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This year, for the first time, Welsh readers will be able to prepare for the World Cup with an original book which is as attractive as anything available in English. In the past, adaptations of English books on the championship have been published, but this year, due to new funds made available by the Wales Books Council for the designing of Welsh books and visual materials, a new full-colour book will be published by Y Lolfa on 5th of May. Cwpan y Byd 2010 will include a foreword by John Hartson, a free wall chart of the matches and a Welsh perspective on the event along with text by an experienced author, Gwyn Jenkins. The new funding from the Wales Books Council means that the book has been professionally designed by Elgan Griffiths and includes photographs from the Press Association. Lefi Gruffudd from Y Lolfa said: Its great to be able to commission an original book for the World Cup with an author and designer of such high standard. It will look as good as anything else available in any language. It is also good that the text will put a Welsh tilt on things and a different perspective than the often biased material seen in the English press. Elwyn Jones, Director of the Wales Book Council, said: Its great to welcome the first product of the extra funding made available for Welsh books by the Assembly Government this year. Its good to have an original Welsh book about the World Cup, and for that book to be as colourful and lively as this one. Congratulations to Y Lolfa for taking advantage of this opportunity. The book, Cwpan y Byd 2010, will surely be a great aid to anyone who wishes to keep track of all the countries and players who will be competing in South Africa this year. It is packed with facts and figures, including details of all the matches, fantastic photographs of the players, a foreword by John Hartson and a free wall chart. The author, Gwyn Jenkins, published the first Welsh book on football for children, Gl (Y Lolfa 1980) and this is another volume that will prove to be essential to supporters of the worlds most popular sport. Gwyn Jenkins also edited Llyfr y Ganrif. The book will available in Welsh bookshops from the 5th of May for 4.95. Cwpan y Byd Llawlyfr Cymraeg Am y Tro Cyntaf Am y tro cyntaf erioed eleni mi fydd darllenwyr Cymraeg yn gallu paratoi ar gyfer Cwpan y Byd gyda llyfr gwreiddiol sydd mor ddeniadol ag unrhyw beth a geir yn Saesneg. Yn y gorffennol cyhoeddwyd addasiadau o lyfrau Saesneg am y bencampwriaeth, ond eleni, oherwydd arian newydd i ddylunio a deunydd gweledol mewn llyfrau Cymraeg gan Gyngor Llyfrau Cymru, mi fydd llyfr newydd llawn lliw yn cael ei gyhoeddi gan Y Lolfa ar Fai y 1af. Bydd y llyfr Cwpan y Byd 2010 yn cynnwys rhagair gan John Hartson, siart am ddim or gemau a gogwydd Gymreig ar bethau gyda thestun gan yr awdur profiadol, Gwyn Jenkins. Maer nawdd newydd gan y Cyngor Llyfrau wedi golygu bod modd cael dyluniad proffesiynol gan Elgan Griffiths a defnyddio lluniau Press Association. Yn l Lefi Gruffudd o wasg Y Lolfa: Maen wych o beth gallu comisiynu llyfr gwreiddiol ar gyfer Cwpan y Byd gydag awdur a dylunydd o safon mor uchel. Mi fydd yn edrych gystal ag unrhyw beth mewn unrhyw iaith. Maen dda fod y testun hefyd yn cynnwys cyfeiriadaeth Gymreig a safbwynt gwahanol ir holl ddeunydd unllygeidiog a welir yn y wasg Saesneg. Dywedodd Elwyn Jones, Cyfarwyddwr Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru, ''Mae'n braf iawn croesawu ffrwyth cyntaf y nawdd ychwanegol a ddaeth ar gyfer llyfrau Cymraeg gan Lywodraeth y Cynulliad eleni. Gwych o beth yw cael llyfr gwreiddiol Cymraeg am Gwpan y Byd, a hwnnw'n llyfr bywiog a lliwgar. Llongyfarchiadau i'r Lolfa am fanteisio ar y cyfle.' Mi fydd y llyfr newydd Cwpan y Byd 2010 yn siwr o fod yn gymorth ir sawl sydd am bwyso a mesur yr holl wledydd ar sr a fydd yn cystadlu yn Ne Affrica eleni. Maen llawn ffeithiau, yn cynnwys holl fanylion y gemau, lluniau gwych or chwaraewyr, rhagair gan John Hartson, a hefyd siart am ddim. Cyhoeddodd yr awdur, Gwyn Jenkins, y llyfr Cymraeg cyntaf i blant ar bl-droed, sef Gl (y Lolfa 1980) a dyma gyfrol arall a fydd yn hanfodol i gefnogwyr gm fwyaf poblogaidd y byd. Gwyn Jenkins oedd hefyd golygydd Llyfr y Ganrif. Lansir y gyfrol ar Fai 1af yn y Fedwen Lyfrau, Llanrwst. |
Win A Copy of 'Onwards & Upwards' - Support the Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal
By Ceri Shaw, 2010-05-02
This months giveaway competition on AmeriCymru marks a new departure for the site. At the request of one of our members ( David Webb ) we are inviting you to answer one simple question for a chance to win the superb Welsh Guards Reunited Afghanistan Appeal " Onwards & Upwards ". CD.
Q. What Heavenly body did Capt Mendoza, US Army, Kuwait, compare Welsh singer Bethan Myfanwy to in the following quote from 2005. ( Bethan has 2 tracks on the Album )
"Our spirits will never be the same, by sharing your gift of music withus, you are truly an ---------- of the Battlefield"
A. Was it:-
a. angel
b. cherub
c. sprite
Not too difficult we think you'll agree
For anyone who doesnt want to wait till the end of the month to check whether their entry was the winner we would urge you to go to this site Welsh Guards Reunited and purchase a copy direct. We have reproduced the objectives of the appeal from the Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal site. below. Anyone wishing to make a donation should go to THIS page.
The deadline for entries is May 31st 2010 and the lucky winner will be announced on the site on June 1st. Please remember that we will only accept one entry per email address and duplicate submissions will be disqualified. Email your answer to :- americymrucontest@gmail.com
| Objectives of the Appeal
* Support to those wounded on operations, particularly those who have had to leave the Army, to assist in finding them new employment and to help them become active family and community members.
* Support to the families and dependants of those seriously wounded or injured in prolonged recovery situations.
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Congratulations and enjoy the books!
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AmeriCymru member Elly Roberts has been a local and international DJ for over 30 years, having performed in Greece, Holland, Spain and Los Angeles, USA. He has been a music lover since he was a child, and considers himself a lapsed musician since giving up playing the piano as a teenager. His love of music has never waned, and by having his own show on Calon FM , hes realising a life-long ambition to be a presenter. AmeriCymru spoke to him about his work on Calon FM and elsewhere. Elly: Calon FM offers all kinds of support to the local community, from free open access training courses for anyone with an interest in radio (provided in conjucture with Glyndwr University), to supporting a multitude of local businesses and, crucially, giving airtime to local and national charities. Calon works with people from a huge range of backgrounds and skill sets. From complete novices to to experienced journalists and the technically minded, from university graduates to those just beginning their training. Being part of this environment is one of the many joys of being involved in community radio were always approachable and can usually offer something for everyone. Americymru: What kind of programming does the station put out? Elly: Many, many different kinds. Theres currently at least 80 hours going out live every week and this is really only limited by the imagination of the presenters. Cookery, comedy, local news, multi-lingual shows, poetry, local interest (very important), whilst every genre of music is represented throughout the week. Finding free time to put out all of the programming is definitely a challenge. Americymru: Do you broadcast in Welsh? If so what proportion of your broadcasts are in the Welsh language? Elly: The station puts out shows not just in Welsh but a variety of languages that include Spanish, Chinese, Polish, and German. Calon FM are always on the lookout for Welsh language presenters and our current bilingual host Michelle Murphy broadcasts for 4 hours each week. The terrific thing about Michelles style is her inclusion of the English audience too. As a result the overwhelming majority of listeners understand whats being discussed and can get involved with the programme, and in doing so pick up elements of the Welsh language. Americymru: Can you tell us something about your show "The Plug". Elly: THE PLUG - My mission. The Plug name itself was purposely designed to be short and memorable, like the television music show The Tube back in the 80s. I chose the name because the programme is designed to plug (good) music that may not necessarily be heard on the radio. At one time a plugger was employed by an artist or band, and even by record companies themselves, to go around the radio stations across the UK , promoting their artists, persuading stations to air their music. On The Plug playlist itself, it includes both new ( and pre-release) singles by up-and-coming artists and album tracks. Each week theres an Album of the Week, where I play 2 (or sometimes 3) tracks from it. Older music can be used as a hook (a musical term) to reel-in the listener at the beginning on the show, generally something anthemic. During the 2 hour show there can be two features, like Dusted Down, that includes a back-catalogue classic, forgotten gem, or an obscure song. Another feature is Flashback, where I play a song that (hopefully) brings back happy memories, but sometimes sad ones too. Music has a knack of taking people back to a certain time, place and event, creating a soundtrack to our lives. Depending on time etc, other mini- features may be explored in the future, building-up a considerable body of work that appeals to both younger and older listeners. By definition, the PLUG is a no boundaries show that aims to be the most eclectic on the airwaves, where one minute youll hear rock, then jazz, then soul, then folk, etc. all sitting nicely next to each other, due to careful planning. There are possibilities of including genre specials like a soul, rock, jazz, Americana, and country theme. In addition, topical themes can be introduced like, say Mothers Day selections, or a dedicated show to a recently deceased artist, paying homage to their work. Americymru: You also appear on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru. When can our readers listen to you on those stations? Elly: This is a tricky one. Since 2004 I have been making freelance contributions to BBC Radio Wales, and BBC Radio Cymru since 2005. Due to the nature of those contributions, I can be called at any time in advance about a musical topic, say The Beatles for example, and I will then do the link nationally (Wales) from the BBCs studio here in Wrexham. Unfortunately, I never know when I will receive the call, so its totally unpredictable. The same applies with BBC Radio Cymru, but their contributions are normally done on the telephone. BBC Radio Cymru has also given me the chance to make none-music contributions such as local or national issues. The latter brought me the opportunity to guest on BBC Radio 2s Jeremy Vine Show on 12 April this yea, with a listening audience of approximately 8.5 million, the largest in Europe. I was contacted by producers in London, who said they had been tracking my contributions on both of the Welsh channels.
Elly: Yes, I have performed in all those countries, and in most cases just one offs, like my friends wedding party in Enschede, Holland, in 2000. But by far the most thrilling experience of all was in LA and Santa Barbara, California. It was dream come true. I was invited over to LA, by my old friend, to back-up his then embryonic new musical Rock venture, a favour I was more than happy to oblige. He needed an experienced DJ that could handle anything thrown at him, in this case me. Due to my vast CD collection, I can pretty much handle any type of gig, tailored to specific needs, though they are few and far between nowadays, and tend to be favours for friends. Before leaving for LA I carefully selected the relevant CDs. The plan was to top n tail the gig with back-up during the participant switch over during the presentation. Initially, we did two house party warm-ups in Beverly Hills, leading to a proper public performance in Santa Barbara, 90 miles north of LA. During my three week vacation, I met several actors, musicians and show-biz types. I have been invited back to LA, sometime in the future, with a planned visit back to Holland this summer. Americymru: Where can listeners go to tune in to Calon FM? Elly: Locally with an approximate radius of 15-20 miles from Wrexham in north-east Wales, CALON FM can be found on the 105 FM band. Globally, or even locally, using a computer, it can be found at www.calonfm.com My show can be heard between 2 4 PM each Monday via the Listen Live link, with a Listen Again facility up-and-running by Wednesday afternoon, which can then be heard any time if you miss the Monday slot. If your readers go to the CALON FM homepage at www.calonfm.com theyll find my showpage under Shows. Americymru: Any final message for the members and readers of AmeriCymru? Elly: Yes. Via the internet, I genuinely hope that listeners in America will follow all shows on CALON FM at www.calonfm.com because the station can provide listeners with a flavour of what the station is all about and keep abreast of events in our thriving community here in Wrexham, and surrounding area. Despite Wrexhams close proximity to the English border - about 5 miles away - there continues to be a an ever present and long established Welsh speaking community in and around the town, particularly in my own native village of Rhosllannerchrugog, barely 3 miles outside Wrexham. Calon FM also provides a bi-lingual (Welsh-English) programme fronted by presenter Michelle Murphy, a show called Hanner Reis Hanner Chips ( Half Rice Half Chips) on a Friday afternoon between 2 3PM UK time, again with a Listen Again facility for anytime listening. This show will be invaluable for Welsh learners and fluent speakers in America. One final request. I would very much appreciate if your readers could SPREAD THE WORD about both the radio station and my show, which is now listened to online, in USA, Canada, Brazil, Spain, Holland, Japan and the UK. The Plug feedback is more than welcome at the CALON FM email addresses info@calonfm.com or the studio directly at studio@calonfm.com Your readers, if they wish, can contact me directly now at either my new email address ellyr@ellyr.co.uk (and/or elly2000@freenet.co.uk for the next 6 months) As I have a string family connection with Wisconsin and America, I hope your readers will follow my show on a regular basis. If you Google Elly Roberts, youll learn a lot more about what I get involved with. Thank you for your kind interest.
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| Reproduced from Elizabeth Chadwick's blog 'Living The History' by kind permission of the author.
"While preparing a couple of other blog posts, I thought I'd break off to mention Garth Celyn . 'Who'? or 'What'? you might justifiably ask. Like me, you may have come across it in Sharon Kay Penman's novels Here Be Dragons and The Reckoning, or Edith Pargeter's Brothers of Gwynedd novels, but it probably won't have registered beyond the moment of reading." "Even for me, when it cropped up again via a couple of Facebook acquaintances, I am ashamed to say that at first it passed me by. At one point I was even under the mistaken impression that it was a person! My excuse for this is my very busy schedule and I hang my head and apologise. Belatedly I came to realise that Garth Celyn is perhaps the most important historical sites in Wales and the place where Llewelyn Fawr (Llewelyn the Great) built his royal palace, overlooking the Menai Strait. That palace still stands today and is in the custody of the Gibson family who bought it all unknowing as a chicken farm in 1988." "Here are some urls to some excellent articles about Garth Celyn and it would be mad for me to spend a couple of hours typing out the contents when readers can go to them with a single click, so here are some web pages that you might find very interesting. I know I did once I'd been shaken awake! The other matter to note is that Garth Celyn could so easily have been lost to developers in the 1990's and now there is a campaign to preserve this unique and wonderful site for posterity. Please do join if you feel it's appropriate." http://www.garthcelyn.com/http://www.llywelyn.co.uk/index.html https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northwest/sites/history/pages/garthcelyn.shtml http://despenser.blogspot.com/2010/01/garth-celyn.html http://www.facebook.com/pages/Protect-and-Preserve-Garth-Celyn/301032666061 |
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First impression, a Wizard of Wales, a storyteller with a subtle pen for a wand, 'White Ravens' is a must read. Owen Sheers has a rare talent. Like the Florida gator, he is both ancient and today. The Second Branch of the Mabinogion contains the story of Brnwen, Daughter of Llyr. Sheers requested this tale because of its impact upon his own life. If you have not read The Mabinogion, I urge you to read this novella first. It will deepen your appreciation and widen your view of the art and skill of the Bards of old, as well as Owen Sheers. The author begins by drawing the reader into a modern day Welsh tale of tragedy and high adventure involving a family who raise sheep. Rhian is watching the sunrise as it turns the Thames gold. On a bench by the Tower of London, she recalls her life, at age six her father abandons the family. Ten years later her mother dies leaving her to run the household with Dewi and Sion her brothers to do the sheep farming. The third tragedy comes about six years later. Due to a Foot and Mouth breakout, the sheep are shot. Dewi and Sion get involved in sheep napping (pun intended), steeling a hundred head at a time and butchering them while on the way to London to sell on the black market. All goes well until the driver comes down sick. This book should become a N.Y. Times bestseller, Seren publishing house of Wales and author Owen Sheers gets a big thumbs up. Seren publishers commissioned ten Welsh writers to do some retelling of the national treasure 'The Mabinogion'. Theme: keep these old tales at the heart of a new story. The tale of Rhian and her brothers is complex and compelling. However, when she meets an old man with a cane on the park bench he tells her another tale. This is a tale about a WWII Irish soldier named Matthew OConnell. Wounded in Italy Matthew is given an assignment to go to a remote farm in Wales to pick up six raven chicks. The mission is Top Secret as ordered by Prime Minister Churchill. While waiting for the chicks to mature for traveling Matthew falls in love with Brnwen, sister of the farmer Ben. A whirlwind affair ending with a wedding two weeks later, a returning brother Evan from the war casts a black cloud on the couple that night. After returning the chicks to London Matthew and his bride leave for Ireland and his farm home on the coast below Dublin. Farm life is terrible for both as Matthews family hate the British and his Welsh wife. Matthew turns sullen and Brnwen sends a message to Ben about how terrible life is. Ben and Evan show up one night to rescue Brnwen. Evan shoots Matthew and knocks their two year old son into the fire. Later Matthew recovers from the shot, saved by his pocket watch. By the time he contacts Ben in Wales Brnwen has died of a broken heart. But with a stroke of genius, Sheers redeems both the young woman and the old man in a surprise ending. In addition to these tales, Seren includes a synopsis of the original tale from The Mabinogion. Also an afterword by the author at the back of the book is inspiring.
Review by Bill Tillman |
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