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 Many people were saddened when they heard the news that Oceans Apart had broken up recently. Well...the good news is that John Good is back with a new musical venture and a new website. 'Tramor' can be contacted via the website HERE , and I am sure that you will all join us in wishing John the very best with his new venture. Pob lwc John! From the website:- " Tramor (Overseas) is the new traditional music project of John Good. John is well known through out the West, South, Midwest and in his native Wales as a multi-instrumentalist, Welsh piper, singer/songwriter, composer and poet. Veteran of many Celtic festivals and concerts, including Estes Park, Chicago, San Diego and Denver, he brings the subtly different flavor of traditional Welsh music to the stage. Along with friends like mandolin virtuoso Billy Parker and the classically trained mistress of the harp Mary Bouley, a Tramor show is an event not to be missed." Hear John perform 'Of Dogs and Cats Mice and Men' here:- Of Dogs and Cats Mice and Men.mp3 |
Halloween. It is one of the oldest festivals of all, and represents a curious mixture of many different traditions. The Celts called it Samhain, a festival that provided a boost for people as they entered the long dark winter months, when the countryside seemed dead and the days seemed so short.
Over time it became mixed in with All Saints Day, a day set aside for those poor saints who didnt have a day of their own.
Originally it represented the end of the harvest season and the beginning of a new year. The Welsh term for the festival is Nos Calan Gaeaf - a reference to the beginning of winter. As we all know today it is regarded as a time when the boundaries between the living and the dead become blurred.
A door to another reality opened up briefly and all sorts of horrors spilled out. So bonfires were lit to frighten away the spirits. This was the time in the Welsh tradition when Hwch Ddu Cwta appeared the Black Sow.
They would light bonfires and roast apples (and in later years potatoes) and leap through the flames to bring good luck. Then they would throw stones in the fire and run home to escape Hwch Ddu who would be on the prowl. On the first of November they would return to look for their stone. If they could find it then you were guaranteed good luck for the New Year. If you couldnt then you were facing bad luck, or even death.
Apples played an important part in Samahin because it came at the end of the apple harvest and there were plenty around. Apple bobbing was common. The most successful technique, assuming they had no stalks, was to plunge into the barrel and trap the apple against the bottom. Boys have always been so competitive.
In another apple game, one was tied to a stick suspended from the ceiling with a candle tied to the other. It was spun around and you had to catch the apple with your teeth. How they laughed when someone got a face full of wax.
There was also the Puzzle Jug. It had many spouts and you had to guess which one was correct. Get it wrong and you would be soaked by beer or cider. I bet they could hardly wait for the invention of television.
A lot of the traditions seem to centre upon finding a partner.In Montgomeryshire villages they would make a large vegetable mash in which a ring would be hidden. The local girls would dig into it with wooden spoons. The one who found it would be the first to be married. In Carmarthenshire nine girls would gather together to make a pancake of nine ingredients. They would divide it up into nine pieces and eat it. As a result they would, before morning, have a vision of their future husband. Which may or may not have been a good idea.
In Scotland, as you can see similar traditions outlined in Robert Burns poem Halloween. A girl could eat an apple in front of a mirror and she would see her future husband looking over her shoulder, presumably telling her that the porridge needed stirring.
Alternatively she could hang a wet shirt sleeve in front of the fire to dry and watch it closely. At midnight the spirit of her future partner would appear and turn it round a fascinating idea completely destroyed by the invention of the tumble drier.
Everywhere Halloween has been a time for the universal walking abroad of spirits, a time when the boundaries between our world and the spirit world are momentarily lowered. A time of inversion, when everything was turned upside down. In parts of Wales it became a bit of a cross-dressing festival. Boys and girls would swap clothes and go from home to home, chanting verses and spells and asking for gifts of fruit or nuts which were used to predict the future.
Other boys might dress up in sheepskins and rags and blacken their faces. They were the gwrachod (hags or witches) and they would look for gifts of apples or nuts or beer. Their job was to drive away evil spirits from the home. Clearly an early variation on the theme of trick or treat.
Of course, these days the role of the Trick or Treaters themselves has changed. They are the evil spirits who should be driven away.
| Dilwyn Phillips :-"Dilwyn was brought up in Pontarddulais and attended Pontardawe Grammar School. He has lived in Llandrindod, Machynlleth, Aberaeron and Talybont, Ceredigion. Many of his jokes derive from his experience as a civil engineer, teacher and salesman." Americymru: You have published 4 collections of Welsh jokes and humorous stories. How do you go about collecting material for your books? Dilwyn: It really started with me always keeping a few jokes up my sleeve for use in after dinner speeches or similar. Over the years I managed to collect many jokes which I saved. Whilst working for Y Lolfa, (as a Sales Manager) during one of our regular meetings we were asked for suggestions for topics in the Its Wales, series. I suggested Welsh Jokes and was asked if I would like to write a book. I obviously didnt have enough material to complete the first book initially, but when friends, relatives and colleagues realised that I was collecting material I was inundated with anecdotes and stories that they had heard or been told. Incidentally I have had 5 books published, but due to the content of one I used a pseudonym, however, after people read the first joke and noted the style I was found out. Americymru: Do you think that there is such a thing as a specifically Welsh joke? What if anything distinguishes the Welsh sense of humour from others? Dilwyn: I dont think there is a specifically Welsh joke, only that almost any joke can be adapted by using names and localities that are specific to different parts of Wales. I believe that the Welsh have the ability to laugh at themselves and are not offended at references to their shortcomings and do not seemed bothered about political correctness, similar comparisons can be made to other Celtic races, i.e., the Irish and Scots. Americymru: Gwyn Thomas is famous for observing that "There are still parts of Wales where the only concession to gaiety is a striped shroud." Do you think Wales has changed at all since Gwyn's time? Dilwyn: Obviously Gwyn Thomas is talking of a different era and I would agree that in those days of hardship he may well have been right. From my own experiences as a child and young adult growing up in a mining community this didnt seem to be the case. Americymru: You were born in Pontarddulais ( South Wales ) but lived at various times in Machynlleth, Aberaeron and Talybont ( Mid and North Wales ). What cultural differences did you note between North and South Wales? Were these reflected in the humour of the different regions? Dilwyn: With integration through education and work there doesnt seem to be any noticable cultural differences. There has always been a great deal of jovial banter between the Gogs and the Boyos! There isnt a noticeable difference in the humour between the regions. Americymru: You worked once as a teacher. Having had some experience of teaching in Wales myself, would you say that a sense of humour is an essential prerequisite for anyone taking up the profession in Wales? How much of the material in your books was gleaned during your time at the 'chalkface' or how much of it relates to your experience as a teacher? Dilwyn: During my teaching practice I was told that every teacher should not be ashamed to be a clown and to make a fool of oneself in jest. If anything happened I always tried to turn it into a joke and this did gain the respect of the children. Most of the material regarding education has been passed on to me, however, there is the odd incident during my teaching career which has been used in the books. Americymru: You also worked as a salesman. Care to tell us more about your experiences in those days? Dilwyn: This was a job I took in retirement and allowed me to travel all over Wales and meet many of the characters depicted in the books. Americymru: You were also a civil engineer. What kind of projects did you work on? Dilwyn: I worked on the Heads of the Valleys Road, Corby Steel Works, Gower Sewage Schemes and the Trostre Steel Works. I then joined Local Government as an Engineer. Americymru: What prompted your retirement to Spain? Was it mainly the lousy weather back home? Dilwyn: I retired to Spain to start a new life with my new wife, who as a retired Nurse, contributed to the Hospital Jokes Book? The weather was a major influence in our decision also the Costa Brava is the healthiest area in Spain, according to WHO, due to the abundance of Salt Lakes. Americymru: Do you have any further books planned? Dilwyn: Yes, I have submitted 4 books for publication and have been informed that Golfing Jokes will be published before the next Ryder Cup, which you are most probably aware, is being held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales. Americymru: Any final message for the members and readers of Americymru? Dilwyn: I quote from my last published book. Laughter can reduce stress, boost your immune system, help reduce your blood pressure and exercise certain muscles. If you are looking for a quick way to work out, Laugh! Some of the jokes I have contributed to the Humour section of Americymru , but dont let this stop you from purchasing any of the books. They can be bought online directly from the publishers at www.ylolfa.com The titles are Welsh Jokes , Celtic Jokes, More Welsh Jokes , Welsh XXX Jokes and Hospital Jokes . SAMPLE JOKEIt was a hot Saturday evening in the summer of 1961, and Ianto had a date with Myfanwy. He arrived at her house and rang the bell. 'Oh, come on in!' Myfanwys mother said as she welcomed Ianto in. 'Have a seat in the living room. Would you like something to drink? Lemonade? Iced tea?' 'Iced tea, please,' Ianto replied. Myfanwys mother brought the iced tea. 'So, what are you and Myfanwy planning to do tonight?' she asked.  'Hospital Jokes' by Dilwyn Jeffrey PhillipsDid you know that laughter can reduce stress, boost your immune system, help reduce your blood pressure, and exercise certain muscles? |
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/culture-obituaries/tv-radio-obituaries/6308994/Patrick-Hannan.html
P.S. This message was sent by bynwalters@libertysurf.fr via AddThis.com. Please note that the sender's email address has not been verified.
Diary marker – Famous coaching inn, 'The Grapes' turns clock back 200 years in Wales
By Ceri Shaw, 2009-10-09
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One of the oldest and most famous coaching inns in Wales will be turning the clock back 200 years next week to mark the grand arrival of two large stagecoaches. The 17th century Grade II listed inn, The Grapes in the picturesque village of Maentwrog, in the Vale of Ffestiniog, will be marking the arrival of a coaching party engaged in a fund-raising tour in aid of injured servicemen and servicewomen. The Grapes has been a must stop inn for centuries, but hasnt hosted teams of coaches and horses since the first half of the 19th century. This event will see us literally turning the clock back 200 years. Well see The Grapes as it was in its coaching heyday, said Andrew Roberts Evans, manager of hotel. The coaching party will include representatives of The Household Cavalry Charitable Fund. The party of drivers, assistants and passengers will be up to 26-strong. The Grapes will be an overnight stop en-route between Bala and Portmeirion. We intend making sure that the occasion will be as historically accurate as possible, said Mr Evans. All our staff will be in period costume and the food on offer will hark back to 1809, marking 200 years of coaching at The Grapes. The money raised by this charitable event will go towards the Help The Heroes Fund and the Household Cavalry Charitable Fund. In addition to the coaching visit, we have regular fund-raising events at the pub which annually raise 2,000 for various charities. During the month of October the services charities will be our nominated causes and we aim to give them the very best of support. Mr Evans added: This promises to be a memorable occasion at The Grapes , a piece of living history. For many, it will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a famous coaching inn doing the job it was built to do. |
