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Why is ancient woodland Wales so rare and valuable? Forests with trees dating back to at least the year 1600 cover only about 2 – 2.5% of the United Kingdom. However, these woods are the most biodiverse habitats in the country, are home to native Welsh broadleaf trees, and contribute to the environment in unique ways. Why are areas designated “ancient woodland Wales” special? These forests, which date back at least 400 years, are the most complex environment in Great Britain. They protect wildlife, help the environment through soil and air quality, and preserve another piece of Wales’...
Read More2 CommentsWith tongue-in-cheek humour throughout, the themes of ‘Domestic Majestic’ revolve around self-care in the face of the difficult and mundane early-2020s. Here’s the Email is the band at its angriest and mostdestructive - presenting the perspective of the disgruntled office worker, now working from home, juxtaposing corporate life lyrics with jagged post-punk chaos. “Here’s the email / Hope you are safe and well / Hope your family’s well.” Indie number Me but not Tired captures recurring thoughts that can plague our minds as we try to sleep (lyrics appropriately written...
Read More‘Yn Y Bore ’ is a body of work that capture life changing moments, emotionally, spiritually and geographically over the last two years for singer / songwriter / producer Gillie . It is the first material the Carmarthenshire born artist has written in the Welsh language and the first songs written and recorded after her return to live in Wales after spending her late teens and early twenties in London. Deeply influenced by place, Gillie blends musically on songs that make up ‘Yn Y Bore’ gold-flecked guitar loops into an ambient haze on top of relentless driving rhythms. Gillie...
Read MoreI wrote this for my blog yesterday and, in the process, learned some really fascinating things. Sharing for anyone else who loves a bit of ancient history! Neolithic Wales was a time of transformation. During this era, the nomadic hunter-gatherers who lived in ancient Wales were mostly wiped out or absorbed by immigrant farmers from the Mediterranean — an event that changed not only the way people lived but the landscape of Wales itself. The time period we refer to as “Neolithic Wales” began in approximately 4000 BC and lasted until 2400 BC. Archaeologists also call this the...
Read More2 CommentsThis week sees the extraordinary book Pity the Swagman: The Australian Odyssey of a Victorian Diarist by Bethan Phillips republished. Described by the late Jan Morris as “a truly fascinating book”, Pity the Swagman is a classic that has been out of print for over twenty years. The book is the biography of Joseph Jenkins (1818-98) who was a successful farmer in Tregaron in west Wales. Without warning, aged 50, he left his farm and family to travel Australia and live as an itinerant farm labourer. His diaries returned to Wales with him and were kept by one of his...
Read MoreThe latest single to be taken from ANGHARAD’s debut album, ‘Motherland’ (out on March 1st) is the joyous and unstoppable ‘Hormone Called Love’ “If there was ever a song to sum up my recent journey into songwriting and motherhood, it would be this. This is a feel-good song about music and love. It's about all those gorgeous, juicy hormones we need to bond with one another, make love and... give birth! Oxytocin is often referred to as the love hormone. Along with endorphins and adrenaline, the body creates quite a potent concoction of chemicals during labour. I practised...
Read MoreBUY TICKETS HERE Colour Clash, Gwent's premier one-day festival is thrilled to announce its highly anticipated return to Tredegar Park, Newport on Saturday, 20th July 2024, with headliner ArrDee and special guests Ben Nicky and Shy FX Early bird tickets for Colour Clash Festival have already sold out, showcasing the immense excitement surrounding this event. However, music lovers can access priority access to the next ticket release here https://www.colour-clash.co.uk/prereg/ UK rapper ArrDee heads up the bill with appearances from, Ben Nicky, and Shy FX, Nathan Dawe,...
Read MoreAmeriCymru: You have some news for the readers and members of AmeriCymru. Care to share? John: After what turned out to be a 48-year, 3-month vacation in America, I’m packing up my books, socks, underpants, musical instruments, mementos and (did I forget something?) memories, in order to head back across the Atlantic Ocean to live again somewhere near Port Talbot, Swansea Bay, or as the locals call it–San Pablo on the Costa del Abertawe. AmeriCymru: What are your predictions for 2024? Will Wales land on the moon? John: We already did, but it was on the dark side...
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