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Lloyd Jones will need no introduction to most of our readers. He is the author of two novels, "Mr Vogel" and "Mr Cassini", and has recently published his first collection of short stories ( "My First Coloring Book" ). In this interview he speaks about his life, work and future literary plans
Many of your writings revolve around journeys or more particularly walks. It is well known that you do a lot of hill-walking/hiking in "real life". What initially attracted you to this form of recreation?
"I had been very ill, mentally and physically, following a major breakdown caused by stress and alcohol in 2001. As I recovered from my near-death experience I found that walking was the best medicine for body and soul. It still is - I go for a walk every day. Every walk is a celebration of the concept of freedom".
To what extent is "Mr Vogel" autobiographical?
"Almost all the book is based on my life. I walked completely around Wales, a journey of a thousand miles, in 2002/3 and I have walked across the country eight times in eight different directions since then. Also, I was a patient at Gobowen hospital in Shropshire, strapped to a metal frame for a year, when I was aged about six. The bonesetters of Anglesey, featured in my book, were a real family and they have descendants in America".
You have published a collection of poems which were distributed privately. Do you have any plans to publish further poetry anthologies?
"No. Friends have assured me that my poems should remain in a locked drawer. I have written a narrative poem for 2008 with an entry for each day - and it''s still going strong, in November. It will have 369 poems eventually, and will be published to critical acclaim when I''m dead; if my family burn it my mini-epic will be remembered as the great lost poem of the twenty-first century. Or maybe not."
It has been suggested that "Mr Cassini" is an attempt to explore and elucidate modern problems and neuroses utilizing ancient Welsh myth and legend. Is this true and if so, what role do the stories of the Mabinogion play in the book?
"Yes, Mr Cassini is an Arthurian book based on the legend of Culhwch ac Olwen - probably the first Welsh story ever recorded. Mr Cassini is also a voyage around my alcoholic father. In the Mabinogion legend, the beautiful Olwen''s father is a nasty giant who forces Culhwch to perform a number of Herculean feats before the two can wed. Arthur (Duxie in my book) helps them in their quest. I have tried to use the Arthurian legend in a contemporary Celtic context - as a reaction to the romantic and sentimental rubbish promulgated by TV and film directors."
It has often been suggested that short story writing is a very different art to novel writing. Did you find this to be the case in the course of writing the stories which make up "My First Colouring Book"?
"Short stories are supposed to be a Welsh speciality. The form doesn''t sell particularly well in Britain but it''s popular in North America. Compared to the novel, the short story is a different kettle of fish, and I enjoyed reading a wide range of exponents, from Chekhov and Maupassant to O''Henry and Kate Roberts before tackling the form myself. I thoroughly enjoyed the micro form after writing two macros."
Is there any particular theme which unites the stories in this collection?
"Eros and thanatos - love and death. And colours, obviously. There''s a mysterious, recurring house which links many of the stories. This house demanded its own presence."
What are your future writing plans?
"I have just completed the first draft of a novel in Welsh called Y Dwr (The Water), due to be published by Y Lolfa in 2009. I plan a year off in 2009: I hope to travel to India with my daughter and cross Wales for a ninth time, if I live. It''s going to be a walking year, I hope. Can''t wait. I have no plans for a book after that because I think I''ve dumped enough poo on a very patient Welsh public. Maybe some more short stories?"
Do you have a particular process when you write? Do you have to set yourself up to write or just jot it on candy bar wrappers or do anything in particular to grease your creative wheels?
"Every book is different and has its own dictates, but I tend to write on a laptop in short bursts in the early morning, on my own, in absolute silence. I write a first version, leave it for a while, then return to it. At some stage I engineer a transaction to another person, during which I perceive what needs to be done without words being exchanged. I see myself as a free range hobby writer who delivers bantham eggs complete with shit and straw."
How important is Anglo-Welsh literature to the future development of a distinct Welsh cultural identity?
"Sport, war and literature are possibly the most important components of nationalism. Wales has constantly reinvinted itself to stay ''alive''. If there are enough people who feel passionately about the country, Wales will survive; but the country is under enormous pressure at the moment because of a massive incoming and other global forces, so the next 100 years could be decisive. I wouldn''t like to predict the outcome. We are at the crossroads: Wales could go the Cornish way or it could go the Scottish way. My own writing could be another tiny evolutionary addition to Welsh morphology, or it could be one of its death throes."
Any plans to visit the US?
"American foreign policy under Bush really frightened and angered me: I found it hard to be objective and optimistic about the USA for quite some time. Also, our TV channels are clogged with poor American programmes; I fear that Britain is losing its identity, almost becoming a ghost American state like Puerto Rica. It seems to me at a distance that America is two countries, one dominated by thoughtful liberal people who tend to be on the Democrat wing, and another ''country'' dominated by the Republican Christian right. The latter is a big turn-off for me, so I have to fight a tendency to be bigoted against America with its putrid Hollywood/cool/gunslinging culture, although I know that the continent has also produced a huge amount of excellent stuff in the last century. I suppose I have become reactionary about hawkish America, while tending to forget that America is stuffed full of normal, decent people. Perhaps I have fallen into the trap of simplification and generalisation. But I get the impression, with the election of Obama, that America is now more willing to listen to the rest of the world. I would like to shrug aside my bigotry and come over to see the many beautiful places in America."
Many people in the US are concerned to promote Wales to the wider American public.. What do you think is the most important thing that Americans can learn from the history and culture of Wales? "
Small countries face a constant battle for survivial. Their biggest threat is the screen. Television, cinema and computers have made it increasingly possible for people to live in a virtual world, and that''s the most striking change during my lifetime: the virtualisation of the world. I won''t even watch nature programmes on TV now because it''s too convenient to watch pretty-pretty ahhhh material on the screen whilst the real thing is being wiped out all around us. People will watch panda bears on TV whilst never thinking of looking at a live robin in their garden. Wales is real and it''s different. Wouldn''t it be awful if everywhere in the world were the same? I''m planning to visit India next Spring. Wouldn''t it be terrible if India were full of little Lloyd Joneses? I''d throw myself in the Indian Ocean! As the French say, Vive le difference!"
"Wales has survived against incredible odds. Many thousands of people, probably millions, have died in the fight to keep Wales ''different''. The story of Wales is amazing. The literature of Wales is amazing. And the people of Wales are amazing. It''s a tiny, beautiful country with fabulous diversity. But the Welsh are now an endangered species; the old, shy upland folk are disappearing. Do your bit to save a truly original and different minority. Help to save Wales any way you can...and the best way is to say proudly: I''m Welsh!"
Remember, Remember The 4th of November! - Welsh American Chartist John Rees in California
By Ceri Shaw, 2008-11-03
On my return trip from the West Coast Eisteddfod in L.A. in 2011 I was able to break my journey in Hornbrook, CA and take some pictures of John Rees's grave and final resting place. Given that we know he was a stonemason in his youth, did he perhaps make it himself? Certainly it is one of the finest and best preserved monuments in the cemetary.
John Rees ( aka Jack the Fifer ) is topical because today ( Nov 4th ) is the anniversary of the ill-fated Chartist march on Newport in which he played a leading role..
The debate as to whether violence can be a legitimate method to secure political ends was one that occupied many physical and moral force Chartists in the 1830's and 40's. John Rees was a 'physical forcist'.
But why is the man who led the vanguard of an armed insurrection in South Wales buried in a small town in Northern California? Read on:-
Everybody remembers the 5th of November - 'gunpowder, treason and plot', but what about the 4th? On this day in 1839 the last armed rising in British history took place in Newport , Gwent, South Wales. The following article is a review of a fascinating book, "The Man From The Alamo" by John Humphries. The book is, amongst other things, a partial biography of John Rees a.k.a Jack The Fifer, a hero of both the Texan War of Independence and The Newport Rising of 1839 .
John Humphries' "The Man from the Alamo" does not have much to say about that historic conflict, indeed Davy Crockett is only mentioned once, briefly, on page 91. What it does have to say, however, goes a long way toward answering some of the most intriguing questions about John Rees, a great Welsh-American and man of mystery. Much more can now be said of him than was possible before Mr. Humphries' painstaking research.John Rees ( a.k.a Jack The Fifer ) was born in Merthyr Tydfil in 1815 and died in Hornbrook , Northern California in 1893 . Sometime before he was twenty he immigrated to the United States. He was 20 years old when he volunteered for service with the Second Company of the New Orleans Greys in October 1835. Born of working class parents in South Wales in the early 19 century it is likely that he endured the almost obligatory period of child labour in one of the many local collieries or Ironworks . Given that he was an accomplished fife player it is also possible that he saw some military service with the British army in his teens.
He took part in the siege of San Antonio De Bexar in 1835, and fought at the battle of Coleto Creek in 1836. Following the capture of Colonel James Fannin's command after the battle he was one of only 28 survivors of the infamous Goliad massacre in which more than 300 Texan prisoners were killed. He was later recaptured and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner . After the Mexican defeat at San Jacinto he was released in April or May, 1836. Upon his release he rejoined the army and was honourably discharged later that same year. The traditional account of his subsequent activities has been largely undermined by the books author. It was long thought that John Rees collected his back pay and land-bounty entitlements and returned immediately to Wales where we know that he was employed as a mason at the Tredegar Ironworks in 1839.
The book adduces substantial evidence to suggest that John Rees claimed not one, but several land bounty entitlements and that he spent the better part of two years actively swindling the infant Republic of Texas which he had recently fought so bravely to establish. Lest anyone should think any the less of him for this, it must be pointed out that he was not alone. Submitting bogus land bounty claims was a very prevalent and fashionable vice amongst ex-soldiers of the Republic at this time; rather like cocaine abuse in the 1980's and wife-swapping in the 1970's.
Upon his return to Wales Rees almost immediately became involved in the Chartist movement which at that time was agitating for the acceptance of the famous Six Points listed below (1). He played a key role in the bloody events of the 4th of November 1839. It lies beyond the scope of this review to recount the details of the rising but the following link may help with the background details:- The Newport Rebellion 1839 . There are almost as many theories concerning the intentions of the marchers at Newport as there are books on the subject. Some of the most important works are listed in the footnotes (2). Mr Humphries book seeks to examine the events from the perspective of the role they played in the lives of two of the leading participants. More than fifty percent of the book deals with the life of Zephaniah Williams, a prominent Chartist leader, and the chapters dealing with his subsequent trial and transportation are indeed fascinating but the major premise of the work is that it was John Rees who assumed the mantle of leadership at the key moment on that fateful day.
There has been much debate concerning the intentions of the marchers. It has been suggested that the original plan for an armed insurrection had been amended and that nothing more than a peaceful demonstration was intended. If so, did John Rees acquiesce in the change of plan? Did John Rees fire the first shot at the Westgate and if he did was he acting unilaterally or with the full premeditation of the other Chartist leaders? What is certain is that he was at the head of the column as it approached the hotel and that he was accompanied by a hundred or more men armed with muskets, shotguns and assorted firearms ( most of the marchers were armed with pikes). It was John Rees who , pistol in hand, demanded the release of the Chartist prisoners held within , a demand which precipitated the bloody melee in the hotel foyer. This in turn prompted the soldiers secreted in the hotel lobby to throw open the shutters and fire into the tightly packed crowd in the street outside.
Whatever his intentions, his actions led to a charge of high treason being brought against him and a reward of one hundred pounds being offered for his capture. John Rees escaped to Newfoundland and subsequently to an unknown location in Virginia thus avoiding the awful fate of John Frost, Zephaniah Williams and William Jones who were captured, tried, found guilty of high treason and ultimately transported to the British penal colonies in Tasmania. The details of his escape are recounted by none other than John Rees himself! In 1841 he wrote two letters to the editor of the Cambrian newspaper in west Wales. They were not published until 1844 . Humphries quotes extensively from these letters and it is from them that we know that Rees settled in Virginia for a period of five years where he stayed with unidentified friends.
In 1846 we find him back in Texas serving with the military; this time with the Texas Rangers. It is highly likely that he was captured and subsequently released at a very early stage in the U.S-Mexican War of 1846-48. He emerges in late 1846 in Matamoros, Mexico doing one last "shady" deal which involved the sale of his last remaining land donation certificate. This transaction was fraudulent because the certificate in question could not legally be sold during the recipient's lifetime.
For the rest of his life Rees almost certainly lived in Northern California to which he was drawn by the initial fervour of the California gold rush . At some point he became an American citizen and he appears on both the 1870 and 1880 census. He died of natural causes in Hornbrook in 1893.
In conclusion it must be said that John Humphries has written a very powerful book about two extraordinary men. John Rees was a great Welsh-American who was a hero, of sorts, on both sides of the Atlantic. His remarkable penchant for placing himself in difficult and dangerous situations was only matched by his genius for self-preservation. It is to be hoped that much more remains to be discovered about the life of this colorful and admirable character
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The book may be purchased here The Man from the Alamo
FOOTNOTES
(1) This version of the Six Points is taken from a contemporary leaflet featured in British Working Class Movements: Select Documents 1789-1875 edited by GDH Cole and AW Filson (Macmillan, 1951).
1. A VOTE for every man twenty one years of age, of sound mind, and not undergoing punishment for crime.
2. THE BALLOT .--To protect the elector in the exercise of his vote.
3. NO PROPERTY QUALIFICATION for members of Parliamentthus enabling the constituencies to return the man of their choice, be he rich or poor.
4. PAYMENT OF MEMBERS , thus enabling an honest tradesman, working man, or other person, to serve a constituency, when taken from his business to attend to the interests of the country.
5. EQUAL CONSTITUENCIES , securing the same amount of representation for the same number of electors,--instead of allowing small constituencies to swamp the votes of larger ones.
6. ANNUAL PARLIAMENTS , thus presenting the most effectual check to bribery and intimidation, since though a constituency might be bought once in seven years (even with the ballot), no purse could buy a constituency (under a system of universal suffrage) in each ensuing twelvemonth; and since members, when elected for a year only, would not be able to defy and betray their constituents as now.
(2) Two of the most important and recent works on the Chartist Rising.
"South Wales and the Rising of 1839" Ivor Wilks University of Illinois Press 1984 ISBN 0-252-01146-5
"The Last Rising: The Newport Chartist Insurrection of 1839" David J. V. Jones University Of Wales Press; New edition (March 28, 1999) ISBN 070831452X
Prize-winning Welsh author Lloyd Jones celebrates the launch of his first collection of short stories next week. The work entitled "My First Colouring Book" will be available from Nov 5th. Lloyd Jones is the award winning author of "Mr Vogel" and "Mr Cassini", two of the most refreshing and challenging novels to come out of Wales in recent decades. His new book will be reviewed on this site in due course, meanwhile you can pre-order a copy from Amazon.com here:- My First Colouring Book 
This post has been preserved for archive purposes. Most links on the page should work but some have been removed since they led to pages which have subsequently been removed.
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| WHAT'S NEW ON AMERICYMRU 1 JUNE 2010 |
| EVENTS |
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North American Festival of Wales featuring the 79th Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu - Portland, Oregon, USA Don't miss this opportunity for fellowship and Welsh culture in Portland! Our daytime programming will feature four days of interesting and informative seminars, workshops, concerts & much more. An Interview with Eirian Owen , Musical Director of the Cor Godre'r Aran who will be appearing at NAFOW 2010 can be found here. More info and registration here. SDSoGSL's Annual Picnic St David's Society of Greater St. Louis (SDSoGSL) - Annual Picnic. At The Small Riverside Shelter at Pere Marquette State Park - look for Welsh Flags. Gwyl Corris Festival Festival of Music and Cask Ales. Live music with Welsh bands, choirs, soloists, folk groups and much more featuring the wonderful Dragon Strings. |
| NEWS/BLOGS |
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Summer Madness - Part 2 $50 Ad Spot For A Whole Year "As a follow up to our recent sell out offer of spaces in our homepage rotating ad banner we are offering a new deal on spots in the right hand column on AC. If you wish to advertise or sponsor the Left Coast Eisteddfod on this site we are offering a 125x125 ad on the Americymru home page in the right hand column for just $50 for a year.".... continued The Portland Lovespoon Is Almost Complete "Well, I think I am just about done. I had a good day yesterday and managed to get most of my part seen to. There might be a couple of... " continued Remembering Campbell's Steamers The Bristol Channel has always been a unique place.The Channel is both wide and spacious compared to other British seaports. It breathes clean unfettered air but takes the full fury of the south- westerlies rolling in from the Atlantic." .... continued An Interview With Mared Lenny of Swci Boscawen "AmeriCymru: Can you explain to our readers what the name 'Swci Boscawen' means? Status Updates or - 'I cut My Toenails Today ' "The recent outbreak of of deliberate and calculated drollery in status updates on AmeriCymru is much to be welcomed. We only wish more people would get in on the act. Since the status updates feature was added a while back, a few members have made use of it but many more have yet to discover its point and purpose." continued |
| GROUPS |
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Cymru Crafts Do you do traditional Welsh crafts, or just put a Welsh spin on what you do? Care to share designs, show off your work, or ask for tips? Then join your fellow Cymru-loving crafters here!" Roman Wales "A group for anyone interested in the Roman period of Welsh history.." Llymerics "grow - one Llymeric at a time.Limericks, reportedly had their origin in Ireland and owe most of their poularity to an Englishman. Now it is time for you sons and daughters of Welsh bards to compose some 'Welsh-flavored' Lymerics'." Daicw "The rules of the ancient art of Daiku are similar to, although simpler than, Japanese haiku: .." |
Actually I'm not sure how "traditional" or "Welsh" this recipe is but here it is anyway:-
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The above recipe for fried frogs and boiled eels is yet another culinary masterpiece from "Good Cookery Illustrated And Recipes Communicated by the Welsh Hermit of the Cell of St. Gover" which can be found along with many other fine things on Google Books.
( Many thanks to Wild Canary for bringing this to my attention )
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Reflections Upon The New Americymru Library and the Divers Literary Curios to be Found Therein
By Ceri Shaw, 2008-07-16
(This article originally appeared some time ago on the Americymru blog. It is reproduced here as a brief introduction to the many delights to be found in the new Americymru library which can be accessed from the left hand column on the main page. Despite the rather flippant tone of this piece there are a number of Welsh literary classics to be found in the library and we will be adding more from time to time. )
A Bad Day At 'Goodwill'
Once more it is time to sing the praises of the 'mighty' Google. What did we ever do without them? Google Book Search has been around for a while but the recent addition of the "My Library" feature adds a whole new dimension. Basically the new feature allows you to search the database and save items to your own personal library which can be accessed online and shared with friends, family, etc. You can also review and rate the books in your collection. A typical Google ' My Library ' page looks like this .
If you followed the link I should explain that Google offers you the choice to search for 'Limited Preview' or 'Full View' titles. If you opt for the former you can only view snippets of the text but 'full view' items can be read in their entirety. Here at americymru we are, of course, mainly concerned with books about, or relating, to Wales and we thought it might be interesting to build a library of older works that can be read online in full. What we have here is a collection of dusty old relics reminiscent of a bad day in the book aisle at 'Goodwill'. Most of these volumes are long-since forgotten and with good reason. Still others are fascinating or amusing depending on your literary perspective.
"Here Be Monsters!"
As you might expect there are some prime examples of condescending and flatulent Victorian prose to be found amongst the gems in our digital reliquary. Nineteenth century preacher and author, Thomas Rees, penned his imaginatively titled "Miscellaneous Papers on Subjects Relating to Wales" in 1867. It is a masterpiece of groveling servility. Here is a quote from his article, included in this volume, on the 'working classes' of Wales:-
"The labouring classes of Wales, wherever they are to be found without any admixture of foreign elements and habits, are characterised by several very commendable qualities. As a class of people they are remarkable for their loyalty and submission to their superiors. Ever since the incorporation of " Wales with England, the loyalty of the Welsh nation to their Saxon rulers has been perfectly unswerving, notwithstanding the occasional effusions of frenzied poets and hot-headed orators against the Saxon invaders."
For more in the same vein read the rest of this ghastly tract. Whilst intending no disrespect toward its author I feel bound to say that this is an apocalyptically awful book that is sure to make you chuckle. It is best read out loud in a highly pompous and affected 'public school'* accent.
A Classic of Yesteryear
Of course rummaging in the attic is bound to bring to light some long lost cherished possessions. Who over the age of 100 can fail to remember with fond affection the classic 1907 Great Western Railways vacation guide, 'South Wales: The Country of Castles' . This volume is a treasure trove of useful advice. Witness the following on page 50 :-
"......it is impossible to ignore the fact that the use of the motor adds most materially to the possibilities of Aberystwyth as a travel-centre. Too great caution cannot possibly be exercised in the choice both of a chauffeur and a machine. If the former is a novice at local topography, he can only be a source of vexation and perplexity."
Certainly one would not wish to engage a perplexing and vexatious chauffer, but the GWR does not content itself with travellers tips , there are also passages of purple prose. On page 160 we find the following description of Tenby at sundown quoted approvingly :-
"Towards sundown a miniature fleet of trawlers sweeps gracefully around the Castle Hill, looking for all the world like a flight of brilliant butterflies ; their russet sails glowing in the warm light of the sun's declining rays with every hue from gold to ruddy purple, recalling memories of gorgeous scenes on far-away Venetian lagoons."
I was never favored with such a vision on my visits to Tenby. It is at this point that we are perhaps reminded of the fact that laudanum was not made illegal in Britain until the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1920.
Bananas & Tomatoes a Speciality
Reproduced below is a small selection of charming period advertisements. One is for a Fruiterer & Florist which specialized in bananas and tomatoes and the other is for the Aberystwyth "Waterloo Hydro Hotel" which, somewhat ironically, burned to the ground in 1920.
Google says that it plans eventually to put all books into digital form and the sooner the better. At least this way you dont have to dust them! A feast of fun awaits the determined 'rummager' in Google's digital attic and for our part we look forward to unearthing and reviewing more gems for your reading pleasure in the future. Our Library can be found here .
Americymru now sports a blog aggregator in the top nav bar. This gives us the opportunity to feature RSS feeds of the best Welsh Blogs. Most of these blogs specialise in social and political commentary. Few are humorous. One noble exception is of course, NoGoodBoyo whose masterly and insightful analysis of the contribution made to proletarian culture by Welsh icon, Shakin Stevens is linked HERE .Anyone who wants to nominate a blog for inclusion on the page should join the "Feature Request" group and post their suggestion.
Sunday, 22 June 2008, Bryn Seion Welsh Church in Beavercreek, Oregon held its 73rd Gymanfa Ganu.A Gymanfa Ganu (guh-MAN-va GA-nee), is a Welsh "sing gathering" performing hymns in Welsh, sung in four-part harmony by all the attendees, under the direction of a choral director. Welsh communities in countries all over the world hold their own Gymanfa Ganu. In the US, a national Gymanfa Ganu is held by the Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Association (WNGGA) .
In the United States, the Gymanfa Ganu was a way for many Welsh Americans to hold and share their cultural heritage, preserve their language in a majority-English speaking country and unite their communities. It's still that today, a means of coming together to celebrate and enjoy being Welsh.
Bryn Seion is the oldest Welsh church on the west coast, delivering services in its community for more than 100 years. Welsh immigrants to the Portland area settled in the fertile farm community of Beavercreek, sent for friends and family to join them and then wanted a church of their own to conduct services and to sing as a community. In 1884, Bryn Seion Welsh Church was built by that community, on land donated by one of its members.
The Gymanfa leader and soloists stand at the podium, under Welsh and American flags. Next to the podium sits and Eistedfodd chair inscribed, "Eistedfodd, Talaeth Wash. 1890". Reasearch is still being done into the origins of this chair but so far the story seems to be that a member of a Welsh church in Washington state won this chair, then gave it to a family member who was a parishioner of Bryn Seion, who then made a gift of the chair to the church.
The Eisteddfod is a traditional Welsh festival of poetry, music and dance, held in Wales and all over the world. Chairs like this were traditionally given as prizes.
Attendees at the Bryn Seion Gymanfa Ganu come from all over the state of Oregon, from other states and other countries. Gymanfa Director Tim Dyck and the attendees were accompanied by Harpist Annette Pritchard and Organist Beverly Ratajak. The participants sit in the church's pews to sing from hymn books in English and Welsh. Whether you know Welsh or not, there's an invigorating, quiet beauty in holding those lyrics in your hands and singing them with a group of people just like you, all there for the same purpose: to revel in being Welsh, to whatever degree, for the moment. And to hear beautiful song in Welsh.
If you're interested in finding a Gymanfa Ganu in your area, see the WNGGA site link, above. That site also has links to purchase hymn books in Welsh-English and an edition with the Welsh lyrics rendered phonetically.
Bryn Seion's Gymanfa Ganu is held every fourth Sunday in June, at the church's address on Kamrath Road in Beavercreek, near the intersections of Cymry Lane and Swansea Lane. The first day's service and singing are at 11:00 AM, the second at 2:00 PM which is followed by a te bach ("small tea"), then the third at 6:00 PM. Singing is in English and Welsh, no experience necessary, only enthusiasm. All are welcome.
John and Steve met on a recording session several years ago and since then, they have crafted a half dozen CDs of their own. They have delighted audiences of every imaginable kind with their songs and instrumentals drawn from the inexhaustible wellsprings of Ireland, Wales, Scotland and North America. The music is infectious, ranging from the breathless jigs, reels and hornpipes, through the more relaxed popular songs, all the way along to the ballads and airs. They have performed on network television and have been favorably received locally and nationally by the media.
more......
Y Lolfa and Seren are Wales two leading publishing houses. Seren tends to concentrate on Anglo-Welsh literature whilst Y Lolfa publishes a wide range of general titles about Welsh culture and history and also a great many first rate Welsh language titles. In the interests of promoting knowledge of Wales and its leading book publishers we are featuring the press release reproduced below.
The latest title from Y Lolfa concerns a case with which many members of Americymru may be unfamiliar. In 1987 three men were convicted for the vicious murder of a Cardiff newsagent and sentenced to life imprisonment. Their sentences were subsequently overturned on appeal amidst concerns over the way the investigation was handled.
It must be stressed that the 1980's were a turbulent period in Wales' history. Social discontent and unrest manifested itself in many forms includindg national strikes by the steelworkers and mineworkers, the holiday home burning campaign conducted by Meibion Glyndwr , the Welsh language TV station protest movement, the formation of radical Welsh Republican movements and in the late 80's the beginning of the Anti Poll Tax protest movement. It is against this backdrop that a series of the most spectacular miscarriages of justice in Welsh history occurred. The case of the Cardiff Three is perhaps the most infamous of these. Another more politically charged incident involving the prosecution of members of Y Faner Goch for conspiring to produce explosives has been documented in Y Lolfa's excellent Police Conspiracy . The forthcoming title by Michael o' Brien deals with the case of the Cardiff Newsagent Three.
Whilst these cases should never be forgotten and can never be excused it should be pointed out that owing to the turbulent nature of the era, police resources were stretched to the limit and unreasonable pressure was probably brought to bear to obtain speedy convictions. It should also be pointed out that the South Wales Police have a record for intelligent and sensitive crowd control at major sporting events which should be the envy of every police force in the world.
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Books gets author out of prison and into publishing...
Michael Obrien, who was imprisoned for 11 years for a murder he didnt commit will give a full account of his ordeal and his fight for justice in the forthcoming book called The Death of Justice. The autobiography will be published by Welsh publishers, Y Lolfa in September, and the author is glad of the continuing support of the publishers as a book they published in 1984 played a crucial part in his release from prison.
Michael Obrien said: When I went for bail it was bought to my attention that there was a similar case of misscarriage of justice that had happened many years earlier described in the book Police Conspiracy published by Y Lolfa.
The book was used at the appeal and at the bail hearing and convinced the judge to free me on bail, pending an appeal. There were striking similarities between both cases which bought police investigations into question. Theres no doubt that Police Conspiracy went a long way to establish my innocence in the courts and helped to uncover what had gone on in the case. It played a significant part in my release.
Michael Obrien also feels that had the judges of the original trial know about the case in Police Conspiracy they may have reached a different verdict. He added: Im very greatful to Y Lolfa for what theyve done, and I hope my book will bring attention to all cases of miscarriage of justice in Britain.
Michael Obrien received the highest compensation payout ever for miscarriage of justice in 2006, a sum of near a million pounds, and in his book he reveals how he lost everything, including his family while in prison, and then turned to study law to work on his case. He was released in 1999 after eleven years behind bars.
The Death of Justice will be published by Y Lolfa on 19 September and is written with Greg Lewis.
