i gadwr apl i fynd fel petai gan gadwn driw in steil unigryw ni. Ac maeYn l ar y Fforddyn barhad o steil yr albyms cynt gyda digonedd or hyn mae Gwibdaith yn ei wneud orau sef creu llinellau bachog, cofiadwy fel meicrowf maen amser rf,canu dychan tafod-yn-boch amDalcen Hefin Pritcharda hanes doniolBaly cymeriad hoffus orJungle Bookar teimlad braf o fradu amser ynWastio Awr.Ac wrth gwrshyn oll i gyfeiliantsain adnabyddus y grp, syn llwyddo i greu cyfuniad rhyfeddol o gerddoriaeth werinol, indi, roc gwerin, gwlad a bluegrass. Maer band wedi gwahodd cyfraniadau gan offerynwyr gwadd ar ambell i drac. Ceir cyfraniad ar y ffidil gan Jenn Williams ac Edwin Humphreys -aka Yr Arglwydd Snedly - ar y sacsoffon, corn, clarint ar tiwba ac mae Edwin wedi bod yn ffrind da ir band gan iddo gyfrannu ate Edwin yn ffrind dros y blynyddoedd gan ei fod wedi cyfrannu ar bob un or albyms erbyn hyn.

Ond er bodYn l ar y Fforddyn glynu yn reit glos at steil yr albyms cynt mae aelodaeth newydd y band wedi dod a naws ychydig bach yn wahanol i sn ar steil ac am y tro cyntaf ceir cn Saesneg gan Gary ar yr albwm sefMrs Wusyn deyrnged i George Formby a George Harrison. Fel yr eglura Phil eto mae yna amrywiaeth eang ar yr albwm, ac mi ydan ni wedi trio cadw at ein gwreiddiau o ran recordio yn steil ein halbwm cyntafCedors Hen Wrachond mae yna ganghennau newydd wedi tyfu ar y goeden a datblygiad amlwg iw glywed fel grp, esboniai Phil.

Tair blynedd ers rhyddau yr albwm ddiwethaf Llechan Wlybmaen braf cael cyhoeddi fod Gwibdaith yn bendantNl ar y Fforddac yn edrych ymlaen yn eiddgar at deithio agigioCymru yn ystod y misoedd nesaf a chyflwynor caneuon newydd fydd yn sicr yn dod a gwn i wynebu pawb.

9.99

9.99

NAFOW Tickets On Sale Now. Book Here! - See You In Toronto

AmeriCymru: Many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by AmeriCymru.Who are the Three Welsh Tenors? How and when did you start performing as a trio?

The Tenors: The three Welsh Tenors are Rhys Meirion, Aled Hall and Alun Rhys Jenkins without forgetting of course our wonderful orchestra Caradog Williams who has been with us from the very start.We first came together when our agency, Harlequin agency ltd, were approached by an organisation called 'Celtfest' who put on big extravaganza shows before Welsh rugby matches in Cardiff.The three of us being solo artists with the same agent were then asked whether we'd be interested to put a set of around half an hour together before the Wales v New Zealand game in November 2009,and when we heard that there were some free tickets to the game involved we said YES and that was the start of The Three Welsh Tenors,just like that as Tommy Cooper would say.We went down a storm with all the favourites being pumped out like Delila,Calon Lan ,O sole mio,nessun dorma and so on and after we finished ,everyone from organisers to bar staff said "this is too good for a one off boys,you should really carry on as a trio " and lo and behold nearly 4 years down the line ,here we are still going strong and miraculously still talking to each other.

AmeriCymru: How would you describe your repertoire?

The Tenors: Our repertoire is pretty varied to say the least,which is important,a little something for everyone .Of course there's Opera in there because the three of us are Operatic solo performers first and foremost ,like I said earlier Nessun Dorma,O sole mio,Largo al Factotum for example,then there are the Welsh Hymns and rugby songs, Rodgers and Hammerstein favourites and also we've been so lucky to have composer friends of ours (Caradog being one of them) compose new material for us and so the repertoire keeps growing and growing to be honest.

AmeriCymru: This is your first visit to Canada but you were in the US last year. Care to tell us more about your trip to L.A. and Seattle?

The Tenors: We are so looking forward to singing in Toronto because this will be our first visit to Canada.We were very fortunate last year to be invited to sing in LA and Seattle,and boy what a great trip that wad.A Welsh TV company came with us to record the trip which was shown on S4C for all our Welsh public to see what we got up to out there , well ( not EVERYTHING obviously )We had a ball we must say,the welcome was out of this world in both places and we've been invited back to Seattle again which is something that 's on the cards to be sorted out and we'd like to thank everyone who made our trip such a memorable one.

The Tenors: We've been so lucky and very busy over the last four years with so many various performing venues and experiences from Proms in the park concerts ,singing before rugby and football matches,appearing at beautiful Cathedrals,numerous TV appearances including our own 'audience with' programme for S4C,BBC Friday night is music night and of course the launching of our First album in 2011 with Sain records has to be one of the Highlights so far .We launched it at the National Eisteddfod ,and what a week it was.We sang at the opening concert ,which was fabulous for us and then stayed up all week to promote the album singing here there and everywhere around the Maes and without doubt it's up there with one of the highlights so far,and sales of the album have been amazing which is most probably why we were asked to record a second album which we're glad to say we've just finished recording.

AmeriCymru: Care to tell us a little about your debut album The Three Welsh Tenors released in 2011?

The Tenors: We're so excited to be able to say that there's another album in the bag which will be launched at Christmas time this year.Again,it's a mixed bag of rep from opera ,old Welsh favourites,shows toppers and again some new compositions a d hopefully it will be as popular as our debut album.

AmeriCymru: What will you be performing at the NAFOW show? Any sneak previews?

The Tenors: Now then,as far as what we'll be performing at NAFOW this year is a HUGE secret , only joking , you have a pretty good idea I think and without naming specific songs and so on let's just say We promise you a good good time and be prepared to SING ALONG guys.

AmeriCymru: What's next for the the Three Welsh Tenors? Any new recordings or performances coming up?

The Tenors: When we return from Toronto we are going to be very busy with concert,radio and TV work and of course the launch of our 2nd Album which we're very excited about with a mini tour in the pipeline to promote it before Christmas (lovely stocking filler this Xmas remember) so. plenty on our plates, as well as our solo careers as well .

AmeriCymru: Do you have any final comments for the attendees and organisers of the North American Festival of Wales?

The Tenors: Just a word of WARNING to all in Toronto,I hope you're READY for the Three Welsh Tenors LOOK OUT when the boys are on tour . Looking forward soooooooo much to meeting you all and we Promise a GREAT time will be had by ALL .

Diolch I chi gyd ,a gweld chi'n fuan.
Thank you to you all and see you soon

Rhys, Aled and AlunThe Three Welsh Tenors

NAFOW Tickets On Sale Now. Book Here! - See You In Toronto

Click here for details of my latest exhibition at the beautiful Aberglasney Gardens.

I'm feeling a bit "down" at the moment because I've just been told that teenagers don't read any more, so there was no point in writing the three teenage novels (including the sequel to last year's Tir na n-Og Award winning "Full Moon") wot I rote. I'm also feeling a bit "up" because I've embarked on a new novel for pre-teens which is up and running with a vengeance. I started with an idea, but the character has (as usual) gone his own way and (as usual) set off running in directions I never intended him to take. I've had to put "Silver Fox 3 ~ The Long Amen" on a back burner temporarily because of it. I hadn't intended to write a third part, but considerable pleading by various people has prodded me into finding the ending of the Glyndwr story. I'll go back to that when I've finished my current project.

Why aren't there more hours in the day? However, the sun is shining, the birds are tweetin', and life is pretty good on the whole.

John de Braose (c.1198 – 18 July 1232) known as Tadody to the Welsh, was the Lord of Bramber and Gower and son in law of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth. 

John's father William de Braose 4th Lord of Bramber was a court favourite of King John of England and a major landowner in Wales. At one time, he was Lord of Gower, Abergavenny, Brecknock, Builth, Radnor, Kington,and Glamorgan. After having invited local Welsh leaders to a Christmas feast at Abergavenny Castle, William had them murdered, which resulted in great hostility against him among the Welsh, who there after called him the "Ogre of Abergavenny"

However William had fallen out of favour with King John after forging an alliance with Llywelyn ap Iorwerth and had all his lands siezed by the king. John's mother, Maud de St. Valery and brother (also William) were then walled alive and starved to death in Corfe Castle in Dorset, on the king's orders.  John, after initially hiding on the Gower with his younger brother Phillip, was imprisoned in 1214, but was released in 1218, following the death of John in 1216. 

In 1219 he married Margaret Ferch Llywelyn, daughter of Llywelyn ap Iorwerth and on the death of his uncle Reginald de Braose, inherited the lordship of Gower. Sometime in the 1220s, he established the deer park, Parc le Breos in the Gower Peninsula. In 1232 John was killed in a fall from his horse on his land in Bramber, Sussex aged 34.

Welsh Heraldry   

At the time of the Norman conquest of England in 1066, the knights carried shields, but there appears to have been no system of hereditary coats of arms.  During the twelfth century family crests started to be worn on shields and tabards (short coat, giving rise to the name ‘coat of arms’), as a form of identification in battle.  Then in the 13th century, coats of arms using heraldic symbols became established as a kind of flag or logo for higher class families in Europe, from which the Welsh princes of Wales took their example but after 1282 and Edward I's subjugation of Wales, control of these came under the control of the Englsh King.

 The High Court of Chivalry came into existence in about 1350 and in 1484, the College of Arms was incorporated to administer the system and flourished during the rule of Henry VIII and on 18th July 1555under a new charter, Queen Mary I granted the College a new house called Derby Place which had thirty-two rooms.  This College, however, recognised the special character of Welsh heraldry by appointing local men as deputy heralds, such as Gruffydd Hiraethog and Lewis Dwnn in the sixteenth century, and David Edwardes, Griffith Hughes and Hugh Thomas in the seventeenth.

Few families can establish their descent through more numerous stocks of historic distinction, than the Hughes of Gwerclas (pictured), which gives us a broad overview of Welsh heraldry and shows allegiances to both people and to Kingdoms within Wales.  The coats of arms shown from top left are, Kingdom of Powys Fadog, Cilin ap y Blaidd Rhudd (Lord of Gest), Kingdom of Powys, Cadwgan ap Elystan Glodrydd, Elystan Glodrydd, Tudor Trevor (Lord of Hereford), the Kingdom of Powys Fadog, Howel ap Meurig (Lord of Nannau), Roger of Bryntangor, Tudor ap Griffith Vychan (Lord of Gwyddelwern), Kingdom of Deheubarth, Philip ap Ivor (Lord of Iscord), Kingdom of Gwynedd, Owain I ap Gruffydd, Gruffydd ap Cynan, Edwin of Tegeingl

Some of the symbols used and their significance;

*  Dragon - Alchemy, the elements, eternal change, discovery of hidden treasures and the protector of all you possess.

*  Crescent moon - Said to signify one who has been enlightened and honoured by the gracious aspect of his sovereign; also a symbol of 'hope and greater glory'. 

*  Lion - Emblem of majesty, strength, and justice, military might and courage

*  Fox - Signifies one who will use all that he may possess of wisdom and wit in his own defence, and denotes one of strategic talents and fertility of resources.

*  Eagle - Signifies a person of action, occupied in high and weighty affairs; one of lofty spirit; also symbolizes courage, freedom, and immortality

*  Boars Head - Strength, courage, and ferocity

*  Raven - Symbol of initiation, protection, and prophecy.

Some of the colours used and their significance;

*  Or (Gold) - Generosity and elevation of the mind

*  Argent (White/Silver) - Peace and sincerity

*  Gules (Red) - Warrior or martyr; Military strength and magnanimity

*  Azure (Blue) - Truth and loyalty

*  Vert (Green) - Hope, joy, and loyalty in love

*  Sable (Black) - Constancy or grief

*  Purpure (Purple) - Royal majesty, and justice

*  Tenne (Orange) - Worthy ambition

Some of the consequences for Wales, of Henry VIII's split with Rome; 

On this day in 1536 Henry VIII declared papal authority void in England and elevated himself as king, to the status of supreme head of the Church of England. He took this unprecedented step so that he could divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Ann Boleyn, a decision that would culminate in England and Wales leaving the Catholic Church.

*  The dispute took place during the Protestant Reformation in Europe. Although Henry did not become a Protestant, his actions and policies facilitated the establishment of the Protestant religion.

*  The Monasteries that Henry was to close were already in decline. By 1536, the 13 Cistercian houses of Wales had only 85 monks in total, with some of the establishments having a very dubious reputation, so their closure caused very little protest. 

*  Most of the monasteries fell into ruin, while the Benedictine abbey churches survived as parish churches.

* Welsh gentry bought up the old lands of the monasteries after the Dissolution; for example the Mansel family, who gained possession of Margam Abbey and the Somerset family of Raglan who gained property at Tintern . However, they felt restricted by Welsh property law, which dated back to the tenth century. Consequently they petitioned for the right to literally become 'English' and be governed by English law. This eventually led to the Acts of Union of 1536 and 1542, where Wales was incorporated into England.

*  As the Protestant Reformation progressed in Wales and England under the Tudor dynasty, one poet's response was to label the new order 'ffydd Saeson' - 'faith of Saxons', and there was a strong feeling that the Welsh were being forced to abandon the old religion due to English demands.

*  A number of Welsh Catholics were martyred, although many embraced their fate with equanimity. The Welsh priest Edward Morgan was reproached by a minister on the scaffold at Tyburn for being too optimistic of his prospective glory in heaven.

*  There were Catholics who passively resisted the changes by staying away from the new church services, and legislation was passed which punished these non-attenders or 'Recusants' as they were called.  They faced fines for non-attendance at church services as well as incurring suspicion.

*  Most Welsh people seemed to have accepted these changes, although they probably mourned the banning of colourful religious events like pilgrimages under the new regime.

*  Henry's successor was the young King Edward VI, who was a zealous Protestant and occupied the throne from 1547 to 1553. During his reign, the mass was replaced with the communion service, a firm rejection of Catholicism. The marriage of clerics was now permitted.  In 1549, the Book of Common Prayer was published and an even more Protestant version was adopted in 1553.  In 1551, the scholar William Salesbury published a Welsh translation of the main texts of the Prayer Book.

*  Mary I occupied the throne from 1553 to 1558. She was a fervent Catholic and returned her kingdom to the papacy. She sent 300 citizens to the stake to be burnt as heretics. Among these were several from Wales, including the Bishop of St. Davids.

*  It was the translating of the Bible into Welsh during Elizabeth I's reign which resulted in the eventual transformation of the Welsh into a Protestant people.  

The Festival of Britain was a national exhibition held throughout the United Kingdom in the summer of 1951.  It was a government instigated event intended to give the people of Britain a feeling of uplift after the Second World War with its heavy toll of bombings and rationing. The Festival showcased the best that the nation had to offer, from art and science exhibitions to new architectural concepts and designs. 

Some of the events organised in Wales;
*  The Festival of Britain Welsh Industrial Fair, which ran from 4th July to 18th July 1951
*  Wales submitted  Paul Dickson's film David as its screen representative for the Festival. 
*  Pageant of Wales, Cardiff
*  St Fagan's Folk Festival, Cardiff
*  Welsh Hillside Farm Scheme, Dolhendre
*  The Swansea Festival of  Music
*  The St David's Festival of Music and Worship
*  The international Eisteddfod at Llangollen
* The Royal National Eisteddfod in Llanrwst

Born this day 1970 in Haverfordwest

Gruff Rhys  musician and vocalist with the band Super Furry Animals.

18th July  1889 - Opening of the first dock basin at Barry.

By 1871 the population of Barry was approximately 100, with only 21 buildings. It was largely an agricultural community. Its rapid growth was the result of it being developed as a coal port in the 1880s. The coal trade was growing so rapidly that the facilities at Cardiff's Tiger Bay could not cope, so a coalition  of mine owners formed the Barry Railway Company and elected to build a new dockyard at Barry.

Work began in 1884, and the initial dock basin was operational in 1889, soon followed by two other docks and port infrastructure. The Barry Railway transported coal from the western South Wales Valleys to the new docks, where trade flourished. A million tons were shipped in the first year, and in excess of nine million tons by 1903. The port was packed with ships and supported ship repair yards, flour mills, cold stores, and an ice factory. By 1913, Barry was the world's largest coal exporting town. Alongside the docks, the terraced houses of Barry were built, which, with Cadoxton, formed a substantial town. The railways, which had played a major part in the development of the dock,  also did a great deal to make Barry Island a popular resort.

The Cardiff Riots of 1911.

July 18th 1911 saw rioting and strikes in Cardiff, as the Great Unrest swept across South Wales.

The disturbances were the results initally of the shipowners failure to recognise the Seamen's union but soon spread among dockers and other workers.  On the 19th July a warehouse on the docks was set alight and when fire workers turned the hoses on the strikers, they retaliated by pelting stones at the firemen.  Elsewhere Chinese laundries were targeted, with all 30 within the city wrecked.  Five hundred Lancashire Fusiliers and 350 Metropolitan constabulary were deployed to assist in maintaining order and during repeated baton charges, 30 people including several police were seriously injured.

During the summer, the discontent spread, culminating with copper workers in Swansea by October, but it also took in railway workers in Llanelli and colliers in the Valleys.  Virtually no sector of Welsh society was untouched.

Hello Pobl, ers talwm! / Welcome back people!

It's been a while, as you might of noticed and we wanted to update you all with what's happening in SFA land.

Cian's follow up to 'Outside In' is due for release Sep 23rd and is called 'They are nothing without Us' . Please come to

www.pledgemusic.com/projects/cianciaran for more info.

follow: @cianciaran

Gulp are releasing their new single Play on July 29th and are playing gigs over the summer.

info: http://gulpgulp.co.uk/

follow: @gulpworld

Daf's new project, The Earth , will release their debut album on September 30th, titled OFF/ON 1, releasedon strangetown-records. For further news and information visit www.theearthearthearth.com or follow on twitter

@theearthband

Follow Gruff's gradually emerging American Interior project on americaninterior.tumblr.com

There's also a new Neon Neon album called Praxis Makes Perfect out on Lex records, you can find it here: http://lexprojects.com/releases/neon-neon-praxis-makes-perfect/

And finally Bunf is continuing work on his eagerly anticipated LP whilst still working on collaborative projects ,

https://soundcloud.com/the-pale-blue-dots

For future reference you can get up to date updates here;

https://twitter.com/superfurry

and here

https://www.facebook.com/superfurryanimals.sfa

Isod mae hanes diweddaraf aelodau'r SFA. Gan ystyried nad ydym wedi cysylltu ers tipyn, gobeithio i fod dal o diddordeb! Er gwybodaeth mae modd dilyn SFA yma hefyd, https://twitter.com/superfurry a https://www.facebook.com/superfurryanimals.sfa

Mae record hir newydd Cian - 'They are nothing without Us' , yn dod allan Medi 23ain.

Os am fwy o fanyloion cliciwch yma: www.pledgemusic.com/projects/cianciaran

dilynwch: @cianciaran

Mae Gulp am rhyddhau eu sengl newydd Play ar 29ain o Orffennaf ac yn chwarae gigs dros yr Haf. Am fwy o fanylion ymwelwch: http://gulpgulp.co.uk/ dilynwch: @gulpworld

Bydd prosiect newydd Daf , The Earth , yn rhyddhau eu album cyntaf or enw OFF/ON 1 ar Fedi'r 30ed drwy strangetown-records. Am fwy o fanylion ymwelwch www.theearthearthearth.com a dilynwch @theearthband

Dilynwch brosiect hir dymor Gruff , American Interior yma:

americaninterior.tumblr.com

Record hir newydd Neon Neon ar gael yma:

http://lexprojects.com/releases/neon-neon-praxis-makes-perfect/

Ac yn olaf mae Bunf yn gweithio ar i LP newydd ymysg prosiectau eraill.

https://soundcloud.com/the-pale-blue-dots

Diolch eto am eich cefnogaeth ! / Thanks again for your continued support !

P arch! / Respect!

SFA ok .

In this interview ( soundcloud file above, click to play ) Welsh hill farmer and media superstar Gareth Wyn Jones talks about his life as a farmer and promoting Wales and Welsh tourism with particular reference to to the Celticos Welsh Hill Farming experience. New series featuring Gareth coming up on the BBC next year!

Check out the Welsh Hill Farming Experience

Follow Gareth on Twitter here!

More From Gareth on Youtube Here

On this day 1764 the immigrant ship "Vine" carrying Welsh Quakers from Merionethshire and bound for the Welsh Tract arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

The Welsh Tract of Pensylvania;

The period following the restoration of Charles II  to the English throne in 1660 saw the implementation  of religious intolerances which inhibited the rights of several groups, including Quakers, to worship in their chosen fashion. Large numbers of people, in some cases whole communities, elected to leave Wales in order to avoid persecution. In the Court of Great Sessions in Bala, North Wales, threats were made against the lives of Quakers, impelling the society of Welsh Quakers to acquire land from William Penn. This was known as The Welsh Tract, comprising an area of approximately 40,000 acres in and around what is now known as Pennsylvania.  

They began emigrating there in 1682. The first Welsh colony, Cambria, was in western Pennsylvania, and became an area in which the Welsh language, Welsh culture and Welsh religion was conducted in a community with a distinct Welsh identity. It was first established by Morgan John Rhys from Glamorgan, who was a Baptist minister. Many towns in the area still carry Welsh names; places such as Radnor, Haverford Township, Lower Merion, Upper Merion and Bala Cynwyd. Despite the disappointment of the settlers, the original name of the colony was changed. Penn tried to explain the change by writing the following;

"This day, my country was confirmed to me under the great seal of England, with privileges, by the name of Pennsylvania, a name the King would give it in honor of my father. I chose New Wales, being as this, a pretty, hilly country, but Penn being Welsh for head as in Penmanmoire (sic), in Wales, and Penrith, in Cumberland, and Penn, in Buckinghamshire . . . called this Pennsylvania, which is the high or head woodlands; for I proposed, when the secretary, a Welshman, refused to have it called New Wales, Sylvania and they added Penn to it, and though I opposed it and went to the King to have it struck out and altered he said it was past . . nor could twenty guineas move the under-secretary to vary the name"

Thus Pennsylvania was named after the Welsh word for head and not, as is usually supposed, after William Penn himself, although Penn in this regard could be accused of duplicity.The Welsh Society of Philadelphia, which was begun in 1729, is the oldest society of its kind in the United States and it is still very active. Pennsylvania has  provided many people of distinction who have made their influence felt in politics, in the justice system, and in agriculture, as well as in the manufacture of iron and steel.  

17th July 1936 saw the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, an event which stirred emotion throughout Europe, no more so than in the village of Abercrave in the Swansea valley.  Abercrave was home to a community of Basques, who had fled the mining districts around Bilbao in Northern Spain in 1907 to look for work and to escape tyranny and persecution.  Over three decades they retained their national identity, language and customs, building permanent homes which to this day are known locally as Spanish Row. They had nevertheless assimilated with the Welsh community and were highly respected as craftsmen in the mining and steel works in the area.  At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, the men of the entire  Basque community of Abercrave volunteered to join the International Brigade opposing the fascism of Franco, with many Welsh miners following suit.  Despite the British Government enforcing a complete ban on enlistment in Spain, the flow of volunteers continued.  It is estimated that up to 200 volunteers were from Wales; most from the mining areas and coal ports of the South. 

The song entitled 'If you tolerate this, your children will be next' by Welsh band  The Manic Street Preachers was inspired by the events of the Spanish Civil War.  The song is a tribute to the Welsh volunteers who joined the International Brigades to combat Francisco Franco's rebellion against the Spanish Republic. The song title echoes a Republican poster of the time, which depicts  a young child killed by the Nationalists under a sky filled with bombers. The poster carries the haunting  warning "If you tolerate this, your children will be next"   

Born on 17th July  1939 in Bon Y Maen, Swansea.

Spencer Davies - musician and founder of the 1960s rock band, The Spencer Davis Group.  Their best known songs include  "Somebody Help Me", "Keep on Running", "I'm a Man" and "Gimme Some Lovin"

  On this day, 2003 weapons expert David Kelly died at  Harrowdown Hill, Longworth, Oxfordshire.

 He appears to have gone directly to an area of woodlands known as Harrowdown Hill about a mile away from his home where he ingested up to 29 tablets of painkillers and to have then cut his left wrist with a knife he had owned since his youth.  His wife reported him missing shortly after midnight that night, and he was found early the next morning.

David Kelly was born in the Rhondda on 14 May 1944. He was a scientist and an acknowledged expert on biological warfare. He had been employed by the British Ministry of Defence and was a former United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq. He drew attention in July 2003 when he engaged in an unauthorised discussion  with BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan about the British government's information regarding 'weapons of mass destruction in Iraq' The conversation was revealed by Gilligan and led to a much-publicised controversy. Kelly's name was cited in the media as Gilligan's source, and on July 15th, he consequently appeared  before the parliamentary foreign affairs select committee investigating the issues outlined in Gilligan's report and was questioned  about his actions. His body was discovered two days later.

The Hutton Inquiry was set up, a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death, which concluded that Kelly had committed suicide, a verdict that was challenged by many doctors, encouraging a conspiracy theory which implied that Dr Kelly had been silenced before further revelations on his behalf could embarrass the Government.  

On 17th July 2010, the Welsh language was used for the first time in a ceremony at Westminster Cathedral to honour the martyred saint John Roberts.

Dr Rowan Williams, who was Archbishop of Canterbury at that time, addressed the assembly in both Welsh and English.  The ceremony was part of a cluster of events to commemorate the 400th anniversary of John Roberts' martyrdom.  Roberts was a monk from Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd who was hanged, drawn and quartered in 1610 for being a Catholic dissenter, but was later canonised by Pope Paul VI in 1970.  The service in Westminster Cathedral was multi-faith and was attended by the leaders of all churches in Wales, along with the archbishops and bishops of Wales. There were also representatives from Douai in France where St John Roberts founded the monastery of St Gregory.   

On 17th July 1951 the Abbey Works steel plant at Margam, Port Talbot was opened. It is named after theCistercian Margam Abbey that used to be on the site - a small amount of the original building still stands (protected) within the site that survived the dissolution of the monasteries. Steelmaking at the Port Talbot complex began with the Margam Iron and Steel Works, completed between 1923 and 1926 and closed in 1953. After the Second World War, a group of south Wales steelmakers formed the Steel Company of Wales to erect a modern integrated steelmaking site using and subsequently the new Abbey Works was planned in 1947, was open in 1951 and was operating at full strength by 1953.

By the 1960s, the steelworks were the largest in Europe and the largest single employer in Wales, with a labour force of 18,000. In 1967, the company was nationalised and became a part of British Steel. By 2000, following privatisation, the works was part of Corus and then in 2010 it was announced that Corus was to be rebranded to the group name of Tata Steel.   

AmeriCymru spoke to Lyn Anthony, Secretary of the Pontarddulais Male Voice Choir about their forthcoming visit to Toronto to perform at the North American Festival Of Wales .

AmeriCymru: Many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by AmeriCymru. The Choir will be performing at the 2013 North American Festival of Wales in Toronto, Canada. Can you tell us how this came about? Have you performed in Canada before?

Lyn: The invite to perform at the N orth American Festival of Wales (NAFOW) came directly from their president Mr Hywel Davies who now resides in America. Hywel is a descendant of our area and actually was a member of our choir many years ago. He actually assisted in organising our last tour to the USA when we visited Washington DC.

We were honoured to have been asked to perform at this prestigious event and gladly accepted the invite.

Our Musical Director Clive Phillips will also be conducting the Gymanfa (Music Festival) on the Sunday .

We have visited Canada previously on tours the last being in 1996 when we toured British Columbia from Calgary to Vancouver. Previous visits to Toronto and Ontario were in 1973 and 1977. No doubt we will see a big difference in the cities from that time.

AmeriCymru: When was the choir founded? Can you tell us something about its history?

Lyn: In 1960, under the leadership of the late Noel Davies M.B.E. the Pontarddulais Youth Choir had been successfully competing in youth Eisteddfodau. Suddenly they were too old for the youth competitions! The desire of the young men to continue as a choir was strong and so the Pontarddulais Male Choir was born.

At that time, as to this day, there were several established and distinguished choirs in a relatively small area.

The decision to step into the hotbed of male choral singing was therefore a momentous and courageous decision.

The Choir was formed in 1960 under the late Noel Davies MBE, who remained its conductor until 2002 when the now conductor Mr Clive Phillips took over. Clive had been the choirs accompanist for twelve years previously.

During this time the choir has asserted itself as a most credited ambassador of Welsh male voice singing. The choir has achieved prominence through a record fifteen first place at the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales and two first places at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod. In 2004 the choir achieved the double by winning the male choir competition at both Llangollen and the Newport National Eisteddfod. At Newport the choir were awarded the prestigious title Choir of the Festival and in the adjudication Brian Hughes (Adjudicator) said,

Their mastery of choral technique is sure and their imagination at all ti mes on fire. This is the best singing of male choirs I have heard for many years.

At Cardiff National Eisteddfod 2008 they achieved their fifteenth win. This was the fourteenth successive win for the choir.

Whilst the number of Choristers has fluctuated over the years we have always maintained a number in excess of 100. On this particular tour the choir will be nearly 60 in number as unfortunately due to the timing it was difficult for several members to be able to travel with us.

AmeriCymru: Where in Wales is Pontarddulais? Would you describe the area a little for our American and Canadian readers

Lyn: Pontarddulais is located on the Mid South Coast of Wales 9 miles West of Swansea6 miles north east of Llanelli just to the North of the Famous beautiful Gower peninsula and Coast.

The name Pontarddulais translates as the Bridge on the Black river. Presumably this came about during the early days when coal mining and tinplate works were the main industries of the area and the river often ran black in colour from the mines high on the mountains above the village.

Nowadays there are no more working coal mines and coal tips but beautiful green mountains and each of the 6 Tinplate works which in their early days between 1872 and 1910 were some of the main tinplate providers to several parts of the world.

This period saw the transformation in population for the Town which grew from 1200 to 10,000 .

Later the opening of two large Modern tinplate factories outside of the area at Trostre and Felindre forced the eventual closure of all the tinplate works where mostly modern housing estates now occupy the sites.

The current population is approximately 16,000 with main employment being outside of the Town boundaries.

There is a very strong community spirit in the Town with music very high on the agenda.

Apart from the Pontarddulais Male Choir there are several other choirs and a Town Band all of whom have achieved their own distinctions in the music world. Sport is also very popular with thriving Rugby teams, Football and Cricket teams.

The Tenor Dennis ONeil was born and raised in the Town, the choir recently performed at his 60 ^th Birthday party Concert with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and a host of other famous singers.

Welsh is widely spoken with a very popular Welsh Primary school and local Comprehensive schools (High Schools) who teach through the medium of Welsh.

The first Welsh dictionary was published by John Walters (17211797) He was a Welsh cleric from Llanedi a village overlooking Pontarddulais. He was a noted lexicographer , publishing An EnglishWelsh Dictionary in fifteen parts (1770 to 1794).

There are websites with photographic collections of the town. http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2733641

AmeriCymru: The choir has a particularly distinguished record at the National Eisteddfod. Care to tell us more?

Lyn: The choir a re by no doubt the most successful competitive Male choir in Wales with a record 15 wins at the National Eisteddfod the last 14 being successive.

They have also won twice at the prestigious Llangollen International Eisteddfod.

The Choir have always supported the Eisteddfodau in Wales which is a fantastic Music Festival our website will provide the full list of or winnings on which our reputation has been based and although it is a demanding schedule to prepare the choir for competition we have always risen to the challenge and hope to compete again in the near future.

In the world of Male choir its like going to the National football finals and singing at your very best. As Noel Davies would say and we maintain that ethos Its not Good unless its perfect

AmeriCymru: What is your repertoire? Is there a particular piece that you all enjoy performing more than others? Do you have a signature piece or one that's more often requested by audiences?

Lyn: I suppose our Repertoire encompasses Welsh folk songs, traditional hym n tunes, operatic choruses, Negro spirituals, light music from the shows as well as unaccompanied songs.

I dont think we have a particular signature piece I suppose a lot depends on the venue of our performance and the type of audience before us where we can adjust quite quickly.

One of the most requested songs probably is the Welsh Folk Love Song Myfanwy particularly Welsh Patriots living abroad.

The Lyrics of Myfanwy

Paham mae dicter, O Myfanwy,
Yn llenwi'th lygaid duon di?
A'th ruddiau tirion, O Myfanwy,
Heb wrido wrth fy ngweled i?
Pa le mae'r wn oedd ar dy wefus
Fu'n cynnau 'nghariad ffyddlon ffl?
Pa le mae sain dy eiriau melys,
Fu'n denu'n nghalon ar dy l?

Myfanwy boed yr holl o'th fywyd
Dan heulwen ddisglair canol dydd.
A boed i rosyn gwridog iechyd
I ddawnsio ganmlwydd ar dy rudd.
Anghofia'r oll o'th addewidion
A wnest i rywun, 'ngeneth ddel,
A dyro'th law, Myfanwy dirion
I ddim ond dweud y gair "Ffarwl".

I cant promise this will be sung during our concert

AmeriCymru: What is a typical year's tour schedule for your choir? What kind of events do you typically perform at?

Lyn: On average the choir will perform at about 12 concerts per year. The venues can vary from Large Cathedrals such as Lincoln to small Church or village halls to large concert halls of over 1000 capacity.

We have performed outside but unfortunately the British (Particularly Welsh weather Climate) often plays a part and performances are cancelled.

As a rule we normally only perform at venues where there is a particular fundraising event taking place, over the years I have no doubt we have helped raise hundreds of thousands of pounds possibly Millions for various charitable organisations. This we are very proud of. We only seek to recover our expenses and not make large profits on performances.

All Travel depends on engagements accepted as you will see from our website we have travelled extensively oversees but as the choir generally gets older and costs spiral these have been curtailed of late but we often travel long distances and stay overnight which is a good social side of the choir.

AmeriCymru: How often do you rehearse? Could you describe a typical rehearsal session for our readers?

Lyn: The choir always rehears twice weekly on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 7pm till 9pm. We average about 80-90 choristers at each rehearsal.

During rehearsal we will perform songs that are in our repertoire to keep on top of them and learn new music. We learn by Sol-fa thats the old d r m f s l t d for the none music readers.

I think Julie Andrews stole this from Male Choirs when they filmed the sound of music and made a song of it !!

Once we perfect the music we then add the lyrics. This is an excellent way of learning for someone who doesnt read music.

A lot of people say thats an old fashioned way of learning, but then we say Well thats how we win competitions !

AmeriCymru: You have recorded a great many albums over the years. What so far has been the highlight/s of your recording career?

Lyn: the years we have recorded many albums and these have been very successful, We have performed many times on Television and Radio including recently the BBC 2 World Armistice Day Service where we sang live on BBC Radio 2 to the World from our own St Michaels Church where the service was conducted.

I suppose one of the most memorable recordings was with Pink Floyd on their Album The Wall and later with Roger Waters on his hit Album The Tide is Turning. We also performed on the accompanying film to this album where we all dressed up as miners emerging from a Coal mine all blackened up singing.

We will have some of our latest Cds for sale at the Festival. If you like our performances why not take one home?

AmeriCymru: You'll be in Toronto this year but what's next for the Pontarddulais Male Voice Choir. Any new recordings or tours in the pipeline?

Lyn: Our Calendar is quite full for the next year we have no tours planned as yet but we always keep our options open. Our biggest problem probably has to be refusing concerts as we are already engaged. Normally we can accommodate probably for the following year.

With the National Eisteddfod appearing quite close to us next year I suspect we might rise to the occasion and see if we can improve on that winning streak.

AmeriCymru: Do you have any final comments for the attendees and organisers of the North American Festival of Wales?

Lyn: I can only repeat how honoured we are in being asked to attend this event and how excited we are.

We know how hard it is to organise such an event and we would like to thank all those concerned for their enthusiasm and assistance in making this event possible for us.

The petition can be found here. Diolch :-

http://www.change.org/petitions/cyngor-dinas-casnewydd-newport-city-council-addysg-uwchardd-gymraeg-erbyn-2016-welsh-medium-education-by-2016?utm_campaign=new_signature&utm_medium=email&utm_source=signature_receipt#share