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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.

Evan Wall is a Welsh student who is currently doing a PhD in Aberystwyth looking at the Welsh-Irish nationalist connection – essentially how Irish nationalism influenced the foundation of Plaid Cymru.  As part of this, he has a travel scholarship to carry out some fieldwork in Dublin between September and November this year, so will be in Dublin for a total of 2 months max.

He has had trouble finding appropriate accommodation for his stay in Dublin so is asking whether there is potentially anyone that is part of the Welsh-Irish network that would potentially be interested in renting out a spare room or something of the sort to him over a short term period. He has a research scholarship of £2,500 from the ‘Gareth Jones Memorial Fund’ so is more than happy to pay a proper price for the room.

If you think you can help Evan, or know someone who can, please let us know via email to info@welshsociety.ie and we will pass the information on to Evan.

Diolch yn fawr 🙂

There will be a free concert open to all (no tickets required) in St James’s Church of Ireland in Mallow on Sunday 4th May at 2.00pm.

The Welsh all-ladies choir Cân Aderyn Singers (‘birdsong’ in Welsh) will perform rock, pop, gospel and classical. This concert is part of the Cork International Choral Festival (now in its 70th year). St James’s is offering this free event to the people of Mallow and the surrounding area to enjoy some great music over the May bank holiday weekend.

The choir is from South Wales numbers over 70 members, and has performed at international rugby matches in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, as well as appearing with the touring cast of Back to Bacharach. Their performances are enjoyable, infectious and uplifting.

The Rector of Mallow Union of parishes, Rev Meurig Llwyd Williams, is delighted the choir is coming to Mallow. As a Welshman, he said it would be a particular pleasure to welcome a choir from his home country. ‘In Wales, when people get together, they tend to start singing – and it will be real thrill to welcome such an energetic group who will raise the roof and give us all something to celebrate’ he said.

It was a fine windy Friday when a group of us set off to climb Djouce from Ballinastoe Woods. Half-way up we came across two young women having a snack. Conversation ensued and we found that they were from Argentina and Germany. We responded that we were Irish, but I interjected that I was Welsh. “Ydych chi’n siarad Cymraeg?” said one of them.

A Welsh conversation followed and it transpired that Dianna Mancilla was from the Welsh colony in Patagonia.  She was delighted to find that there were Welsh speakers in Dublin and I was thrilled to have an unexpected Welsh conversation half-way up a Wicklow mountain.

Fellow walkers Joe and Caitlin have spent many summers exploring the Austrian Alps and were able to exchange some words of German with the other lass. So, a real polyglot gathering!

Dianna is continuing her European journey, but expects to be back in Dublin in November. She is looking forward to meeting up with more Welsh people then.

Gareth Llwyd Jones

‘Roedd hi’n ddiwrnod gwyntog a braf pan aeth grŵp ohonom allan i ddringo Dioghais (Djouce) o goedwig Ballinastoe. Hanner ffordd i fyny, daethom ar draws dwy fenyw yn cael tipyn o fwyd. Cawsom sgwrs ac fe wnaethon ni ddarganfod eu bod nhw’n dod o’r Ariannin a’r Almaen.  Wnaethon ni ymateb ein bod ni’n Wyddelod, ond fe wedais fy mod i’n Gymro. “Ydych chi’n siarad Cymraeg?” gofynnodd un ohonyn nhw.

Dilynodd sgwrs Gymraeg ac fe ddigwyddodd fod Dianna Mancilla yn dod o’r wladfa Gymreig ym Mhatagonia.  Roedd hi’n falch iawn i glywed bod siaradwyr Cymraeg yn Nulyn, ac roeddwn i wrth fy modd i gael sgwrs Gymraeg annisgwyl hanner ffordd i fyny mynydd yn  Wicklow.

‘Roedd ein cyd-gerddwyr Joe a Caitlin wedi treulio sawl haf yn archwilio Alpau Awstria, ac roedden nhw’n gallu cyfnewid rhai geiriau o Almaeneg gyda’r ferch arall. Felly casgliad polyglot go iawn!

Mae Dianna yn parhau a’i thaith Ewropeaidd, ond mae’n disgwyl bod yn ôl yn Nulyn ym mis Tachwedd. Mae hi’n edrych ymlaen at gwrdd â mwy o Gymry pryd hynny.

Gareth Llwyd Jones