New Beginnings for a New Welsh Republicanism?

This posting I have given the title: New Beginnings for a New Welsh Republicanism?

A rather opptimistic title, you might think from someone, as myself who is always wriiting critcally and often cynically on ''Welsh Republicanism''. The author of the material that follows is David Lawrence whom I had pleasure of meeting and getting to know a little, at the 1st March 2006 protest at opening of the 'Sham Senedd' and visit of members of the English Royalty to open this Assembly of Appeasement with English Imperialism. I had not the opportnunity then to talk much with David regards his ideas on ''Welsh Republicanism'', nor unfortunatly time to visit 'Republican Forums' to which David contributes. This past month I have been busy posting material on ''Welsh Republicanism'' to a number of blogs I work with, as the 'Aternative Welsh Nationalist Archive: http://awnms.blogspot.com posting to this blog information on the first Welsh Republican Movement 1946 - 56/7?. In another blog I work with at http://adfywiad.blogspot.com , you will usually find material where I pour scorn on present day so called ''Welsh Republicanism'' of such ''Retro - Romantic Rubbish'' put forward by ''grouplets'' as 'Cymru Rydd' and 'Balchder Cymru'. Essentially my arguement is that ''Welsh Republicanism'' never really existed, and that it was unfortunatly a failed ideology. The Welsh Republicanism of WRM I was a very promising attempt in the period from 1946 into the late fifthties, but the advent of the ''sixties'' witnessed successful advance of Plaid Cymru ''Progressive Nationalism?''and a language based cultural nationalist struggle led by Cymdeithas yr Iaith Cymraeg. Although a little influenced by the previous 'Welsh Republicnism' of Cliff Bere, Ifor Wilks, Pedr Lewis and Harri Web, Welsh Nationalist Radicalism in the ''sixties'' although sometimes referring to itself as ''Republican'' was in fact more so 'Ultra - Militant Nationalism' (See FWA) and Radically Patriotic (see Patriotic Front). An attempt to refound a more definable ''Welsh Republicanism'' was attempted in decades that followed, giving rise to WRM II and a Welsh Socialist Republican Movement, plus a kind of ''WRM'' in form of a paper 'Y Gwerineathwr' (named after paper of WRM I). Today, I had thought that any continuing ''Welsh Republicanism'' was not even really of an old ''Republican Rump'' but rather a ''Republican Remnant'' of the what I referr to as the ''Debris'' of 'To Dream of Freedom', if you have no idea regards what I mean, you will, if you read by 'Adfywiad Gwladgarol' Blog. The only other ''Welsh Republicanism'' I was aware of, was that of certain ''Left'' Plaid Cymru members, who subscribed to the Guardian Newspapers ''British Republican'' campaign. However, I am prooved wrong and indeed need to eat some ''humble pie'' for of late I have receieved material from David Lawrence, that perhaps will prove me wrong in my historical analysis and critcal contemporary cynicism. The material David has sent me, as impressed me, I publish some of it below and hope when you have read it, that you will be impressed too. For I believe, that if any New Welsh Republicanism is to arise then it will come out of the work that David is putting into establish some rock solid 'Welsh Republican Historic Foundations', as it can only be out of such will we see a NEW WELSH REPUBLICAN MOVEMENT(III/IV/V?) with a sound Welsh Republican Ethos and Creed, Philosophy and Theories essential to such movement and of course 'NEW WELSH REPUBLICAN STRUGGLE'. So read on:

Picture at top is of myself ''off to rise a Welsh Republican Flag at Garreg Wasted'', pictures below are mostly ''Socialist Republicans'' led by Leanne Wood gathering for the 1 March 2006 Anti - English Monarchy Protest at the 'Sham Senedd'.

The Foundations of a New Welsh Republicanism? (A title I have given to below, David would be too modest to call it such as he preferrs not to write articles, instead engaging in discussion and swapping of ideas. However, I am impressed enough to make ''no bones'' about how I view what he is doing, in terms of research and otherwise engaging with others of a 'Welsh Republican Mind' in forums, as noted below).

David writes:

Thought that I'd explain to you my hypothesis about the origins of Welsh republicanism in the 16c. My take on Welsh history however is not as good as yours, it is as impressionistic as my grasp of the off-side rule...any how, this is a sketch of my recent thoughts on the matter.The Welsh got very little out of Henry VII's victory considering what they put in and things remained much the same as before up to the "Union", the punitive and discriminatory laws imposed by Henry IV remaining in place. The "Union" that people discussed had some promising aspects to it, such as reuniting all the separately governed bits of Wales into one polity - albeit with England - and some people wanted it and argued for it. What they got was the Annexation, Reformation and Dissolution and a number of other things also which threw Wales into chaos and started a century-long downward spiral into civil unrest and finally a minor rebellion in 1609. Read an English textbook and it will tell you that 16c Wales was a happy and contented place after the "Union" with England, but that is not true. What is really interesting to me is that this society in turmoil acquired or developed those ideas that would be fused together later to emerge in the form of a democratic republicanism that is Wales' legacy to the modern political world.The Annexation was a rude awakening for those who hoped for Union with England : they got their single government in the shape of a Council for Wales and the Marches but only at the expense of Wales being declared non-existant as a state entity, its language being made non-legal and the rights of Welsh people before the law being subject to them becoming English speaking people. This antagonised people's sense of national pride in Welsh identity, but then they saw the king himself as "Welsh", being a Tudor, so there wasn't so much antagonism towards his nationality as towards his unjustness towards them which was blamed on his councillors. Wales did get a single legal system again, but an English one that was about to overthrow the church laws that had long defended those disadvantaged as Welsh people by the Crown and Marcher laws. In the subsequent Reformation that set the monarch above both the laws of the state and the church, the Welsh were deeply offended religiously and mostly thought of themselves less as patriots and more as Catholics opposed to a corrupt monarch who had set himself above the authority of the church laws that had previously made him subject to the Pope as a check on him becoming a tyrant. They also had a lot of their traditional holiday pleasures banned in the Reformation whilst they learned that Henry VIII was increasing the lavishness of his lifestyle. In the Dissolution the Welsh saw the king and wealthy people plundering the wealth and lands of the Church which had been effectively the common inheritance of ordinary people, their "welfare state" and often their employer. Churches were stripped of anything valuable like roofing lead and the monasteries, their schools, hospitals and poor houses, were made into private grand houses. The great libraries of Wales were destroyed and the farmland of the church was turned over to grazing animals that could then be driven to London for sale for cash profits for the Welsh gentry.The common people were forced off the good soil into the valleys and mountains to live a marginal existence both materially and culturally, and it was in this poor soil, that was promptly neglected by the newly established Anglican church whose priests collected parishes to finance lifestyles rather than to minister in, that the seeds of protestant non-conformity took root. The one good thing to come out of this period for Wales was the publication of the Bible in Welsh which stated the fact, to Welsh ears, that God was against the injustices that they so keenly felt. This would become even more important later, but to begin with these common people began to practice literacy and discuss concepts like "the priesthood of all believers" as the basis of their religious life. I deem this idea to be the origin of what was to emerge later as the rudiments of democratic thought and organisation amongst the protestant non-conformists, a model of democracy worked out by experiment.In the meantime, those who could afford it and who refused to go to Oxford and submit to protestant teachings went to the continental universities and were caught up in the Counter-Reformation. They returned to Wales, sometimes as priests, having been exposed to a catholic and classical education depicting ancient Rome and Athens, and also to radical writers like Machiavelli who discussed politics in a recognisably early-modern way, and sometimes they had actually visited functioning republics like Venice. Their Neo-Platonical conception of republicanism was very different from what we assume to be republican now a days : their idea was of a Christian philosopher-king who would frame the laws of the land and govern society according to God's will, and they most probably despised democracy : the people needed to be ruled not be rulers. In their cultivated world of recusancy they shared much with their English catholic co-religionists, save one thing : English catholics contended against English protestants to seize the English throne for their own candidate monarch, or atleast to influence the existing monarch, and as such they were enemies; but Welsh catholics and Welsh protestants shared a sense of being oppressed by whoever was on the English throne, and as such they had something in common to talk about.The conclusion drawn from that long dialectical conversation held between these two Welsh dissenting religious groups over two hundred years emerged in the 18c was a set of values and attitudes that we now take to be political and describe as "democratic and republican". In the early 16c however politics as we now concieve it just didn't exist, and the protestant cultures that emphasised the spiritual authority of the congregation seemed irreconcilable to the catholic cultures that asserted the authority of the priestly heirarchy. What transformed this conflict in Wales was the outcome of the consequences of the Annexation, Reformation and Dissolution : a severe social breakdown of Welsh society that resulted in everybody concerned craving law and order and being very angry with the laws and legal system that had been imposed on Wales by the Annexation.Again, if you read an English'd history of Wales you generally will be totally unaware of the steadily increasing incidences of starvation, rioting and crime that Wales become notable for in the 16c. At best, history books generally recount romantic anecdotal tales of bandits like Twm Sion Catti or pirates like John Callice and don't set them into context. The economic causes of crime were not just that the common people were moved onto marginal land but that Wales was now taxed in the same way as England and so the merchant trade collapsed for not having the same fat margins as England and so Wales as a maritime nation trading with Europe nearly ceased to exist, with all sorts of knock on consequences economically. Social causes included the factionalising and rivalry for political influence with the crown because that could procure land, the major source of wealth, and also it procured appointments to offices that could be exploited for money. Within the legal system, appointments such as sheriff were made by both political influence and straightforward bidding : having procured the office the incumbent set about retrieving his money by as many prosecutions and fines as possible and the laws that had Welshmen dragged into an English county and tried by juries consisting only of Englishmen persisted until 1628, when Henry IV's punitive laws against the Welsh were mostly, finally, repealed by Charles I. By 1628 however Wales was already entering a sort of national breakdown involving its sense of identity after a failed catholic rebellion in Monmouthshire in 1609. The Welsh tried to stay out of the later English civil wars and it is an irony that the last battle of these was fought in Wales when Laugharne decided to change sides to the king's cause, causing thousands of Welsh peasants to die needlessly on the fields of St Fagans.

David continues:

The English civil wars accelerated the first steps away from a Welsh identity built upon of catholic conformity and social heirarchy towards a one that embraced protestant non-conformity and egalitarianism, but the new protestant democratic spirit had come to inhabit a body of republican thought it inherited from catholicism - the two had become welded together through the longing for just laws and restored order in society that had increasingly haunted 16c Welsh society after its subjection to Annexation, Reformation, Dissolution and their further consequences. Much of the debate that created this fusion of democracy and republicanism must have taken place in the dissenting academies that sprang up to compensate for Wales not having a university, so it is not surprising that the 18c philosophers of democratic republicanism that sprang from Wales were the products of such institutions - nor should we imagine that they simply created it as an act of genius, clearly Williams and Price were drawing on the same political tradition and just articulating it for others. I am sure that this tradition began in the 16th century in Wales.

David Continues:

As I may have told you, I am working on the theory that nationalism and socialism in Wales parted way from republicanism somewhere between 1850 ( = date of "Red Republican" and introduction of Marxism ) and 1885 ( = first election in which the working class got the vote and started to concentrate on their own interests ). In between these dates I have presumed that the Welsh ( and Irish etc ) who had fought in the American Civil War had brought back a renewed version of republicanism to rejuvenate the old one that persisted after the collapse of Chartism. All over Britain and Ireland there was a revival in republicanism in the 1870's, and a number of clubs were founded to promote the cause - often called "radical" clubs to conceal their purpose, the last remaining Radical Club in South Wales as far as I know is in Blaenllechau, Rhondda but probably other clubs - even non-political ones - may have started out as radical clubs. The nationalists in Cymru Fydd clearly loathed them - their political idea was proclaimed as " Athenian Democracy reconciled to Roman Imperialism " - ie they wanted Home Rule but also wanted a share in Britain's loot.

My Comment: I would suggest that those of good 'Welsh Republican Mind' engage with David Lawrence in search for this lost ''Welsh Republican History'', also engage in discussion and debate. David as began to make of me a 'Welsh Republican Optimist', but must still critically and cynically condemn those who continue to be of ''Retro & Romantic'' in their ''Welsh Republicanism''. Those of both 'Cymru Rydd' and 'Balchder Cymru' whose Republican Foundations some what in a very bizzare way are based on the Ultra - Nationalist Militantism of FWA Commandants; Cayo and Coslett, their 'Welsh Republicanism'' and mine/Patriotic Front and other 1960's 'Adfywiadwyr Gwladgarol' had more to do with our total captivation of the the Irish Easter Rising (see 1966 in AWNM&S History Archive, regards 'Adfywiad Gwladgarol Fawr 1962/3 - 1969). Some what made more politically bizzare by fact that we were led then in the 60's by the ''Romantic Republicanism'' of the Patriotic Bard Harri Webb, where we found our ''Field of Dreams'' in a rather patriotic medievalism in the ''Saced Acre'' around the Cilmeri Cenotaph to the last prince of the Royal Family of Gwynedd, a Cymric Aristocracy that also claimed to be the over lords (High Kings) of Wales in theory but only 'Pura Walliae' in practise. Still to this day, the aforementioned ''R&R Republicans" are more often seen commemorating Medieval History and Princes than anything that has much to do with a ''Welsh Republicanism'' in any shape or form. Yes! Bizzare! I am guilty of such as much as others, but then I have never really been a 'Welsh Republican' but rather more a 'Welsh Remembrancer' so I have an excuse, how about you? Whatever, the truth is if we are to see a ''New Welsh Republicanism'' to emerge and be more succesful than before, then 'Welsh Republicans' will have need of their own ''sacred acre'' to assemble at, to hold annual Welsh Republican Rally. I have suggested Garreg Wasted but having read what David Lawrence has to say, I am now more in favour of his proposals for such an annual Rally of Republicans'.Read On:

Picture immediatly above is off a lone Welsh Republican Flag raised up at the aforementioned Cardiff Protest, the two pictures below were taken by David Lawrence (c) of the David Williams memorial in Caerffili.


David Writes:

This is the place that I am suggesting might be a pleasant spot for a summer rally - if it rains the Courthouse pub is fifty yards away, and it does nice meals although I had in mind a picnic. Caerphilly could hardly object to people comemorating its most distinguished son at the monument to him in the park named after him - even if we did dress the obelisk up with some republican flags and pledged allegiance to them as a symbol of the republic ! I'll try and write a bit about David Williams later. There's a worthy biography of him called "The Anvil and the Hammer" by Whitney R D Jones 1987. Williams influenced both the American and French revolutionists with newspaper articles, pamphlets and friendships that were widely quoted at the time but he left no literary monuments to his political and religious philosophies. Religiously, he fully broke completely off from the Christian faith and attempted to found a Deist religion that was to be one of the inspirations for the French revolutionary republic's attempt to found a state religion, "The Cult of Reason" - hence his nickname, "The Priest of Nature", because he retired to the countryside to perform novel rites. He made a living mostly by running a novel school in London, based on radical principles that incalcated a democratic and rational education, and partly by writing criticism for newspapers. His friends eventually contrived to procure for him a sort of pension in his old age in a job with the Royal Literary Fund - irony ! David Williams is particularly important to republican political theory in his arguing the right of people to take up arms to defend themselves against tyranical governments. He introduced the idea of the local "well regulated militias" that would be able to oppose the central government's standing army should it ever be used to oppress people. This was a key argument cited by the American revolutionaries. Thus he would be horrified by the fact that his idea, which was incorporated into the USA's constitution as the people's right to bear arms, is used to justify private people carrying fire-arms for personal self defence. David Williams would have viewed this as an invitation to anarchy, with the predictable result that murderous weapons would be in the hands of lawless individuals spreading havoc - instead martial armaments being in the hands of morally educated people who would be acting together under a military discipline to democratically defend the rule of law and order. The monument is in Parc Dafydd Williams, and inscription:

David Williams born at Waenwaelod Watford 1738 Died at London June 29 1816 Buried at St Annes Soho This memorial has been raised by a few admirers. He was one of the foremost Welshmen of his age and generation, endowed with rare intellectual gifts. He devoted the greater part of his life to the helping of the poor, the expounding of the principles of popular education, and the furthering of the cause of LIBERTY both in speech and in thought. He wrote many books. He drafted the first constitution of the FRENCH REVOLUTION. He shielded Benjamin Fanklin and other friends of freedom from persecution and he founded the Royal Literary Fund.

If you want to read more of David Lawrence's material on Welsh Republicanism, visit the forum below:

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G.Gruffydd, Editor The Welsh Patriot blog.

Pelagius: A Patriots Saint?

Pelagius: An Heretic or Radical Religous Reformer.

A Standard view of Pelagian. Who was Pelagius: See p 469 The Oxford Companion To The Literature of Wales. Edited by Meic Stephens, published by the Oxford University Press. To briefly quote an a small extract, Pelagius (fl. 350 – 418), a theologian who was of British origin, has sometimes, especially in Wales, been called MORGAN…An opponent of the Augustine doctrine of irresistible grace…Regarded by some modern scholars as a thinker of evangelical piety or one concerned for social righteousness….It was said that Germanus/Garmon was said to have visited Britain to combat Pelagianism which was condemned by Rome in 418. But a century or later Maelgwn Gwynedd was thought to have been a Pelagian. It appears that because the ‘’Pelagian Heresy’’ continued to thrive in Wales, that the ‘’Augustines’’ of Rome and their followers in the ‘’Celtic Church’’ called upon St David to mount a campaign against the heresy. See the Conference of Llandewi Brefi. End.

Introduction: One will find much written in Wales on Saint David who has been made ‘’our’’ Patron Saint and on Pelagius very little, why this is so baffles me to say the least but there, I am of a secular patriotic mind which does not pay much attention to religion. Looking into history and in our present times in Iraq with Religious factions carrying out all kinds of awful slaughter in the name of one prophet or another, I am reminded of the Christian slaughter in their crusades against the Pagan Balts and Friesians, not least against their own fellow Christians, the Cathars, declared ‘’heretics’’ they suffered terribly at Rome’s dictat. Then of course in Western History we have the long Protest – V – Catholic Wars, so when it comes to religion I would say that it is such which has caused the worse of humanities wars and civil strife. Thus should we now in Wales attach any great importance, by in recent times a rather commercially promoted ‘’patriotic revival’’ by the Cambria Magazine/Tartan Center/ and the MHOSD connection to promote Saint David in advancing of the Welsh Identity, particularly when some might prefer Saint Beuno? Some patriots even favour Pelagius ''the heretic'' who may be our first great Welsh Radical Reformer? or may be, it should be the case that a few Patriotic Radical Nationalist believe, just say a ‘’Curse on all your Houses’’ and revert back to a ‘'Paganic Druidism'’ which may better call on our ‘Celtic Roots and Heritage’ than an ‘’Augustian Saints’’, as Saint David with links to Canterbury and Rome? Think on it!

Whilst dwelling on such possibly outdated and irrelevant Religious matters follow up the above with a read of the below, which some one recently sent to me, as information on a source to look up by those who may want to know much more about Pelagius. You could also of course search the web, and find further Information. Keeping in mind to ask the question, “Why is it even the WASPs seem to have kicked poor Pelagius into touch, why?’’ See info sent to me below:

The Jesus follower Pelagius went from these islands around 400AD, to Rome. There he was appalled by the corruption and depravity of the Catholic Church and tried to stop then the perversions practiced by many Catholic Priests to this day. Pelagius strove mightily to start the Reformation, but the corrupt degenerates were too strong for him and he was driven out of Christendom as a heretic. In 519AD a David, travelling in company with a boy, used black arts to cause the ground to rise to give him a platform to address the Celtic Bishops. He denounced Pelagius and persuaded those Bishops to join in the corrupt practices of the Church of Rome. Read a DISSERTATION on The Pelagian Heresy, AND THE REFUTATION OF IT AT LLANDDEWI BREVI BY ST. DAVID.* published in Carmarthen in 1808 by J. Evans.*Pelagius' own writing is available as "Critique of the Epistle to the Romans" in a religious encyclopaedia. He said that it is not enough to believe and be baptised, to go to Heaven, you must also be good.

Also received:

What is a Christian? Those who call themselves Christians all make a great fuss about St. Paul. Christian tracts are packed with his quotations; he is a fundamental of their Philosophy. Not Peter, not even Jesus, it is the teaching of Paul that is the fundamental of Christianity. Saul was a Fascist, one of the originals; he was given the job of killing the ideas of Jesus. He vainly pursued that objective, but found the teaching of Jesus so true it could not be stopped. He chased to suppress it, but put down here it sprang up in three or four over there. Saul was failing, and then he saw the way it could be done. Riding down the Tarsus road came the blinding revelation. "If you cannot beat them, join them" He did not report the second part "and pervert them from within". The nature of the man did not change, he is sill on the side of the slave owner. He manipulates the teachings of Jesus to the service of the State, the greatest achievement by any man in all History. Perverted from God to Satan, the root of the Church of Rome. Some four hundred years later, in the Celtic lands, where the teaching of Jesus had been restored closer to its original purity, there was an austere poverty-living Monk. He heard great things about the glory and importance of Rome, of its purity and high ideals. Off he goes as a pilgrim. But on arrival he finds the lies. Rome is a hotbed of vice. Every decadence is practised. High Fathers in the Church have all sorts of luxury and indulge in all sorts of vices, just as today. Our honest Monk was horrified, and sought the root of such depravity. So the "Critique of the letter to the Romans" was written by Pelagius. The ensuing struggle was a close run thing, but the perverts won, the honest Celtic Monk was driven out of Christendom to die in foreign poverty. His truth denounced as heresy; the truth of Jesus.

A couple of hundred years later a Missionary addressed convocation of Bishops of the Celtic Churches. He used the tricks of Satan to work apparent magic, denounced that honest Celtic monk to the Bishops and told them what they wanted to hear. They voted to join the Church of Depravity. Such are Bishops. It isn't so much their depravity that has to be denounced, such is in the nature of men, what is intolerable is their hypocrisy. The fundamental rot in Wales stems from having that supporter of child molesters as a Patron. The greatest Shame on Wales. Stop being a Christian. If you have to be religious, follow the true teaching of Jesus... if you can find it after all the editing that has been done to the Bible. Lie after lie, and clever Jesuits to mislead you into abandoning your Soul to Pope and Priests. Did you see on TV that rare man, an honest Catholic Priest, try to kiss the ring symbolic of purity and virtue worn by the Pope. And how that honest man's integrity was preserved when the Chief agent of Satan refused to allow that Kiss?

Ilyan ap Pelagius.

Pretty tough stuff, so what do you think?

Pelagius or St David?

22 February 1797 - Our Welsh Republican failiure?

First: A photo Gallery depiction with details of "my designated":
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'Llywbr Henry Davies 1797'. In reality it is part of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path but we will call it by the name that I have given it, why not? Note, whilst it is excellent to do this 'Patriots Pilgrimage' actually on the anniversary date, I was lucky and though doing the walk on the 22 February 2006, it was not cold and wet but was muddy. So perhaps needless to say, still wear stout 'all weather' walking boots plus warm clothes and rain proof tops. Take flask of hot drink as soup and something to eat down in the "dingle" by 'Bont Henri Davies, this place is fairly sheltered and kind of ''magical & mysterious'', type of place ''Goblins'' might hang around in! Too bad that on 22 February 1797, there was not an a 'Byddin Bonet Goch Cymru' hiding down there awaiting the French Fleet but not to be. However, no reason why you should not wear your 'Cap Goch' as you carry your own 'Welsh Republican Flag' to plant at the "Rock of Garreg Wasted has I did (No photos of me doing this, because my partner, preferred to stay in the car to have her lucozade and Beef Baps, said it was too cold?). However, if you really want to make the most of it and go with the family and have a day of it, taking in some great views alaround, then yes go in the summer. If taking children then do take great care as the "Rock of Garreg Wasted" is close to steep cliffs OK! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! So, here's how you get there: Via Goodwick head for St Gwyndaf's Church near village of Llanwnda Church, car will have to be left here, then proceed along path (watch out for small sign posts) down into the dingle and out of it via 'Bont Henry Davies. Then proceed to the memorial on Garrefg Wasted Headland. See Photographs below:

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Following on above, end your day in Abergwuan.

Do the above walk first, as best not do it after a meal with drinking at the Royal Oak, as suggested below. However, first do please lay flowers on grave of Henry Davies and his wife in cemetary opposite the Town Library, in photo you will see I placed some flowers. Then visit the Royal Oak famouse for having there the actual table upon which the 'French Surrender' was signed and much more, there now exists quite an exhibition worth seeing, not least on the 100th anniversary commemoration of 1897 and that is very revealing. The Royal Oak by way is a very compfortable pub with large Bars, Restaraunt and Beer Garden, so excellent place to take it easy after the above outing to Garreg Wasted. Enjoy! Don't forget to sing the 'MARSEILLES' and also 'VIVE LE FRANCE'.

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All pictures are (c) Gethin Gruffydd, but if you want to reproduce you only got to ask also if using any of the below material, please be kind to quote source. Diolch yn Fawr. Now on with the heavy stuff!
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22nd February 1797.
Our Welsh Republican Failiure?
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Introduction: Continuing my February theme, looking into the subject of “Welsh Republicanism’’, I conclude with this article dealing with a brief history seeking to identify this “Welsh Republicanism”. My other published postings on this subject are in my following associated blogs:
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* Alternative Welsh Nationalist Archive: http://awnms.blogspot.com for WRM I History 1946 - 1956.
* Adfywiad Gwladgarol Cymru: http://adfywiad.blogspot.com for Welsh Republicanism 1966 – 2006.
Also see other blogs I work with: Cofiwn Archive blog and Cilmeri Commemoration tribute blog.
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A Prologue:
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* The motivation for my spending so much time on subject of ‘’Welsh Republicanism’, is in first instance the anniversary date of the “Fishguard Fiasco” arises in February, next week in fact, so what better time to highlight a subject that seriously needs much attention. This brings me to another motivation and that is the terrible state of decay, demise and decline dawning over any attempt at reviving or perhaps rather “Welsh Republican Resurrection”, unfortunately a “Welsh Republican Resurgence” is a long way away? It is my belief that any “Welsh Republicanism” in our history is but a myth advanced again by the “Patriotic Bard” Harri Web, but is it? Welsh Republicans Ifor Wilks in the past and David Lawrence in our own time have detected a little evidence to the otherwise. However, It is my contention that “Welsh Republicanism” old or new is a failed political ideology, for reasons why in the past this article will clarify. Why in our own contemporary times, unfortunately failure was rooted from the start within WRM I, although this “WR” Movement seriously attempted establishing a “WR” Philosophy, Theory and Creed, it failed. The reason for failure was the same as those that generally undermine ‘Alternative Welsh Nationalism’; they are reasons of “Radical Nationalism – v – Moderate Nationalism”. Cultural Nationalism – v – Political Nationalism’’ and issue of Left or Right or rather an “Insular patriotic form of Republicanism”, as represented by WRM II and Cymdeithas Cyfamod to the derisory Cymru Rydd and Balchder Cymru today. Opposed to this is the more “International Republicanism” as represented by the WSRM and present day “Guardianesque Newspaper Republicanism” of the “Plaid Poppy Left”. Have I any conclusions, such I will save for my summery at end of this article.
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The Fishguard Fiasco 22 February 1797.
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*In brief, a French Expeditionary Force sent to invade Britain landed near Fishguard and, after a couple of days of getting drunk, were rounded up, largely, by a group of Welsh Women wearing Red shawls and Tall black hats - or so the story goes. The only problem is, local historian Syd Walters strongly disputes this ‘history’ (but I dispute much that Syd Walters says, which is a bit on the ‘WASP’ side, so there you are!) and when one realises that a similar story exists in Ilfracoome (French were on way to invade Bristol in this version of the story), then it all smacks pretty much of not so much “tall hats”, but more like” tall tales”. This has something to do with the spread of popular reading, see explanation in book about ‘Sawney Bean – The Scottish Cannibal’, how similar is claimed in a number of localities all over British Isles. Think Victorianism, Think Gerlert! And even Think Cilmeri! After all Llywelyn III was killed at Aberedw, so why do patriots hold commemorations at Cilmeri! Puzzled! See Cofiwn and Cilmeri Commemoration Tribute blog ok!
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* It is an irony that in the years leading up to 1797 Wales was in grip of numerous ‘popular revolts’ particularly “Bread Riots” not least in the county of Pembrokeshire. On 2 March 1795 Lord Dynevor informed the government of bread riots taking place in Narberth and Haverfordwest. He feared this might encourage agitation in other towns as it was well known that seditious literature had been circulating in the county. In previous year a John Bowen of Cardigan had informed the government that people of Fishguard were ‘rather disaffected to government’, adding mysteriously, ‘the French were lately landed at Fishguard are very suspicious’. Was he hinting at French Agents in league possibly with local dissidents? On 18 August 1795 the Hook colliers and their womenfolk had seized a ship bound for Bristol with load of butter. The Militia was called in and fighting broke out causing the riot act to be read so dispersing the agitated crowd. (I have extensively quoted in this and following paragraph from article ‘Pembrokeshire in wartime 1793 – 1815’ which gives brief but good account of further disturbances in these neo – revolutionary times in Wales, not least West Wales.)
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* There are however in these times no equivalent of a ‘United Irishman Movement’. There was no Welsh Wolfe Tone or Robert Emmet but there were dissidents as Merchant John Thomas of Haverfordwest, two Baptist ministers, the Rev. John Reynolds of Felinganol and the Rev. Henry Davies of Llangloffen both of whom were accused of having sympathies with the French Revolutionaries. Following events of 22 February 1797 an effigy of Henry Davies was burnt in Fishguard by a drunken “Taffy Ich Dien Crown and Country Brit Mob” (my diatribe against these Welsh Anglo - Saxon Protestants). Two dissenting yeomen, Samuel Griffiths of Pointz Castle and Thomas John of Summerton languished in prison until September 1797 accused of conspiring with the French, trumped up charges for a show trial to scare others from any sign or show of support for the French Revolution. Despite much civil unrest and some support for the French Revolution why did the events of 22 February 1797 not prove advantageous to advancing Welsh Republican ideals? First and fore most prior to 1797 were years of famine but 1797 ironically was not and thus popular discontent was muted. However, just a couple of years later in 1799 Pembrokeshire were in a state of discontent and Lord Milford was informed ‘the people are upon the eve of rising en mass’. This alarmist report would go on to say that they would this time perhaps welcome the French, despite this time around the gentry being on the receiving end of violent threats there was to be no peasants rising in the west, nor a ‘United Welshman Movement’ to ally itself with such revolt to ferment and carry out a Welsh Republican Rebellion’. If only but why not?
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* The ‘French Revolution’ and before it the ‘American Revolution’ via the advance of a verity of 18th century ideas and ideals give rise not only to the cause of democracy (see philosophy of Voltaire and writings of Tom Paine) but also give birth to the concept of the Nation State and stimulated into existence many National Movements to pursue such ends. Most noted example to us here being Wolfe Tones ‘United Irishmen Movement’ (also Robert Emmet and later Daniel O’Connell) but there was to be neither Welsh Wolfe Tone nor a ‘United Welshmen Movement’. Perhaps the nearest we have to such a man is John Jones of Glan y Gors and Morgan John Rhys and there were others of a ‘’dissident’’ nature as Thomas Glyn Gothi, Thomas Roberts and not least Iolo Morgannwg but where as Wolfe Tone and Robert Emmet sought Irish Freedom and Independence not one of the aforementioned early Welsh radical dissenters had similar thoughts for Wales. These men spoke only of ‘abolishing the British Monarchy and reforming the British Parliament’. At best these men were the to influence a Welsh “Religious or/and Cultural Nationalism’’ and most certainly not in any shape or form motivate into existance ‘Political Welsh Nationalist - Republicanism’.
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* That for modern day Welsh Nationalists and Republicans is an uncomfortable truth and such is equally true up to and into the 1831 Merthyr Rising, 1839 Chartist Llanidloes and Newport insurrections and beyond. It is not until men arise as Emrys ap Iwan and Michael D. Jones do we see a Radical Welsh Nationalism begin to flower but which eventually becomes ‘’Bourgeoisie Liberal ‘Cymru Fydd’ Nationalism’’ which fails and disappears into ‘Religious Cultural Nationalism’ of Non – conformist Church Disestablishment and campaign to abolish drinking on a Sunday finally after WW I finding final roosting place in pacifism (Today failed ‘Alternative Welsh Republican/Nationalism’ finds compfort in the spuedo patriotism of “Tartan Taffery” and posing and posturing in ‘Dydd Dewi’ parades in Caerdydd). Meanwhile a more Political Nationalism finally begins to mature in the 1920’s – 30’s in form of Plaid Cymru, the history of which is well recorded but what of “Welsh Republicanism”. A ‘Welsh Republicanism’ does not arise until the 1940’s despite this and later Welsh Republicanism attempting to find a specific “Welsh Republican Tradition’’ in the aforementioned writings and actions of 18th and 19th century Welsh dissidents and radicals and the movements with which they are associated there is none and that is the stark reality.
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* However, there is no reason why those of present day ‘Welsh Republican mind’ may not search for “Republican roots” somewhere in this 18th and 19th century “Jacobin” history of early Welsh political radicalism. Certainly such search will inform and educate them more as to future of a true Welsh Republicanism Movement and struggle than is the rather odd pre occupation of “Welsh Republicans” to hang around events associated with Medieval Welsh Princes as at Cilmeri which has never achieved much in interest of Welsh Republicanism unless of course your Republicanism is in Nature of Garibaldi rather than Mazzini. This “Welsh ‘Garibaldian’ Republicanism’’ may be placed at door of patriotic bard Harri Web (and in latter years Gareth ap Sion) who “romanticised” both Welsh Princes and later Welsh Radicals in his ‘Romantic Republican Revolution’’ that inspired 1960’s ‘Republican Nationalists’ toward Cilmeri and a Patriotic Front encouraged “Radical Militant Nationalist” anti – Investiture campaign focused around annual Cilmeri Commemoration rather than any possible Welsh Republican historic person and event or site.
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* The Welsh Republican Movement of the 1946 – 56/7 arose by motivation from numerous sources as inspired by post WW II anti – Colonial struggles but chiefly was inspired by 1916 Irish Republicanism that also brought with it the cultural Nationalism of Padrig Pearse , Arthur Griffiths, Tom Clark and De Velera rather than the Socialist Militancy of Connolly or later IRA left freedom Fighters. This influence of Irish Republicanism has remained as strong as ever on later Welsh Republican Movements down to the present day “Romantics and Retro’s’’ with their resurrection of FWA/Patriotic Front style of so called ‘’Welsh Republicanism’’ of the 1960’s which in reality was no more than an “Alternative Militant Welsh Nationalism’’. For such reason I contend Welsh Republicanism has always been an immature and impotent political philosophy in Wales and will remain so until those who perceive of them selves as “Welsh Republicans” seek out some resemblance of Welsh republican roots and history as even if none exists such quest will inform and educate as to why not and knowing the reasons why not will as much become the roots and foundations of a substantially more real Welsh Republicanism Movement and struggle. Then they may more successfully develop a true Welsh Republican Ideology.
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A summery:
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*To conclude. On other related matters, it is worth mentioning which does have much bearing on above politics of present day Wales and on the history of “Welsh Republicanism?’’ above. You will have seen that in association with the “Fishguard Fiasco” there is some evidence of sympathy with the French and maybe of at least a ‘Dissident’, if not ‘’Republican Conspiracy”. Most Welsh Patriots consider that the Welsh give up struggle against the English Crown at advent of the Tudors, but from the moment of their “Crowning glory” in succeeding to fulfil the prophecy of restoring ‘Coron Arthur’ to the ‘’Brythons’’(see my debunking article ‘Coron Glyndwr’) there were still ‘Cymry’ prepared to plan and plot rebellion. I am at present researching such ‘’hidden rebelliousness’’, if not outright rebellion. Seeking evidence from Rhys ap Gruffydd 1529, the “last Prince of Wales?” to the “Welsh Insolence” that upset Oliver Cromwell, to the Welsh Jacobite David Morgan and later I will look into the Lewis Lewis, the greatest of our Welsh Revolutionaries. All these and more planned and plotted, including myself with others against the Investiture of an Englishman as ‘’Prince of Wales’’. All were to have an impact, that may be measured in a verity of degrees but all were to ultimately fail by degrees, but why? While I was visiting Abergwuan on 22 February 2006, I visited the Royal Oak to have some food and with a glass of Guinness, make toast to the French, who with their “Black Legion”, Irish Officers and American Commander might have “pulled it off”. If a large body of “UNITED WELSHMEN” had been there to greet them at Garreg Wasted on 22 February 1797, but no that was not to be. However, at the Royal Oak that day of 22 February 2006 were a small group of people holding a “Learn Welsh’’ social afternoon, one of those present I knew and we got talking. Those there to ‘learn Welsh’, of course knew about the “French Fiasco” but none realised the signifgance of that present day. In course of conversation re the history of 1797, to Merthyr 1831 and indeed ‘Investiture 1969’. The person I was having discussion with “hit it on the head” as to just why all such “Rebelliousness” and “Revolution” was bound to be ultimately failed plots with the plotters who had planning such on the run, imprisoned or dead. Quite simply it is all down to an “Head Count”, unfortunately the Welsh population in past and present times was just too small to produce significant numbers that would find a large enough body of “Dissidents” or may be enough “Discontented” and thus would not succeed as such “D&D” was always in minority and usually contained. Further let us not forget how in time matters of “Class” would intrude and interfere as such did in the “Rebecca Rebellion” (see my article on the Blue Books of 1848, the ‘Year of Revolution’) and both insurrections at Merthyr 1831 and Newport 1839, Ton y Pandy 1910 and Llanelli 1911. So yes! numbers does have a lot to do with it, but so too, does the matter of “awareness”, that is how people remember and how history is taught and also what becomes important to a people and what is then remembered, passed on. Thus consider these historical events and consider how much you are aware, as example The Blue Books 1848 and Europe’s Year of Revolution 1848, The Llanelli Riots 1911 or the Investiture of 1911, I could go on but I guess you will have got my point. We also have to consider other realities as for instance on the night of the main “rioting” in Tonypandy 1910 by about a 1000 people, up the road in Aberdar about 10.000 people were watching a boxing match (so I was told?), you get the point! Where is all that taking you? You decide! Discuss and Debate!
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An epilogue?
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* I propose to those who perceive them selves as ‘Welsh Republicans’’ that to focus their thoughts on these aforementioned matters they each year they recognise 22 February 1797 as ‘Welsh Republic Day’ and annually gather on this day at ‘Garreg Wasted’ to greet “in spirit’’ the Irish and French of 1797 with rising of the Republican Tri - Colour flags of France, Ireland and Wales. (Latter is from left to right Green, Red & White, please no black stars? (As added by Ioan of Cymru 1400 USA?). This to be an annual Welsh Republican matter of national observation, commemoration and celebration, in a verity of ways locally (meals in French Restaurants?) and those who can make it, why not visit sites associated with 22 February 1797, on that day or on the following Saturday. Indeed why not tie in with a weekend ‘Welsh Republican College’ (weekend school/conference) in Abergwuan, combined possibly with a trip to the ‘National 1798 Centre’ at Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford, that could be a really worthwhile annual long ‘’Welsh Republican” - weekend outing with most significant great educational purpose. Opportunity to compare and consider Wales 1797 and Ireland 1798, and remember what I said about “opulation numbers”, then there is religion too! to take into consideration. Further, consider Ireland 1798, there is a new controversial interpretation, a “revisionist” interpretation states that the 1798 Rebellion owed more to a “Jacobite past” rather than the then “Jacobin Present”, the argument being that the long persecuted Irish ‘Remembrancer’ Bards (compare with our ‘Brit Bards’ who accepted the Saxon Shilling of Elizabeth I at the Eisteddfod of Caerwys), they had become “Hedge Teachers” and had kept alive this “Jacobite Memory”, The truth being that the middle class revolutionaries might have been influenced by contemporary “Jacobinism” but the Peasantry just hated the “protestant” English ruling colonial class, end of the matter. Now compare that with Cymru/Wales and do not forget Irish Romantic fiction based on “mythifying” of their past as example stories of ‘The Pirate Queen of Mayo’, Connor the Smuggler and other, often “desperados” (see Irish Nationalism and romantic nationalist fiction on the web also same re Scottish Nationalism).
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* To End: In time I will have a look into all this myself, but if some one else wants to do so and submit an article on that latter theme, for me to consider posting, then do! OK! That’s my “Republican Month” contribution completed, next in line for publishing/posting:
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* Dewi Sant and all that? (See other blogs re suggestions for patriotic/republican action on 1 March).
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* Welsh Jacobites and Jacobitism. Some really “romantic adventurous stuff” (nod to Walter Scott).
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* The Insurrection of 1831 revisited. Some “Welsh Socialism”, material for an ‘Adfywiad Goch’.
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……….and much, much more!!!!!
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Gethin Gruffydd ‘Welsh Remembrancer’ (but not under an hedge, thank god!). See PS below:
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PS: Following on my visit to Garreg Wasted, just on the seventh day later 'Dydd Dewi 2006' , I was able to rise up my 'Welsh Republican Flag' in protest against opening of the ''SHAM SENEDD'' and visit of the English Queen to do that, to open it! If you wish, you too may rise up your 'Welsh Republican Flag', this year on 'Dydd Dewi 2007' on the steps of the 'SHAM SENEDD'. would it not be good if it was the same 'Welsh Republican Flag', you made, carried and did rise up at Garreg Wasted on 22 February 2007. Don't think about it - Why not do it!

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Gethin Gruffydd.

Cymru 1345: A St Valentines Day Massacre.

Lessons in Welsh History No 1.

To Inspire an....

'Adfywiad Gwladgarol Newydd'.

14th February 1345:

A Welsh St Valentines Day Massacre.

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Following on the Llywelyn Bren Southern Insurrection of 1315 –16 and subsequent brutal execution and imprisonment of its leaders, the Welsh became pretty passive and quiet. The early decades of the 14th century – “A Distant Mirror” was a time of hard bitter winters followed by long rainy springs leading the way into wet damp summers. This would lead to famine and in Europe, the legend of werewolves would be born as people turned to cannibalism and then blamed the wolf for human depravities.

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On top of all this, the plague was to start making it’s ravaging deadly way across Europe towards Wales. Against this background, the Welsh had more than enough to worry about. Welsh society, at this period, was not such that it would spark ‘peasant or 'popular revolt' as beloved by Marxist historians. Instead, in Wales, there occurred a rise in crime and outlawry as men took to the great woodlands to become “Adar y Griem”.

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1344 Prologue to 1345:
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By the 1340’s however, things were getting pretty grim as the English Colonists sought to ‘screw the Welsh’ with unreasonable tax demands and any other illogical excuse they could use, until at last in Northern Wales and in the Colonist Planted Perfeddwlad of the new shire of Denbigh, Welsh resentment was, once again, on the boil – stirred up again by ‘Y Clerwyr’ with their ‘Mab Darogan’ prophecies and ballads of Anti – English sentiments. The stage was thus set for ‘Kick off’ and this took place with what we may call the ‘Beltain Bash’ of 1st May 1344 when Colonists from Rhuddlan attended a Fair at St Asaph in celebration of the ‘Feast of St Phillip and St James’. The Fair became severely disturbed by a running riot with the Colonists being chased back to Rhuddlan where the Welsh then took to attacking the Castle and garrison Town. Generally running amok, the Welsh took advantage of the situation and began to loot and pillage before they torched the new borough.

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An Adfywiad?
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As you can well imagine this did not go down well with the Colonists who called upon their king to enforce some Law & Order on the unruly Welsh. One thing led to another and later that year, one John de Huntington - the English king’s Sheriff of Merioneth was feloniously slain whilst holding court in the Kings name and robbed of the rolls of the king (evidence to Taxes and debts etc - Interestingly, the Merthyr insurrectionists of 1831 would seek to do the same - that is destroy Court records) The situation was simmering to the boil and on 14th February 1345 as Henry de Shaldeforde, the English Prince’s Attorney, went about Royal Business, he, and a party of his men were ambushed by the Welsh and slain as they made their way from Harlech to Caernarfon. Those responsible were to go on the run and took to the woods for safety and become wanted outlaws, but these incidents, at this time, were not to be the signal for a Welsh revolt. Ten years were to pass, and in the year of 1354 there was to be born a babe to become the Legend we know as our National hero and nation’s redeemer ‘Owain Glyndŵr – Mab Darogan’ who, in a further 45 years, would lead the Welsh in the greatest of all Welsh Revolts.

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Postscript 1345.
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Since first writing an account of the “Welsh Troubles” of 1345, I have come across a further reference to one of the Harlech Partisans. Having been declared an outlaw, one of the Welsh escaped to Cornwall where he hid out for a number of years. In these hard and forbidding times many of the down trodden poor or those declared ‘outlaw’ or ‘criminal’ for political reasons, may not only have escaped to the woodlands to become ‘Adar y Greim’ many may also have escaped to the independent Lordships of the Welsh Marches where they may have been hired as retainers and become involved in the numerous cross frontier disputes in the “Border Troubles” that raged between the many lords and nobles of the Marches.
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During the 14th century, there would be a considerable rise in the number of Welshmen leaving Cymru to become mercenaries in Europe, particularly in Flanders and in France as well as in Germany and Spain. The mercenary tradition of the Welsh really began in ernest following the great revolt of 1294. Somewhat ironically the 1294 revolt had, as one of its causes, Welsh refusal to be conscripted to go and fight in England’s Scottish War. Other causes of this revolt were taxation and land dispute which, in many ways, makes of this revolt one of Europe’s first ‘Popular Rebellions’ and one that would particularly flare up during the 14th Century.
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The 14th century saw many Welsh Men become ‘Gwenoliaid Cymreig’ Mercenaries * fighting in the armies of England or France. An episode of particular interest is one that occurs on 24 July 1345 when Jacob Van Artevelde of Ghent in Flanders was attacked and killed by an insurrection of weavers, with him fell 500 of his Welsh bodyguard. It is of further interest to note that history records that it was a Welshman, one Gruffydd of Wales who had, a few years earlier, killed Jacob’s wife and brother.
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The Flanders connection also reminds us of two of the most famous of the ‘Gwenoliaid Cymreig’ mercenaries. They were Ieuan Wyn and Owain Lawgoch, Yvain de Galles. Owain Lawgoch (Owain of the Red hand) was thought of as the long awaited ‘Mab Darogan' in Wales of the 1370s, unfortunately, this was not to be as Owain Lawgoch was assassinated by the English before he had the opportunity to return to Wales.
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Generally speaking, the Welsh Mercenaries in Flanders were well known as a pretty wild bunch and cause of much trouble in way of arson and looting, on occasion, well out of control and uncaring of whom they would pick a fight with. On one occasion it is recorded that a body of Welsh mercenaries were returned to Wales as undisciplined rabble who had annoyed much of a local population. Flemish chroniclers also record the Welsh as only wearing one shoe and having a liking for toasted cheese. There is, of course, a significant Flemish connection with Wales and also a Welsh Mercenary connection with the Low Countries (Netherland) that would last into the 17th century.
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* Gwenoliaid Cymreig – ''Welsh Swallows'', a Welsh term for Mercenaries similar to the Irish Wild Geese. The term ‘Gwenoliaid Cymreig’ comes from heraldry and poetry where those with out land were referred to as the ‘Cyw’r Wennol’ – young of the Swallows which in heraldry were painted with out feet so, symbolic of being with out land. Further of interest in matters of heraldry is that the ‘Red Hand’ was used to note that some one was outlawed.
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* Please quote source G.Gruffydd © 2002. (Reprinted here 10/02/2007).

Permission for re production required please.

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In general THE WELSH PATRIOT will contain political articles whilst my historical material will be posted to a new Web Site I am working on. However, as this new 'history' site is at moment only in my mind and St Valentines Day so close, I thought it a good idea to launch this new Radical and perhaps ''Rebellious'' Patriotic Journal with the history of some ''Welsh Rebellion'' in 1345. Not quite a total 'Adfywiad Gwladgarol' as was to come on 16 Medi 1400 but it at least showed that 'Y Cymry' had some ''fighting spirit'' left in them. How about you? maybe you will show some on 'Dydd Dewi 2007' in Caerdydd on the steps of the ''SHAM SENEDD''. (See my more pro - active Adfywiad Gwladgarol Cymru Blog).

Introduction and Index in development:

What do all these people have in common? Yes! they are all looking forward to publication of THE WELSH PATRIOT.

Not to over repeat what I may have already dwelled much on in my other blogs:

* Cilmeri 40 Commemoration 1966 - 2006 Tribute Blog (Now continuing toward 2009).

and

* Adfywiad Gwladgarol Cymru Blog (via web search for Blogger: User Profile: Ysbryd Cofiwn).

Suffice to say in this introduction that whilst my first blog in association with Cofiwn History Archive Blog dwells much on the roots and heritage of the 'Alternative Nationalist Movement and Struggle', my second blog seeks in practical ways to attempt a resurrection and revival of an 'ADFYWIAD GWLADGAROL CYMRU NEWYDD'. I cannot say truthfully that I am very opptimistic about that, we shall see if such may be possible soon enough on 'DYDD DEWI 2007', and if it is then to be so? IT'S UP TO YOU??? YES!

Where will you be standing on 'Dydd Dewi 2007'.

On the Steps of the ''Brit'' National Museum of Wales but for what Patriotic Purpose I do not really know? or on the steps of the ''Brit'' National Assembly of Appeasement with English Imperialism and Neo - Colonialism aka ''Sham Senedd'' with the message:

WE WANT WELSH INDEPENDANCE

AND WE WANT IT NOW OK!

Or are you going to sit on the fence, as the pigeons below, waiting for the Sun to arise?

Please we would prefer it if you went to stand on steps of the NMW.

Hopefully, this fourth blog of mine will serve to be of good patriotic educative use as well as general informitive interest but it will remain mostly patriotic theory. If it's practical purposefull patriotism you need, then that will be found in the aforementioned 'Adfywiad Gwladgarol Cymru' blog but if you want to be truelly a good fully prepared ''Radical Resurgent'' and not just a ''Knee Jerker Patriot'', ''Peripheral Pint Pot Patriot'' or ''Tartan Taff'', then I suggest you give material in THE WELSH PATRIOT your fullest attention too.

Adfywiadwr Gethin Gruffydd.

Pic: Bonnet Rouge

aka Cap Goch

Adfywiadwyr Gwladgarol.

NB: Cap Goch was also the name of a well known historical figure in our history, a ''bad guy'' who we may possibly recognise as a serial killer. This story is connected to the Merthyr Mawr area and I once read a novel on Cap Goch called 'Inn of Fear', see following on web:

www.gwales.com - 9780905928012, Inn of Fear
A gripping thriller for adults which is set near Bridgend at the beginning of the last century, and attempts to portray the mass- murderer Cap Coch.www.gwales.com/goto/biblio/en/9780905928012/ - 12k - Cached - Similar pages.

Interestingly and I do not know if there is any connection but there is a Tafarn Cap Goch in John Street, Abercwmboi, Aberdar, Mid - Glamorgan. Sounds like a good Inn for Adfywiadwyr Gwlatgarol.

PS: Any one out there who can supply me with any further information on Cap Goch or the aforementioned Inn, do please get in touch.

INDEX: (In development as per postings)