Blogs

The Cross of Neith was a sacred relic taken from the home of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd at Aberconwy by Edward I, following the death of Llywelyn and the subsequent subjugation of Wales.  In May 1285, it was paraded through London at the head of a Royal Procession.

The Cross of Neith ( Y Groes Naid ) was believed to be a fragment of the True Cross which is thought to have been brought back from Rome by Hywel Dda around 928, following his pilgrimage and handed down from prince to prince.

It is thought to have been later destroyed during the Puritan revolution of 1649.  

Born this day 1739 in Kilkenny Castle, Ireland

Eleanor Charlotte Butler , who with her friend Sarah Ponsonby, beame known as the Ladies of Llangollen, two upper-class women from Ireland, whose relationship scandalised and fascinated their contemporaries and were described as "the two most celebrated virgins in Europe".

Rather than face the possibility of being forced into unwanted marriages, they left Ireland, for Llangollen in 1778 and although the ladies wanted to live a quiet life, reading, writing, drawing and gardening, it was a sensation in the 18th century for unmarried ladies to live together independently and they became celebrities and would often entertain up to 20 visitors per day.

However, probably because of their aristocratic backgrounds, they insisted on maintaining a household that consisted of a footman, a gardener and maids, which incurred them considerable debts and led to Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, persuaded her husband to grant them a pension.

Their home, Plas Newydd is now a museum and a major tourist attraction.   

On this day 1963 MI5 agent, Welshman Greville Wynne was found guilty by a Moscow tribunal of spying for the West , he was sentenced to  three years in prison and five in a labour camp, his co-accused, 43-year-old Soviet official Oleg Penkovsky, was given the death sentence and executed by firing squad one week after the trial.   this came at the height of the Cold War when relations between the superpowers were particularly strained.

Wynne, from Ystrad Mynach, had acted as a go-between passing on "information about Soviet rockets" provided for him by Penkovsky during secret meetings in London, Paris and Moscow and 17 months into his sentence, he was exchanged for Soviet spy Gordon Lonsdale.  On his release, Wynne was in a poor state of health. He had lost a lot of weight and doctors said his time in prison had left him "emotionally and mentally exhausted".  Wynne went on to writee about his time as a spy in a book entitled The Man from Odessa, which was one of the early examples of a book being published about secret work that the government never expected to be made public.  

Born this day 1880 in Llandinham, Montgomeryshire

David Davies, 1st Baron  Davies  politician, the grandson of the industrialist, David Davies "Llandinham".

Davies was a Liberal MP and an active supporter of the League of nations.  In 1932, he was instrumental in the establisment of the New Commonwealth Society for ‘the promotion of international law and order’ and his ideas had an impact on the writing of the UN Charter. 

Here's Ceri posing with the book, it was great to get to hold it in my hand after all that work. Everyone's stories look fantastic in it, all the bios and pics. It was a blast doing this and I can't wait to do more.

If you haven't read it, you can get the ebook at Smashwords.com and the paperback at createspace.com and on amazon.com - Volume 1 has stories and poems by Mike Jenkins, Paul Steffan Jones and Saul Hughes, Lloyd Jones, Chris Keil, Phil Rowlands, Jude Johnson, Jean Mead, Glyn Scott, Thomas Morris, Gaynor Madoc Leonard and John Good, a lot of whom are members of this network!

All proceeds from sales of the book go to getting Welsh authors here for exposure at Wordstock and other events.

On 10th May 1837, 21 men and boys were killed  when the Plas yr Argoed colliery near Mold, flooded. Among those killed were the father and two brothers of the novelist Daniel Owen, who is generally regarded as the foremost Welsh-language novelist of the 19th century. 

On 10th May 1852 tragedy fell on the village of Pontyberem when the Gwendraeth Colliery flooded killing all 26 men and boys on the night shift. It is said that it took 18 months to recover the bodies.  

The village of Pontyberem, which is situated in the Gwendraeth Valley halfway between Carmarthen and Llanelli grew as the coal mining industry in the area developed during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.   There were four principal mines in the Pontyberem Area,  Pontyberem colliery, Pentremawr, Glynhebog and Gwendraeth colliery (Watney pit).  However, all of them are no coal mines operating in the Gwendraeth Valley, due to the subsequent demise of the coal industry.  

Born this day 1980 in Newbridge, near Caerphilly

Gavin Rees   professional boxer, nicknamed "The Rock".  In 2007, Rees shocked the boxing world by defeating Souleymane M'baye to become the WBA Light Welterweight World Champion. 

Born this day 1934 in Tredegar

Cliff Wilson - World Amateur Snooker champion 1978

Wilson is fondly remembered as one of snooker's great characters, with his dashing play, booming laugh and wheezing cough. While many of his contemporaries were locked into defensive mindsets, Wilson was an attacking player who delighted crowds with his stunning long pots, his popular exhibitions went under the banner "You've never seen anything like it!"

Wilson was a talented youngster winning the Welsh Under 19 and Welsh Amateur titles, but became disillusioned with the game and gave up snooker completely for fifteen years, during which time he worked at the steelworks at Llanwern.  When the popularity of snooker rocketed in the 1970's, Wilson returned to the game and became World Amateur Snooker champion in 1978.  Despite worsening eyesight and back problems, Wilson turned professional  and at the age of 55, he reached 14th spot in the world rankings during the 1988-89 season.

Former professional Neal Foulds said of him " There was a guy called Cliff Wilson who was probably the best potter that I ever saw. He was a relatively old man with bad eyes and he used to pot balls all over the place"

Born this day 1872 in Bombay

Tom Pearson , former Wales rugby international and captain.  Pearson also represented Wales in squash, tennis, hockey and golf.  He was the youngest player to score a try for Wales until the record was overtaken by Tom Prydie in 2010 and he holds the record for the number of tries scored in a season for Cardiff with 40 tries.  During World War I he served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Field Artillery.  

Born this day 1877 in Morriston 

Will Joseph , former Wales rugby international, who was a member of the winning Welsh team who beat the 1905 All Blacks.  He was a prop forward who was described as a strong player in tight scrums and due to his height, excellent in line outs.

On 9th May 1956, the Gower Peninsula became the first area in Britain to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Tintern Abbey was founded on 9th May 1131 by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow.

Tintern Abbey is situated on the Welsh bank of the River Wye in the village of Tintern, Monmouthshire. It was the first Cistercian Abbey in Wales and only the second in Britain and was run by monks from L'Aumône, in the diocese of Blois in France. It also provided work for local people who provided it with services and worked on its agricultural land.

1326 King Edward II stayed at the Abbey for two nights.

1349 The Abbey was reported as being short of labour, as a result of the Black Death that swept the country.

1405 Abbey properties were destroyed by the Welsh during the uprising of Owain Glyndwr.

1536 Abbot Wyche surrendered Tintern Abbey and all its estates to King Henry VIII's representatives as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, with all valuables from the Abbey being sent Royal Treasury

1782 After the publication of the book Observations on the River Wye by the Reverend William Gilpin, it became fashionable to visit the wild picturesque Wye Valley and the Abbey, in particular, was regularly frequented by romantic tourists.

1798 William Wordsworth visited and composed his famous poem "Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey".

1822 An access road was opened through the valley, before which the Abbey was mostly only accessible by river.

1901 The Abbey was bought by the crown and recognised as a monument of national importance.

1914 Major structural repairs were undertaken.

1984 The Abbey was taken over by Cadw.

Born this day 1918 in Llangefni, Anglesey

Sir John "Kyffin" Williams - widely respected landscape painter.

Born this day 1849 in Rhosllannerchrugog

James Sauvage - World-renowned baritone singer, who became friendly with David Lloyd George, after performing a personal concert Lloyd George's mother, who was very ill and unable to attend Sauvage's concert at the National Eisteddfod.

Sauvage, who from at the age of nine had worked at a local colliery, left for America at eighteen to find work in the Ohio coalfields. He soon came to the attention of a touring Welsh concert party, who he joined and with whom, he toured the USA. When the party returned to Wales, Sauvage came with them and soon embarked on a successful solo career. He later returned and settled in the USA, where he became Professor of Singing at Vassar College in New York.

We are accepting registrations on an ongoing basis and hope to be adding extra hours soon.

Tonights classes are at 5pm ( Pacific ) Intermediate Level and 6pm ( Pacific ) Beginners Level

Here is the registration page:- http://americymru.net/page/how-to-enrol-for-the-americymraeg-online-welsh-course

In response to requests for clarification we are presenting the following notes on the post registration procedure:-

1. If you are on AmeriCymru check for an invite to the AmeriCymraeg course group. This is a private group so you will need an invite. You need to be a member of this group in order to ask course based questions and receive homework assignments. There is no need to rejoin AmeriCymru when you receive a group invite , just join the course group.

2. Make sure you have a Gmail and Google+ account for the weekly classes which are conducted on Hangouts. These only take a minute to sign up for and are completely free. Also check that you have a working mic and webcam as the course sessions are fully audio and video interactive. FINALLY make sure that you provide us with your Gmail address so we can invite you to the hangout. Post Gmail addresses on the course group comment wall.

This may sound like a lot but it only takes a few minutes to set everything up and we promise you it will be well worthwhile....Croeso i AmeriCymraeg

On this day 1648, the Battle of St Fagans occurred, during The English Civil War

In the build-up to this battle, a group of Parliamentarian generals led by Major General Rowland Laugharne were upset and dissatisfied with the lack of pay and had rebelled, changing sides and declaring loyalty to the king.  They had been successful in Neath and Swansea, before marching on Cardiff to meet up with Royalist sympathisers there.

Parliament was desperate to intercept them before they reached Cardiff and ordered colonel Thomas Horton to force march his troops march from Brecon. Horton duly arrived at St Fagans, to protect the western approach to Cardiff, but although he had superior numbers, estimated at 8,000 as opposed to Laugharne's  3,000 men, he also knew that  the bulk of his army were untrained amateur volunteers armed with clubs and billhooks and opposing him were the highly trained and equipped New Model Army.

Laugharne launched an all out surprise attack, but this was repelled by the Parliamentarians and the battle was effectively over within two hours.  Around 300 Royalists were killed, with over 3000 taken prisoner. Laugharne, accompanied by his senior officers fled to Pembroke Castle, where they were besieged for eight weeks, before Oliver Cromwell himself arrived and battered them into surrender.   

Died this day 1874

Zephaniah Williams - One of the three leaders of the Newport Rising of 1839.

Williams was born near Argoed, Sirhowy Valley in Monmouthshire. He became a coal miner, Master Collier and innkeeper and with the local Working Men's Association meeting at his home he soon emerged as a leader of the Chartist movement in South-East Wales and was one of the leaders of a large column of men who marched to the Westgate hotel in Newport during the Newport Rising of 1839, which some regard as the greatest armed rebellion in 19th century Britain.

Williams had a reputation as a political activist, having once been prosecuted at Usk in 1833 for blowing up a coal mine in a dispute with the mine owner.  He was also an atheist, who supposedly spat every time someone mentioned Christ.

 For his part in the Chartist march he was sentenced the following year to death by hanging, drawing and quartering, which was later commuted to transportation to Tasmania.  He was given a conditional pardon in 1854, but he decided to remain in Tasmania and brought out his wife and family. He later discovered coal on the island and made a considerable fortune founding the Tasmanian coal trade.  

On 8th May 1839, the popular chartist leader Henry Vincent was arrested after addressing a Chartist meeting and taken to prison at Monmouth. It was Vincent's subsequent imprisonment, combined with the government's rejection of the first Chartist petition, the "People's Charter of 1838", that led to the Newport Rising of 4th November 1839.  

On 8th May 2012, backing was given to construct the Pen y Cymoedd  76 turbine wind farm, the highest-generating onshore wind farm in Wales, located above the village of Glyncorrwg  in the Afan Valley.

Featured title on the Welsh American Bookstore:- 'The Hooligan's Table: The Rugby Player's Cookbook: How to Eat, Drink, Think and Entertain like a Rugby Player' From American rugby player and writer David Martin this culinary classic featur es such delicacies as Beer Can Chicken and the Hangover Cure Sandwich. Lip smackin good

http://welsh-american-bookstore.com/index.php?option=com_booklibrary&task=view&id=1804&catid=78&Itemid=559

Born this day 1916 in Prestatyn

Sir Huw Wheldon , former Manging Director of BBC television, described as a colossus of the television industry, he was knighted in 1976 for services to television and a BAFTA Award bears his name.  Earlier in life, he had won a Military Cross for bravery on D-Day.

Rice Powell (native of south Pembrokeshire) colonel in the English Civil War, was pardoned from execution on this day 1649

Rice Powell ( fl. 1641-1665 ) -  A Welshman's story in the English Civil War;

1641   Powell served as an officer in the army sent to Ireland to suppress the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

1642   He returned to Pembrokeshire on the outbreak of the Civil War in Aug. 1642 and became a colonel in the Parliamentary army and    took part  in the defence of Pembroke and the offensive actions in the county and beyond.

1644   Powell appointed the governor of Cardigan castle by Major General Rowland Laugharne (Parliament's commander in south Wales) after it's capture  and successfully defended it in the following month against a Royalist assault directed by Sir Charles Gerard.

1646 (April)  Powell appointed the governor of Tenby.

1648  (Early)   During Laugharne's absence in London, Powell was in command of the forces in west Wales when Parliament gave the order for the disbanding of some of the non-regular members of its army.  John Poyer at Pembroke, disapproved and encouraged others to refuse. Powell decided to support Poyer.

1648 (10 April)   Powell and Poyer left the Parliamentary army and issued a declaration in favour of the king and the Royalists.

1648  (last week of April)    At Carmarthen Powell clashed with the parliamentary army led by colonels Fleming and Thomas Horton, forcing them to retreat, Flemming was caught and shot at Llangathen church, whilst Horton made it to Brecon.   Powell then took Swansea and Neath and had entered the Vale of Glamorgan, heading for Cardiff where the Royalists were waiting to rise up to support him. To prevent this, Horton, now with fresh supplies and ammunition made a forced march down the Taff valley to intercept him.

1648  (8 May)   In the subsequent Battle of St. Fagans, Laugharne who had also switched to the Royalist side arrived to take over the command from Powell, but they were defeated and Horton won a decisive victory.

1648  (31 May)   Powell who had escaped to Tenby, surrendered to Horton, he was tried by court-martial and condemned to death.

1649   (7 May) Powell was pardoned.

1665   After the Restoration of the Monarchy, Powell appealed to Charles II for help to meet debts he had contracted in the Royalist cause, with what success is not recorded.  

Born this day 1961 in Pontypridd

Phil Campbell (Wizzö) , musician, best known  as the lead guitarist of the heavy metal band Motorhead. 

On 7th May 1915, the RMS Lusitania was sunk by a German torpedo.  Notable Welsh survivors included politician David Alfred Thomas and tenor Gwynn Parry Jones.  

On 7th May 2006, Russell T Davies won the Dennis Potter BAFTA  Award for his revival of the classic science fiction series Doctor Who.

Media Contact : Bob Titley

The Robert Titley Consultancy

roberttitley@aol.com

(917) 690 8418

Location! Location! Location!

Wales Coast Path Shares Star Billing with Celebs

New York, NY May 6, 2013 - When they walk along the Wales Coast Path, visitors do sometimes walk in the footsteps of the stars, from Halle Berry to Russell Crowe and Harry Potter to James Bond. Officially opened one year ago, on May 5, 2012, the Wales Coast Path - www.walescoastpath.gov.uk - has captured the imagination of the world. The only footpath of its kind on the planet, the Wales Coast Path encircles all three sides of the Welsh Peninsula, along the entire 870 miles of its pristine coastline, encouraging visitors and residents alike to discover the shape of the nation.

And The Wales Coast Path offers a movie tour with a difference

Clash of the Titans (2010) Starring Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes

Some scenes used Newborough Woods, Traeth Penrhos and Llanddwyn Island on Anglesey (currently home to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge).

• Try this great nearby walk: An epic movie deserves an epic walk! Enjoy the 13 mile hike between Llyn Rhos Ddu and Aberffraw.

Half Light (2006) Starring Demi Moore

Wales was cast as a stand-in for Scotland! A grieving author relocates to a Scottish village to move on with her life after the death of her son. Many of the beach and lighthouse scenes were shot on remote Llanddwyn Island and the seaside village scenes were shot at Porth Dinllaen on the Llyn Peninsula.

• Try this great nearby walk : Head to Llanddwyn Island its a beautiful place with a lovely sandy beach and, if the tide is right, you can explore the island itself.

Retreat (2011) Starring Thandie Newton and Cillian Murphy

A couple escape personal tragedy by moving to a remote island retreat. Their attempts to recover are disrupted when a stranger is washed ashore. The cottage scenes were shot at Plas Llandecwyn and the beach scenes were shot at Porth Ysgaden on the Llyn Peninsula.

• Try this great nearby walk: A 4.6 mile walk between Porth Ysgaden and Porth Widlin with great views and interesting wildlife.

The Edge of Love (2008) Starring Matthew Rhys, Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller

Directed by John Maybury, the film is based loosely on real events and the history between Welsh poet Dylan Thomas and lovers Vera Phillips and Caitlin MacNamara. Locations in Lampeter, Tenby and New Quay were used for filming as well as the Gwili Steam Railway.

• Try this great nearby walk : Enjoy the lovely 6.25 mile route between Aberaeron and New Quay its a great adventure.

Die Another Day (2002) Starring Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry

Penbryn Beach in Ceredigion was left neither shaken nor stirred when it played host to James Bond. It saw double the action: it was the backdrop to a love-scene between 007 and Jinx and was also used for the final scenes.

• Try this great nearby walk: Head up the coast from the seaside village of Aberporth towards Penbryn Beach remember to stop and keep an eye out for dolphins on this stretch.

Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) Starring Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth

Filmed at Marloes Sands, one of the most beautiful beaches in Wales, the stunning coastline provided the backdrop to the epic battle scenes.

• Try this great nearby walk : This magnificent beach is best revealed on a 2-3 mile walk around from nearby Martins Haven (though there is National Trust parking closer to the beach). This section is great for spotting seals.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts 1 and 2 (2010/2011) Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Helena Bonham Carter

Freshwater Wests sand dunes shall forever be the resting place of the house-elf Dobby. A shell house was constructed on the beach as one of the sets for the film.

• Try this great nearby walk : Head to Freshwater West and enjoy a stroll on golden sands.

Robin Hood (2010) Starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett

The stunning beach of Freshwater West can be spotted in this Ridley Scott-epic, which sees the beach become a battle field as Robin Hood fights to repel the French invaders.

• Try this great nearby walk : At just less than ten miles, try a heroic walk from West Angle Bay round to Freshwater West. The scenery is spectacular.

This is just a sampling of the many opportunities along the Wales Coast Path to take in fresh air, enjoy some gentle exercise, explore nature and encounter wildlife. For additional info on everything that Wales has to offer visitors americas.visitwales.co m

@visitwales facebook.com/visitwales

EDITORS NOTES:

• The Wales Coast Path runs from the Welsh border in north Wales to Chepstow in the south.

• Creation of the Path was a key Welsh Government commitment. The aim was and is to bring economic benefit to coastal areas and encourage active lifestyles.

• The Path has something to offer everyone - from those looking for a short stroll to those undertaking the whole route in one trip, and it provides access to numerous leisure activities.

• The Path will be further improved, in terms of alignment, infrastructure and information.

• The project is coordinated by Natural Resources Wales and delivered on the ground by the local authorities through which it passes. Funding is coming from the European Union (approx 4 million in total), Welsh Government (approx 2 million per year) and the local authorities.