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March 1997 saw the launch of the "Welsh Language in Chubut" project, which was aimed at promoting and developing the Welsh language in the Chubut region of Patagonia in Argentina.
The initiative, which is funded by the Welsh Government, Cymdeithas Cymru-Ariannin (the Wales Argentina Society) and British Council Wales involves the appointment of a permanent teaching co-ordinator and three development officers in Patagonia, tasked with encouraging the use of Welsh, through both formal education and social activities.
A number of Patagonian Welsh language teachers are also funded in travelling to Wales to attend Welsh language courses and to participate in school observation visits.
Born this day 1950 in Cardiff.
Terry Yorath , former Wales soccer international, who captained the national side on 42 occasions. He was also a key member of Leeds United's championship-winning side in the 1973–74 season.
Born this day, 1912 in Portsmouth.
James Callaghan , who was a Cardiff MP for 42 years and Prime Minister from 1976 to 1979.
Callaghan joined the Labour Party in 1931 and was an active trade unionist, before becoming MP for Cardiff South in 1945.
He is to date the only politician in history to have served as Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister. In 1983, he became the father of the house as the longest-serving MP and in a knight of the garter in 1987.
Josiah Boydell who died 27 March 1817 was a British publisher and painter, whose main achievement was the establishment of the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery.
Boydell was born 18 January 1752 in Hawarden, Flintshire and at the age of 14, moved to London to begin a seven-year apprenticeship to his uncle, John Boydell, during which time, he learned painting and mezzotint engraving.
Boydell went on to exhibit his work at the Royal Academy and drew a picture collection of Sir Robert Walpole prior to their export to Catherine the Great of Russia.
Released on 27th March 2013, Danny Boyle's film 'Trance' features music by Ammanford-born Rick Smith from the Cardiff band Underworld.
Underworld were also chosen to direct the music for the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics and also contributed two original tracks "And I Will Kiss" and "Caliban's Dream", for which they were awarded the 2012 Q Award for Innovation.
Today is the feast day of St Govan
Saint Govan's Head is situated near Bosherston, in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Saint Govan - Died 586. It is said that Govan was an Irish Monk who travelled to Wales to seek the friends and family of his teacher, Saint David. He was set upon by pirates, but a cliff opened up leaving a gap for him to hide in until the pirates departed. In gratitude, he decided to live on the cliff, to help warn the locals of the impending pirate attacks, living off fish and water from a well. Later in the 14th century, Saint Govan's Chapel was built on the site, under which it is said that Govan is buried.
Born this day, 1856 in Aberdare.
David Alfred Thomas, 1st Viscount Rhondda, coal magnate and liberal politician.
Thomas was the MP for Merthyr and then Cardiff, but his expectations of high office were disappointed following the 1906 General Election, so he concentrated on business, where his energy and flair for innovation swiftly led him to build a commercial empire, that made him his fortune as the owner of the Cambrian Collieries.
He would return to politics as David Lloyd George's emissary to the United States, where in May 1915, he and his daughter, Margaret were travelling to, when they were among the survivors of the Lusitania, when it was torpedoed and sunk, Then in 1916, he became Minister of Food Control, responsible for introducing an efficient system of rationing. Thomas was described as stern and a disciplinarian, but a fair employer and was genuinely respected by the voters of Merthyr.
The Welsh Ornithological Society was founded on 26th March 1988 at a conference in Aberystwyth.
The Welsh Ornithological Society (Cymdeithas Adaryddol Cymru) is an organisation which promotes the study and conservation of birds in Wales. The television presenter Iolo Williams has been the society's president since November 2009.
On March 26th 1952, Wales won their fifth rugby union Grand Slam.
On March 25th 1807, the Mumbles to Swansea Railroad became the first-fee paying railroad in the world.
At the beginning of the Nineteenth Century there was no road link between Swansea and Oystermouth and the railway's original purpose was to move coal, iron ore, and limestone between the Swansea Canal and Swansea Harbour. Then in 1807, approval was given to carry passengers along the line as well.
It holds the record for the most number of means of being powered used by any railway in the world i.e. horse drawn, sail power, steam power, electric power, petrol and diesel.
Flat Holm Light House became operational on 25th March 1738.
Flat Holm is a limestone island lying in the Bristol Channel and contains Wales' most southerly point of Wales.
A timeline history for Flat Holm;
* The island has a long history of occupation, from Anglo-Saxon and Viking times.
* It was visited by disciples of Saint Cadog in the 6th century.
* In 1835 it was the site of the foundation of the Bristol Channel Mission, which later became the Mission to Seafarers.
* A sanitorium for cholera patients was built in 1896 as the isolation hospital for the port of Cardiff.
* Marconi used Flat Holm to transmit the first wireless signal over open sea to Lavernock in 1897.
* A series of gun emplacements were built in the 1860s to defend the entrances to Cardiff and Bristol ports.
* On the outbreak of World War II, the island was rearmed.
* It is now designated as a Local Nature Reserve, Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Protection Area, because of its rare grasslands and plants and also has significant breeding colonies of the Great Black-backed Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Herring Gull.
Sherlock Holmes' most famous case, The Hounds of the Baskervilles was published on March 25th, 1902 and the story may well have a distinct Welsh connection.
Sherlock Holmes's creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyles's first wife had strong links to Wales and they would have regularly visited Baskerville Hall in Clyro, Powys, It is thought that Conan Doyle may have got the idea for this story from local land owner Black Vaughan, who according to legend,
owned a pack of wild hounds, who he would set on people who annoyed him at nearby Hergest Ridge, sometimes with fatal results.
Born this day, 1915 in Pontyberem
Dorothy Squires - Born as Edna May Squires, was a recording artist, best remembered for her versions of "I'm in the Mood for Love" and "If You Love Me (Really Love Me) and her marriage to Roger Moore. In later life, she was involved in much controversy and bad fortune, which saw houses belonging to her, burned down and flooded. By 1982 she had spent much of her fortune on legal fees.and in 1988, she lost her home in following bankruptcy proceedings. Her last concert was in 1990, to pay her Community Charge.
The Proud Valley starring Paul Robeson and filmed on location in South Wales was premiered on 25th March 1940.
The film tells the story of how a Black American gets work as a miner when he comes to live in Wales and shares the hard way of experienced by the locals in the aftermath of the Great Depression. He becomes a respected member of the community when he joins a male choir and also strives to improve the people's living conditions. He then becomes a hero when he sacrifices his own life in a mining accident, trying to save his colleagues.
On 25th March 1811 Joseph Bailey took over the ironworks at Nantyglo and was instrumental in making it one of the great iron-works of the world.
Bailey from Wakefield in Yorkshire went to work with his uncle Richard Crawshay, the owner Cyfarthfa ironworks in Merthyr. After Richard Crawshay's death in 1810, Bailey inherited a quarter share of Cyfarthfa, which he sold to purchase the old ironworks at Nantyglo.
Bailey became a very wealthy man and purchased estates in Breconshire, Radnorshire, Herefordshire and Glamorganshire. he also became MP for Worcester City and Breconshire.
Born this day, 1944 in Aberystwyth
Stephen Jones FRS , is the best-known genetics expert in Britain and is also a telvision presenter and a prize-winning author on evolution. In 1996 his writing won him the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize for his wide ranging contributions to the public understanding of science.
On this day 2011, it was announced that Ty Hyll - The Ugly House, now a Grade II listed building, was to become a bee sanctuary.
A history of Tŷ Hyll - The Ugly House (Capel Curig, Snowdonia)
Legend says it was built by two outlawed brothers in the 15th century, based on the old Welsh law of ty unos , which stipulated that if you could build a house and have smoke coming out of the chimney between sunset and sunrise, then you owned the freehold of the land. Then you could also claim the amount of determined by how far an axe from each corner of the building. Given the time constraints, this would often result in a very rough and crude building.
It's thought the building that stands today is an 18th-century renovation of the original, to house the workers of Thomas Telford's link road between London to Holyhead.
In the 1980s, it was empty and falling into rack and ruin until it was bought and restored by the Snowdonia Society who however kept its original external appearance.
In March 1960 the first episode of Tales of the Riverbank, narrated by Welsh actor Johnny Morris, was aired on British television.
Born this day 1972 in Hammersmith (His mother Jackie is Welsh), raised in Newbridge
Joe Calzaghe - former World Champion boxer, who made successful defences of his WBO Super Middleweight title.
Killed in action in Maddalena Harbour, Italy on this day 1943 and posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross in recognition of his achievements during the war and the gallantry of his crew.
John Wallace Linton, born in Malpas, Newport in 1905 , was a submarine commander during the Second World War and whose submarine TURBULENT was fired upon and depth charged near Maddalena Harbour, Italy and was declared ''lost with all hands''.
Born this day, 1957 in Gorseinon
Robbie James , former Wales soccer international, who was a regular member of the Swansea City side that rose from the Fourth Division to the First Division between 1978 and 1981.
His total of 783 English league appearances between 1973 and 1994 is one of the highest of any player in the history of English football. James collapsed and died during a match for Llanelli on 18 February 1998.
Released on 23rd March 1954 Doctor in the House is a British comedy film, directed by Ralph Thomas and produced by Betty Box.
The film starred Donald Houston, a Welsh actor who early in his career starred in the highly successful films "The Blue Lagoon" and "A Run for Your Money" before later in his career, being cast in military roles and comedies such as the Doctor and Carry On series.
Born on this day 1931 in Newport, Monmouthshire.
Leslie Thomas - author, who is best known for his novels about 1950s British National Service, notably "The Virgin Soldiers"
Thomas was orphaned at the age of 12 when his mother died shortly after his father being lost at sea and he was subsequently brought up in a Dr Barnardo's home.
In 1949, Thomas was called up for National Service and saw military action in Malaysia fighting communist rebel. He also began to write short articles for a newspaper group in North London and then worked for The Exchange Telegraph news agency, now Extel. He later worked for the London Evening News as a sub-editor and reporter, before embarking on a full-time writing career in 1965.
Born this day, 1949 in Cardiff.
John Toshack, former Wales soccer international and manager.
Toshack is best remembered as a player for his prolific partnership with Kevin Keegan for Liverpool and as a manager for taking Swansea City from the Fourth Division to the First in four seasons.
Born this day 1919 in St Asaph.
Air Marshal Sir Denis Crowley-Milling - Decorated Second World War pilot and squadron leader, who took part in the Battle of Britain under the leadership of Douglas Bader and twice escaped from occupied France.
Born this day, 1862 in Ystradyfodwg, Glamorganshire
Edward Treharne, former Wales rugby international, who is notable for being a member of the first Wales international team that played England in 1881, whilst still a student at Cowbridge Grammer School.
Wales lost the match heavily, with one of the reasons being the fact that several members of the Welsh team were played out of position. Treharne, for example, was normally a full-back but was played in the forwards.
Born this day, 1929 in Abercynon.
Malcolm Vaughan, pop singer and actor, who had a number of chart hits in the UK during the 1950s.
Vaughan first found work as a straight actor following his demobilisation from the army and later became the straight man in a comedy duo with Kennet Earle. However his strong tenor voice saw him embark on a solo singing career, during which he accumulated a long string of hits including "Ev'ry Day Of My Life" and "My Special Angel"
On 21st March 1795 the first Gorsedd was held in Wales, on Alban Eilir in Stalling Down near Cowbridge. A Gorsedd was also held there in 1995 to celebrate the 200th anniversary.
The first ever Gorsedd had been arranged by Iolo Morganwg with a ceremony on Primrose Hill in London in 1792. A circle of stones was formed, with the larger Gorsedd Stone in the centre. Iolo tied green, blue and white ribbons on the arms of the newly appointed Gorsedd members.
Born this day, 1713 in Llandaff
Francis Lewis, who was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of New York.
Lewis was orphaned at an early age, educated in Scotland and moved to New York in 1734, where he was taken prisoner and shipped in a box to France while serving as a British mercantile agent. He retur ned to America and was elected to the Continental Congress in 1775. His home and property were destroyed and his wife arrested by British soldiers in the American Revolutionary War.
In New York, "The Francis Lewis School", Francis Lewis Boulevard and Francis Lewis Park, are all named after him.
Born this day, 1964 in Pontarddulais
Ieuan Evans MBE, former Wales and Lions rugby international and former Wales captain.
Evans played the majority of his career with Llanelli, but won the Heineken cup with Bath in 1998 and was inducted into the International Rugby Hall of Fame in 2007.
Born this day, 1802 near Abergavenny.
Augusta Hall, Baroness Llanover - patron of the Arts in Wales.
Because of her interest in Celtic Studies, local bard, Thomas Price (Carnhuanawc) taught Baroness Llanover to speak Welsh and she took the bardic name "Gwenynen Gwent", ('the bee of Gwent'). She was a patron of the Welsh Manuscripts Society, funded a Welsh dictionary, helped found Y Gymraes ("The Welshwoman"), the first Welsh-language periodical for women and campaigned for church services to be conducted in Welsh. She was also instrumental in the adoption of the national costume of Wales.
Born this day 1933 in Swansea.
Michael Heseltine, politician and businessman, he was a prominent figure in the governments of Margaret Thatcher and John Major. After graduating from Oxford he built up a property business and later made his fortune from the printing business. In 1959, he entered politics and enjoyed an illustrious career, which saw him serve as, Secretary of State for the Environment, Secretary of State for Defence, Secretary of State for the Environment, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister.
His candidacy for the leadership of the Conservative Party in 1990 was instrumental in the fall of from power of Margaret Thatcher. He acquired the nickname Tarzan, after an incident in the Houses of Parliament which saw Heseltine seizing the mace and brandishing it towards Labour left-wingers who were celebrating their winning of a vote by singing the Red Flag.
Born this day 1946 in Colwyn Bay
Timothy Dalton, film and television actor. Best known for playing James Bond in the films The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill.
Born this day, 1967 in Swansea
Carwyn Jones, who became First Minister of Wales in December 2009.
Born this day, 1975 in Cwm, Ebbw Vale
Mark Williams, snooker player who was World Champion in 2000 and 2003.
Williams was the first left-handed player to win the World Championship and is regarded as one of the greatest long potters in the game. Interestingly, he is partially colour-blind and has difficulty distinguishing between the red and brown balls, once even potting the brown ball by mistake.
Born this day, 1959 in Gorseinon
Colin Jones boxer, former British, Commonwealth and European welterweight boxing champion, who was regarded as the hardest punching welterweight of his time.
On this day 1345, a Saturn-Jupiter-Mars-conjunction occurred, which people at the time thought was the cause of the Black Death
The Black Death (The Plague) was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350, ranging between 75 million and 200 million people.
It is thought that the pathogen responsible was the Yersinia Pestis bacterium and is thought to have started in China or central Asia, before travelling along the trade route called the Silk Road, reaching the Crimea by 1346 and from there, carried by fleas on black rats on merchant ships into the Mediterranean and Europe
It struck Bristol in the summer of 1348 and arrived in Wales later that year, killing an estimated 30% of the population. Further outbreaks of the plague occurred in 1360 and 1369 though these were not so virulent, however, it took 150 years for Europe's population to recover .
Celtic Festivals
The Spring or Vernal Equinox.
An equinox occurs twice a year, around 20 March and 22 September, on which days, daytime and night are of approximately equal duration. The word comes from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night).
It is also known by the names;
Alban Eiler (Celtic), Ostara (Old English) and Ēastre ( Northumbrian)
Equinoxes were celebrated in Britain before Celtic times as shown by the illumination of Megalithic passages and chambers from the rising sun on the mornings of the equinoxes. The Celts continued the tradition, celebrating the renewal of life after the hard winter months, with large open fires and rowan twigs being used to make equal-armed crosses that symbolized divine and psychic protection.
It is thought that the Christian religion later adapted this festival as Easter, the time for celebrating Christ’s victory over death and several current Easter traditions including the Easter Bunny and the decorating of eggs being considered to have originated in the pre-Christian celebrations.
In the Mabinogion, this is the time when the God of Light conquers his darker twin and was presided over by Bran and Rhiannon.
Bran was a Welsh King who sought to bring enemies into peaceful accord and Rhiannon was as the mother goddess of fertility who also aided the growth of new vegetation.
Born this day, 1942 in Caernarfon
Wyn Davies, former Wales soccer international. Best known for playing for Newcastle United, with whom won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969. He was regarded as the perfect target man, as he was brave and had fantastic aerial ability. Nicknamed 'Wyn the Leap' and 'The Mighty Wyn'
The crime drama film, Tiger Bay was released on 20th March 1959 , starring John Mills, his daughter Hayley and Horst Buchholz. The film was made mainly on location in Tiger Bay in Cardiff, at Newport Transporter Bridge and at Avonmouth Docks in Bristol.
On 20th March 1975 the Cleddau Bridge in Pembrokeshire was opened.
The River Cleddau divides Pembrokeshire in two and before the bridge was built the only means of crossing was by steam-driven ferry boats from the Admiralty's dockyard in Pembroke Dock to Neyland. However as the amount of traffic increased, it was decided in the mid 1960s to build a bridge.
Tragically, during construction, one of the box girder sections crashed to the ground, killing nine people and there could have been countless more as the bridge was almost directly above the village of Pembroke Ferry and the debris missed houses by only a few feet.
At the subsequent inquiry, it was found that the cause of the disaster was a combination of inadequate supports for the box girder sections and poor site organisation and communication
However, as a result, new requirements for the design and construction of Box Girder bridges were implemented.
On 20th March 1899, poet and tramp W H Davies lost a foot when attempting to jump from a freight train in Ontario.
Davies was born in Pillgwenlly, Newport in 1871 and at the age of 22, went to the United States to seek his fortune.
For the next five years he travelled widely including an attempt to make his fortune at the Klondike gold rush, but when he lost his foot and later had his leg below the knee amputated, he decided to return to Wales.
He began publishing his poetry in 1905 and later described his adventures in his autobiography entitled, Autobiography of a Super Tramp, from which it is alleged that the band Supertramp got its name.
Born on this day 1852 in Llanybydder in Carmarthenshire.
Reverend John Gwenogvryn Evans (20 March 1852 – 25 March 1930) - Welsh palaeographic expert.
After being forced to retire from being a Unitarian minister due to ill-health, Evans took up collecting and making copies of ancient Welsh manuscripts, such as the books of Aneirin and Taliesin.
He then became employed by the Historical Manuscripts Commission in Oxford, producing a significant report on manuscripts in the Welsh language. In 1905, he was instrumental in the purchase of the Peniarth manuscript collection from Sir John Williams, which is now kept at the National Library of Wales.
