Tuesday, 16 July 2013

Friday, 12 July 2013

14 JULY 1789 - 2013 BASTILLE DAY GREETINGS TO RADICAL REPUBLICANS AT HOME AND ABROAD.



Years of R&R Riot & Revolt

If you cannot make it to Maenclochog on Sunday, unfortunately I cannot this year as I am called away to other parts but I dare say, I will find time to partake in some French Wine and food as would be suitable to the occasion.  So why did the Welsh fail to rise unlike the Irish would, that have something to do with possibly lingering memories of the bad bitter endings to medieval revolts and then the protestant reformations successful hi - jacking of the native language to increasing British Imperialist ends and not least in popular loyalty to the English Crown. From, dare I say it, increasingly so between the years 1277 - 1282, Owain Glyndwr would change all that but the conclusion was bitter as it was for the people of Paris and Belleville in particular following the Paris Commune of 1871. Bitter conclusions would go a long way to pacification of people but for the Welsh there was to be a cop out from total and utter disastrous subjection, that was ironically opportunities of having lost the War, they began to win the peace in filling the socio - economic gaps left by those colonist families that had been killed our ran off. 

The post Glyndwr period was one of both a reclamation of land that previously had been ethnically cleansed as in 'Y Berfeddwlad' (Denbighshire) and Bro Morgannwg. Peasantry had been brought to an end and many serfs and bond people took to the margins of the mountainous common lands to carve out communities of Tai Unnos Small Holdings and even Tai Unnos Townships around slate, lead and lime stone quarries. The populations would later become what we describe as the 'People of the Pitchfork' who would rise to resist enclosures with the cry of 'Trech Gwlad Nag Arglwydd'. Others, in the post Glyndwr war period would for a time remain Gwerin Owain Outlaw Rebels, others mercenaries and then many just 'cut throats' who would become the 'Hit Men' of the Marcher Lords, even across the border in 'Y Blaenau Diroedd'. Many then would find gainful use for their continuing war like nature in providing the Tudors with a ready and useful army of followers to put the Tudors/Richmond pretenders on the throne of England. Ironically, these Welsh Followers would be used to put down Catholic revolts in England and not least the Cornish revolt and march on London most brutally put down on Blackheath Common by Welsh Captains and Soldiers. 

The long use of the Welsh Protests Soldiers against the Irish Catholics right up to present times but little is said of mysterious glimpses in the records of Welsh fighting with the Irish against the English in the late 16th Century. I am of the mind that these might have been the descendants of Gwerin Owain many of whom had also fled to France with Henry Gwyn and Son. It is ironic that despite all the loyalty shown by the Welsh those who were outside or not going to submit and bend to the new Tudor/Richmond will and ways would have the 'Hanging Judge' Rowland Lee sent into Wales to hang 100's of 'Banditti' post revolt and hanging of Rhys ap Gruffydd 1529 and prior to the 1536 Act of Union. This all sounds a bit like pacification to me and be mindful that it is the 'Victorious' who write the History and Tudor Welsh History was to be well written to order by David Powell that would glorify that old myth of the 'Crown of Britain' whilst Glyndwr as in time other popular heroes would be condemned as 'criminals' and kicked into the shadows of our history, heroes as Lewis Lewis, Edward Morgan and Frances Evans et al of 19th century radical riot and revolt leaders, people and workers.

So, why no 'Welsh Rising' in 1797? Much about Religion, the native protest population would have thought the French would restore Catholicism and instigate a reign of terror as urban republican radicals had against the Catholic peasantry of Brittany and the Laguedoc. As hinted at above the native language had been hi - jacked to favour English Protestantism and loyalty to the English Crown. Just read the Welsh Ballads of the period and note how anti - Irish/American/French radicalism they were, The Welsh were as they are today totally Brit brain washed as we well see with their Investitures, Jubilees and just wait for it 'Royal Babies'. But what about the Irish, well for starters Wolfe Tone and the United Irishmen were Northern 'English Speaking' Protestants who won the support of a Catholic 'Gaelic Speaking' peasantry who thought the French were on the way to restore the Stuarts and Catholicism or at least that is the new 'retro' take on their rising in support of the French. Further, keep in mind that late 19th century Irish Republicanism was greatly a product of post USA Civil War Irish - American Radicalism. Nothing is that simple or straight forward in history of course but neither is history quite B&W or as patriotically colorful as we might wish, one thing for sure that the Republicanism of Iolo and compatriots was 'British Republicanism' as was that of later Chartists and today the same. 

Unfortunatly the contemporay political radical Republicanism of Cliff Bere got over tainted with the romantic Nationalism of Harri Web and it was this 'Nationalist Republicanism' that survived within ranks of 'Alternative Nationalism' as in 'Patriotic Front' to 'Cymdeithas y Cymodwyr' and later 'Welsh Independence Party' over passed 50 years and continues to linger in the Patriotic Fringe of such as now gone Cymru Rydd and just about hanging on as a pretense 'Balchder Cymru'. There are a number of fb fantasy Welsh Republican groups but following more in tradition of the 'Welsh Socialist Republican Movement' is 'Partisans Cymru of the Great Unrest' working towards establishment of a 'Wales Socialist Republican Party'. Despite advocating the establishment of a WRM III, I am now of the opinion that is a no hope dream and it best to give full support to Great Unrest Initiative, information on which is available from Partisan Cymru blog:


This blog here will now close down in a short time after this Bastille Day as it serves no other great purpose that will not be taken up by the above and possibly the below link: 


For further Information on 1797 read below and note in particular Chapter 1:The People of Pembrokeshire.


Thursday, 27 June 2013

2015: ENGLAND TO MEET IT'S WATERLOO IN WALES? (also Info on Welsh Republican Summer Gathering Weekend 13 - 14 July)

Waterloo 1815 - 2015 200th Anniversary.


There is much more on the web, go google up and note London Govt is giving one million, yes, I said One Million Quid to do up the battlefield. So how much will Welsh Assembly give to doing up Welsh Battlefields? Now, that is a worthy campaign WAG cough up one million for our Battlefields  be good for tourism (see my I'r Gad WBfC blog). I am considering making a patriotic political answer to this Waterloo Anniversary as more a Welsh Republican Platform regards an exploration and informing of Welsh Republican Roots with much focus on Iolo Morgannwg et al and Penfro Welsh - French Republican connections. Thus, I will be over in Maenclochog on 13 July to commemorate the 14 July French Revolution Bastille Day celebrations, why there go see below:


An annual Welsh Republican Summer gathering more purposeful than CBRD towards advancing a WRM III but this year will also consider all ideas as what to do about above Waterloo Anniversary.

I am supposed to be retiring but I shall give all the above my attention to 14 July 2013.

I will be at Maenclochog from about mid day, later up to see memorial stones on Preseli mountains and an evening at Tafarn Zinc. Then on Sunday 14 July, you might make your own way to visit Abergwuan and Garreg Wasted  or go north to tour around Mynydd Bach. As I have visited both locations a number of times I shall be visiting Friends on the Sunday, you might also want to see Ardal Niclas y Glais in this area:


That I call a really worth while weekend Welsh Republican Summer gathering 
and outing to interesting historical location not wasting time on Poems and Pints down Crachach Bae Caerdydd.

Stop Press:

Welsh Republicanism State of Play to date:

  1. Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood attacked over Welsh republican ...

    www.walesonline.co.uk/.../wales.../plaid-cymru-leader-leanne-wood-202...‎
    Sep 18, 2012 – ... she uttered a bizarre oath of allegiance to Welsh republicanism at a... all our woes, especially now that we have a Parliament that we have ...
  2. Welsh Republic | We don't need their Tories or Royals!

    welshrepublic.com/‎
    Welsh Republic ... Republican MP defies ban discussing royals at Westminster » ....Welsh football chiefs said today that they remain opposed to any of their ...

    1. Republic Wales

      www.republic-wales.org/‎
      Republic Wales campaigns for an end to the monarchy and a republican ... Our Swansea team is now on Twitter – you can follow all the updates from the ...

      I do not think the below is a serious Welsh Republican effort, more like an hybrid BC/Cymru Rydd spawned 'usual suspect' bog standard fb creation, best avoided if your Welsh Republicanism is of the serious radical resurgent political kind.
    2. Welsh Republican | Facebook

      https://www.facebook.com/pages/Welsh-Republican/170617689672839‎
      Welsh Republican. 30 likes · 0 talking ... To connect with Welsh Republican, sign up for Facebook today. ... Recent Posts by Others on Welsh RepublicanSee All ...

      and this >

      1. The Democratic Republican Party of Wales | Facebook

        https://www.facebook.com/...Democratic-Republican-Party...Wales/3553...‎
        The Democratic Republican Party of Wales. 9 likes · 0 talking about this.

        Jury Out, what do you think? Meanwhile my favored options are:

        Welsh Socialist Republican Party - Democracy and Class Struggle

        democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.com/.../toward-welsh-socialist-republ...‎
        Mar 15, 2012 – Toward a Welsh Socialist Republican Party reject Plaid Cymru's Great.... is capable of leading Wales to the new democracy of autonomous self ...

        PARTISAN cymru/wales. Partisan To Beliefs, Ideas and Socialist ...

        partisan2011.blogspot.com/‎
        Jun 18, 2013 – PARTISANS CYMRU SUPPORTS THE 1 JULY 2013 INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SUPPORT FOR INDIA'S PEOPLES WAR.

        March 26th Movement - Alternative Platform | Facebook

        https://www.facebook.com/...Alternative-Platform/207218579290202‎
        March 26th Movement - Alternative Platform. 54 likes · 4 talking ... March 26th Movement - Alternative Platform shared Nicholas Glais's photo. Yesterday · Photo

        LIBERATION MAGAZINE.

        1. Liberation Magazine - Alternative Bookshop Online

          www.alternativebookshop.com/BookDetails.php?bookid=1729‎
          The reason for launching Liberation Magazine is that we take the view you cannot win a game where the rules are made your opponent. In the case of Wales, ...
        2. Launch of Liberation Magazine – The Voice of Welsh Socialist ...

          drmyronevans.wordpress.com/.../launch-of-liberation-magazine-the-voic...‎
          Mar 25, 2013 – Launch of Liberation Magazine – The Voice of Welsh Socialist Republicans. To Gethin ap Gruffudd: I have been a socialist republican all my ...
        3. Cymrwch Y Tir Yn Ol supports Liberation Magazine the Voice of ...

          democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.com/.../cymrwch-y-tir-yn-ol-support...‎
          Mar 30, 2013 – Cymrwch Y Tir Yn Ol supports Liberation Magazine the Voice ofWelsh Socialist Republicans. To get your copy of Liberation Magazine go here ...
        4. LIBERATION MAGAZINE HERALDS WAY FORWARD PATRIOTS ...

          partisan2011.blogspot.com/.../liberation-magazine-heralds-way-forward....‎
          Mar 23, 2013 – Liberation Magazine unashamedly stands for a Welsh Socialist Republic an idea that has been maturing in Wales for over a century. However ...
Don't say I am censorious of the 'opposition'>

  1. Cardiff Bay Republican Day 2013 - YouTube

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UdxiGpsghk‎
    Jun 5, 2013 - Uploaded by cardiffbayrepublican
    Cardiff Bay Republican Day 2013. cardiffbayrepublican·2 videos. SubscribeSubscribedUnsubscribe 1. 3 ...

    See below Sleeping Partners to above:

    Hawliau - Welsh National Rights Movement | Facebook

    https://en-gb.facebook.com/Hawliau‎
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5VBIYNBaDk&feature=share ... Cardiff Bay Republican Day 2013 ... http://hawliau.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/the-launch/.

    Just more of the 'Usual Suspect' again bog stardard fb stuff, good for their research only but otherwise they will not be a patch on 'Stryveland Cymru', just another distraction from reality and struggle for Land and Liberty.

    'STRYVELAND CYMRU' Homeland Defence Movement.

    stryveland.blogspot.com/‎
    Jun 6, 2013 – 'STRYVELAND CYMRU' Homeland Defence Movement. In Autonomous Struggle of Campaigns and Protests Against Exploitation of our ...

    Otherwise stick to SOFRANIAETH:

    SOFRANIAETH. S.O.S. SAVE OUR SOVEREIGNTY.: DYDD ...

    sofraniaeth.blogspot.com/.../case-for-welsh-sovereignty-mindful-of.html‎
    Sep 14, 2010 – SOFRANIAETH. ... THE CASE FOR WELSH SOVEREIGNTY, Mindful of Sir Roger Casement and Sinn Fein. ... SIR ROGER DAVID CASEMENT.

    I am on way to retirement and thus this blog will close down on 16 July 2013.

Hwyl! 

Gethin ap Gruffydd.