Back in March Howard Evans and I "met" through his post on Americymru when he was planning his summer trip to Wales.Last week we met up when he stayed at one of our self catering cottages in Clyne Farm Centre with his wife Judy and a couple of friends from Luxemborg.Howard spent some of his time in South Wales tracing his ancestors annd managed to find a family gravestone in a churchyard in Cardigan - great achievement!We took the opportunity to show them 5 CwmdonkinDrive - the birthplace of Dylan thomas - and possibly awakened an interest in the Man of Words.From modern culture to the more traditional - this week Howard and Judy are sampling the National Eisteddfod in Bala.
This is a collection of old images of Wales that give a glimpse as to what life was life in Llangollen, Denbigh and beyond 100 years ago - and, of all the places, the images turned up in the U.S, in the archives of the Library of Congress in Washington. check out this link for the whole story . Make sure you check the links on the page as they link to Flicker where the Welsh photos from the Library of Congress have been placed. 6,882 I think although I have not checked all of them.
With just two weeks to before the Left Coast Eisteddfod launches in Portland , Oregon we are inviting all our members, friends , readers and supporters to come and raise your voice with Chris Needs and Bruce Anderson at the Crystal Ballroom on the 22nd August. The Left Coast eisteddfod will be the first of an annual series of American Welsh events in Portland and will also be the biggest event of its kind on the West coast in 2009.
We are also appealing for last minute funds to boost our poster and flier campaigns for the event. Thousands of fliers and posters have already been distributed in the Portland area but we dont want to slacken the pace in the last few weeks before the event. We are looking for donations small and large. Five bucks, ten bucks...any amount is welcome, and remember if you are a U.S. citizen , The Meriwether Lewis Memorial Eisteddfod Foundation is now a 501c3 so your donation can be claimed against your taxes. To donate just click on the 'Donate' button in the right hand column on any page on the site.
Some Random Facts About the Left Coast Eisteddfod
The 'Portland lovespoon' a beautiful and historic artefact will be on display at the Eisteddfod and and will be presented to the winner of our prize draw at the event. What better way to commemeorate this event than to take home this unique work of art generously donated by master lovespoon carver David Western.
There will be presentations by Welsh authors Chris Keil and Niall Griffiths including readings, Q&A sessions and book signings. You can find interviews with both authors here and here.
Musical entertainment at our evening shows will be provided by a host of local and international bands and entertainers:- Jesus Presley, Chris Needs, Western Aerial, Bruce Anderson , The Slimjims, Runaway Norm, Oceans Apart, Tyler Stenson.
Several movies will be shown including a premiere of Ifan Huw Dafydd's "Wales: Two Heroes And Treasures" and the US premiere of Chris Needs "The Jenkins's's's's's"
ALL WELCOME! COME AND CELEBRATE THE AMERICAN WELSH HERITAGE AT THE CRYSTAL BALLROOM ON THE 21st-22nd AUGUST.
Leaving for Seattle for Barnes and Nobles Uni. District at 1pm tomorrow. 'Ballad of a Bagpiper' is doing well in the stores thank you to everyone.Also had a great time last night at Kathleen's of Dublin book launch. Thank you Ceri for showing up. Drink, food and friends, thanks to Cynthia McBurney owner of Kathleen's for holding the event. Looking forward to Americymru's event in a fortnight!
Getting ready for the Portland book launch of 'Ballad of a Bagpiper' at Kathleen's of Dublin. If anyone care too please come down and enjoy the drink, food and more drink there tonight!
During the dark days of World War Two the small village of Cwmparc was hit by a German landmine which killed some 47 men women and children in a single blast. That night and the stories that came from it passed into local folklore.One in particular was of Will and Edith Thomas who resided in a one up two down miners cottage just off Parc Road Cwmparc. On the the night in question Will was sitting on the ' thunderbox ' out in the back yard when the air raid siren went off. Will, who was attuned to any kind of danger having worked for thirty years as a miner, leapt up from his sedantry postion whilst grappling with his bracers and galloped into the house shouting " EDEE! EEEEEDDEEEE! GET DOWN 'ERE NOW". Edith who was upstairs preparing a fire for the night shouted back " WHAT DO YOU WANT WILL"? "THE GERMANS ARE ATTACKING EDEE. WE'VE GOT TO GET INTO THE ANDERSON SHELTER NOW." "WAIT A MINUTE WILL" came the reply. "I CAN'T FIND MY TEETH". Will now wide eyed and incredulous yelled "FOR CHRIST'S SAKE EDEE! COME DOWN NOW. THEY'RE DROPPING BOMBS NOT PIES.
British Broadcasting CorporationPage last updated at 20:47 GMT, Wednesday, 5 August 2009 21:47 UKAmerican learner wins Welsh titleMeggan Lloyd PrysMeggan Lloyd Prys was the only overseas finalistA teacher from Ohio in the USA has been named as the Welsh Learner of the Year for 2009.Meggan Lloyd Prys was awarded the prestigious title on Wednesday by judges at the National Eisteddfod in Bala, Gwynedd.The 29-year-old says she started learning the language the day she arrived in Wales, three years ago.She now works as a classroom assistant on Anglesey, putting her language skills to the test everyday.Mrs Lloyd Prys was the only overseas finalist in the event this year, along with three others, all from England.She came to Wales after meeting her husband-to-be Cynog while studying in America.But after setting up home at Rhiwlas, near Bangor, she set herself the challenge of taking her wedding vows in Welsh - less than a month later.'High standards'Speaking as she waited for the judges final decision, she explained: "It started after I met my husband while both of us were studying in Ohio and he had been awarded a scholarship to promote Welsh culture."We only spent a month together in the States, then after a year I moved here and started learning the language the day I arrived."It's a really special competition because it shows people are able to learn to a high standard and live and work through the medium of Welsh."As well as being named the learner of the year, she also won 300 and a trophy in memory of author Marged Jones, from Bala, who died at the beginning of the year.The others on the shortlist were John Burton, originally from Crewe, but now living in Penmachno, Zoe Morag Pettinger from Fareham, but now living in Trisant, Aberystwyth and Dominic Gilbert, originally from Manchester but living in Beaumaris.The three received the Finalists Prize, presented by the Learners of Bala, and 100 in prize money.
Home NewsWales NewsThe lost world of Wales is found in Detroit archivesAug 6 2009 by David Williamson, South Wales EchoAdd a commentRecommend (2)A CARDIFF dock crowded with coal ships is one of a host of pictures that can now be seen online in an archive published by the US Library of Congress.Images many in brilliant colour show life in South Wales from the 1890s to the 1910s.The picture of giant vessels moored at Cardiff is thought to date back to the 1912 coal strike when Welsh miners demanded a minimum wage.Another image from during the strike shows idle dock labourers standing around with no work.Other high-resolution images show Cardiff and Caerphilly Castles in bright colour.The Welsh photographs are part of a wider archive of historic photochrom pictures bought by the Library of Congress that are being published for their historic and artistic merit.They were created through a painstaking process where a picture would start life as a black and white negative and each new colour would be added using a different asphalt-coated lithographic stone.The colour images were originally published by the Detroit Publishing Company.Glenn Edwards, an award-winning Welsh photographer, said: At this particular time, its almost a type of National Geographic photography, where people have gone to show people what this place of Wales is like.The image-makers were fascinated by Wales castles and sweeping landscapes and much of the collection gives a romantic view of Wales.The digitised prints can be seen at www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/tags/wales
