The Dragon Hearing the Harp, a talk on the Influence of Irish Nationalism on the political thought and action of Plaid Cymru, 1916–1939, will be given by Evan Wall at 3pm on Sunday, November 29th in Kilternan Church of Ireland parish centre, Kilternan D18 F9XO. Entry is free and everyone is welcome.
The Irish struggle for independence was not just a national, but a global event. Nationalist movements across the world looked to Ireland for inspiration and ideas. This talk explores how Ireland’s closest neighbour and ‘Celtic cousin’ – Wales – interpreted the struggle for Irish freedom and sought to adapt Irish political ideals and strategies across the Celtic Sea during the interwar period.
In the wake of the Irish struggle, Plaid Cymru was founded in 1925 by Saunders Lewis, Lewis Valentine and four others. The party developed an original socio-economic vision for Wales and fought its first general election campaign on an abstentionist policy directly inspired by Arthur Griffith’s Sinn Féin. This talk examines how the Irish example shaped Plaid’s approach to the question of Welsh independence, alongside its constitutional and unconstitutional strategies to “awaken the Welsh nation”.
Evan Wall is a PhD Researcher and Associate Lecturer in the Department of International Politics at Aberystwyth University. He is undertaking his doctoral research in Welsh and is funded by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. Originally from Barry, Evan graduated with First-Class Honours in History from Cardiff University before receiving a scholarship to complete a Master’s degree in Modern History at the University of Warwick.
Oh, I’m looking forward to this event. Diolch yn fawr iawn.