#welsh-language — Public Fediverse posts on home.social

Kit Peters @[email protected] · 2026-07-07 · 11:35 UTC

CYMRU OR WALES? What a new Senedd petition could mean for Swansea, Neath and Carmarthen’s names — as Tory MS says it “must be resisted”

Swansea or Abertawe? Carmarthen or Caerfyrddin? A new Senedd petition calling for Cymru to become the nation’s only official name — and for cities, towns and villages to carry a single name rather than two — has drawn a sharp response from a Conservative Senedd member whose seat covers part of the region.

The petition, started by John Price, calls for the country to “use Cymru not Wales as the official name for our nation, and one name only for our place names”. It is collecting signatures until 30 December.

“Wales is not the name of our nation,” the petition states. “Meaning ‘foreigners’ it was imposed on us, and poorly reflects who we as a people are.”

The name Wales derives from Wēalas, an Old English word used by Anglo-Saxons for the Britons and, more broadly, foreigners. Cymru comes from the older Brittonic word combrogi — fellow countrymen.

“With an outward looking Government, now is the time for us to assert our own intention for how we are seen across the world, in the language of our nation using the name chosen by our nation,” the petition continues, arguing the change would “reset, rebrand and renew our nation”.

Its second proposal would reach into every corner of the region: “Now is also the time for us to stop using two names for places with deeper, older Welsh names. We can sensibly keep some names with other dual and important historical meanings.”

Across south west Wales, most towns carry two official names. A single-name policy built on the older Welsh forms could mean Abertawe rather than Swansea, Castell-nedd rather than Neath and Caerfyrddin rather than Carmarthen.

Further west, Fishguard would go by Abergwaun and Haverfordwest by Hwlffordd. Tenby would be known only as Dinbych-y-pysgod. And Bridgend would carry Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr alone.

Which names would qualify for the petition’s exception for “dual and important historical meanings” is not spelled out. Swansea’s English name, for instance, is not English at all — it is generally traced to Old Norse, from the Viking-era “Sveinn’s island”.

The question of which name belongs on the sign is already being fought over locally — with paint. In February, the English translations on road signs across Wales were sprayed over in green in a series of apparently co-ordinated overnight incidents, Nation.Cymru reported — among them signs for Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen), Porth Tywyn (Burry Port), Cydweli (Kidwelly) and Penbre (Pembrey).

Only the English names were targeted, and no group claimed responsibility. The choice of green paint carried an echo, though: during the road-sign campaigns of the 1960s and 70s, Welsh language activists obliterated English-only signs in green — immortalised in Dafydd Iwan’s protest song Peintio’r Byd yn Wyrdd, Painting the World Green.

Weeks earlier the traffic had run the other way in Tenby, where the Welsh text on bilingual information signs across the town — including parking and beach notices — was blacked out, with the English left untouched.

The town’s mayor, Councillor Dai Morgan, condemned the vandalism as “unacceptable”, while Pembrokeshire County Council said clearing it up diverted time and resources from public services.

The petition points to Türkiye, which formally dropped “Turkey” at the United Nations in 2022, and Czechia as countries that have changed their names. It also cites the international attention gained since Brecon Beacons National Park became Bannau Brycheiniog — taking in Waterfall Country at the top of the Neath Valley — and Snowdonia became Eryri.

The petition had gathered 1,542 signatures by Tuesday. Petitions passing 250 signatures are discussed by the Senedd’s Petitions Committee once collection closes, while those passing 10,000 are considered for a debate in the Senedd.

A previous petition calling for the change, started by former police and crime commissioner Arfon Jones, went on to pass 10,000 signatures — but was not taken forward by the previous Welsh Labour government. The political landscape has shifted since, with Plaid Cymru now leading the Welsh Government.

Andrew RT Davies, the Conservative Senedd member for the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend, has urged people to reject the campaign — labelling it an attempt to change Wales’ culture and exclude those who do not speak Welsh.

“I was born and brought up in Wales and have lived here my whole life,” Mr Davies said. “The name Wales is an important part of our history, identity and culture. This attempt to scrap it must be resisted.”

Mr Davies pointed out that more than 80% of people in Wales do not speak Welsh — a figure borne out by the 2021 census, which recorded 17.8% of people aged three and over as Welsh speakers — and warned that dropping the English-language name would exclude them.

The petition does not, however, propose banning the word Wales. When news channel GB News described the campaign as seeking to “ban” the name, Nation.Cymru challenged the characterisation — noting the change concerns the official name used by government and international bodies, with “Turkey” and “the Czech Republic” both still in everyday use.

Mr Price told Nation.Cymru: “No one is calling to ‘ban’ the term Wales. Just as we can call Norway ‘Norway’ and not Norge as the Norwegians do, or Spanish people call their land España.” All the petition asks, he said, is that the nation confidently uses its own native name rather than one applied from outside.

Welsh independence campaigner Gwern Gwynfil has said, in comments reported by Nation.Cymru: “This is a normal thing for nations to do. Perhaps the more relevant issue here is why are some people so viscerally against the idea?”

Reform Senedd member Iain McIntosh has meanwhile asked the First Minister to condemn the campaign — alongside the removal of union flags by independence activists in Wrexham — and to confirm the Welsh Government “supports the continued use of Wales’ established national identity”.

The petition remains open for signatures until 30 December.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Over 5000 people sign petition to scrap name Wales and call country Cymru instead
The earlier campaign to rename the country passed 10,000 signatures but was not taken forward.

#AndrewRTDaviesMS #petition #Senedd #Wales #WelshLanguage

#andrewrtdaviesms #petition #senedd #wales #welshlanguage

Kit Peters @[email protected] · 2026-06-16 · 12:38 UTC

FUNDED CHILDCARE: Swansea families set to benefit as Welsh Government pumps £55m into expansion

Hundreds more two-year-olds across Wales will get funded childcare under a new cash injection — with Swansea already among the first areas to offer it.

Hundreds more families across Wales are in line for funded childcare after the Welsh Government announced a £55 million investment.

The money will speed up the rollout of 12.5 hours of funded childcare a week for all two-year-olds, delivered through councils including in Swansea.

Swansea was the second area in Wales to offer the scheme to every two-year-old, after Merthyr Tydfil, with Newport following soon after.

Wrexham has now joined that list, becoming the first North Wales authority to reach the milestone.

The £55m forms part of the Welsh Government’s First Supplementary Budget for 2026-27.

It includes £10m of capital funding to expand and improve childcare settings, aimed at boosting the quality and number of places available.

Ministers say the cash will help providers manage rising demand and stay afloat financially, while also supporting Welsh-medium childcare.

That ties into the long-standing target of reaching one million Welsh speakers by 2050.

The investment is a step towards the government’s wider promise of 20 hours of funded care a week for every child aged nine months to four years old.

At full rollout, ministers claim that offer will be the most generous anywhere in the UK.

Sioned Williams, the Plaid Cymru Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Equality, who holds the childcare brief, said the move showed the government was “accelerating our commitments to the families of Wales.”

“Childcare costs in Wales are the highest in the UK and I am determined to help families all over Wales, while also supporting children’s development,” she said.

She added that she was “particularly pleased” Wrexham was now expanding its offer, and that the government would keep working with councils to roll it out everywhere.

Research by Coram Family and Childcare last year found Wales had the highest holiday childcare costs of the British nations, lending weight to her claim.

A new expert steering group will advise on the next stages of the rollout, focusing on training enough staff, digital applications and improving access for families.

The funding lands just days after the policy behind it caused chaos in the Senedd.

Reform UK tabled a debate on 11 June demanding the new Plaid government publish full costings and a timetable for its childcare offer within its first 100 days.

But the motion was amended to point out that Reform’s own election manifesto contained no childcare commitments — and in a tangle that drew mockery, 11 Reform members ended up voting for the amended motion attacking their own party.

Reform has claimed the full childcare offer could cost between £388m and £710m a year, well above the roughly £400m figure Plaid has cited.

The latest announcement also marks a change of guard, with funded childcare milestones celebrated earlier this year by the then Labour government’s children’s minister, Dawn Bowden.

Welsh Labour lost power to Plaid Cymru at May’s Senedd election and now sits in opposition.

The party gave the funding a cautious welcome.

Lynne Neagle, Welsh Labour’s spokesperson for children, education and lifelong learning, welcomed the news that Wrexham would offer free childcare to all two-year-olds, and said she hoped more councils would follow.

She said the previous Welsh Labour government had worked to expand Flying Start provision across Wales, and that it was “great to see the government commit to our manifesto pledge and continue this work.”

But she said questions remained. “We await further information on the government’s supplementary budget, but as it stands there are still many unanswered questions around the funding commitments,” she said.

Flying Start is the Welsh Government’s flagship early-years programme, offering childcare, parenting support and health visiting to families with young children.

Funded childcare for two-year-olds is being expanded in phases, with the latest cash intended to widen access ahead of the next academic year.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Swansea becomes second area in Wales to offer Flying Start childcare to all two-year-olds
How the city reached the milestone in February.

Reform members split in childcare row as Plaid policy ‘could cost £710m’
The Senedd debate that descended into confusion.

South west Wales politicians take key roles in first Plaid Cymru cabinet
How Sioned Williams became Deputy First Minister.

Free childcare scheme to expand across Swansea says council
What the funded hours mean for two- and three-year-olds in the city.

#childcare #Cymraeg2050 #FlyingStart #LynneNeagleMS #PlaidCymru #ReformUK #SionedWilliamsMS #WelshGovernment #WelshLabour #WelshLanguage

#childcare #cymraeg2050 #flyingstart #lynneneaglems #plaidcymru #reformuk

Claire McNab @[email protected] · 2026-05-19 · 14:22 UTC

The Lord Moylan is not happy about this. The Tory bankster from Kensington is shocked that a bunch of Welsh speakers in Wales, comprising the #WelshGovernment, speak in their shared native language! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Couldn't they at least speak English, out of deference to some posh twat in London who likes to control the celts? 😅🤣

#Cymraeg #WelshLanguage

#welshgovernment #cymraeg #welshlanguage

Claire McNab @[email protected] · 2026-05-19 · 14:22 UTC

The Lord Moylan is not happy about this. The Tory bankster from Kensington is shocked that a bunch of Welsh speakers in Wales, comprising the #WelshGovernment, speak in their shared native language! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Couldn't they at least speak English, out of deference to some posh twat in London who likes to control the celts? 😅🤣

#Cymraeg #WelshLanguage

#welshgovernment #cymraeg #welshlanguage

Claire McNab @[email protected] · 2026-05-19 · 14:22 UTC

The Lord Moylan is not happy about this. The Tory bankster from Kensington is shocked that a bunch of Welsh speakers in Wales, comprising the #WelshGovernment, speak in their shared native language! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Couldn't they at least speak English, out of deference to some posh twat in London who likes to control the celts? 😅🤣

#Cymraeg #WelshLanguage

#welshgovernment #cymraeg #welshlanguage

Claire McNab @[email protected] · 2026-05-19 · 14:22 UTC

The Lord Moylan is not happy about this. The Tory bankster from Kensington is shocked that a bunch of Welsh speakers in Wales, comprising the #WelshGovernment, speak in their shared native language! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Couldn't they at least speak English, out of deference to some posh twat in London who likes to control the celts? 😅🤣

#Cymraeg #WelshLanguage

#welshlanguage #cymraeg #welshgovernment

Claire McNab @[email protected] · 2026-05-19 · 14:22 UTC

The Lord Moylan is not happy about this. The Tory bankster from Kensington is shocked that a bunch of Welsh speakers in Wales, comprising the #WelshGovernment, speak in their shared native language! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Couldn't they at least speak English, out of deference to some posh twat in London who likes to control the celts? 😅🤣

#Cymraeg #WelshLanguage

#welshgovernment #cymraeg #welshlanguage

Phil Edwards @[email protected] · 2026-05-12 · 09:37 UTC

Effi o Blaenau – Watch the trailer for the new Welsh-language film https://bit.ly/4dl6eW3

#effioblaenau #film #wales #welshlanguage #MarcEvans #leisagwenllian

#effioblaenau #film #wales #welshlanguage #marcevans #leisagwenllian

Phil Edwards @[email protected] · 2026-05-12 · 09:37 UTC

Effi o Blaenau – Watch the trailer for the new Welsh-language film https://bit.ly/4dl6eW3

#effioblaenau #film #wales #welshlanguage #MarcEvans #leisagwenllian

#effioblaenau #film #wales #welshlanguage #marcevans #leisagwenllian

Phil Edwards @[email protected] · 2026-05-12 · 09:37 UTC

Effi o Blaenau – Watch the trailer for the new Welsh-language film https://bit.ly/4dl6eW3

#effioblaenau #film #wales #welshlanguage #MarcEvans #leisagwenllian

#effioblaenau #film #wales #welshlanguage #marcevans #leisagwenllian

Phil Edwards @[email protected] · 2026-05-12 · 09:37 UTC

Effi o Blaenau – Watch the trailer for the new Welsh-language film https://bit.ly/4dl6eW3

#effioblaenau #film #wales #welshlanguage #MarcEvans #leisagwenllian

#leisagwenllian #marcevans #welshlanguage #wales #film #effioblaenau

Phil Edwards @[email protected] · 2026-05-12 · 09:37 UTC

Effi o Blaenau – Watch the trailer for the new Welsh-language film https://bit.ly/4dl6eW3

#effioblaenau #film #wales #welshlanguage #MarcEvans #leisagwenllian

#effioblaenau #film #wales #welshlanguage #marcevans #leisagwenllian

Europe Videos @[email protected] · 2026-04-27 · 12:24 UTC

https://www.europesays.com/videos/16446/ Could Welsh replace English as most-spoken language in Wales? #itv #ItvNews #news #PlaidCymru #politics #UnitedKingdom #Wales #WelshLanguage

#welshlanguage #wales #unitedkingdom #politics #plaidcymru #news

UK @[email protected] · 2026-04-17 · 04:26 UTC

https://www.europesays.com/uk/899642/ Nigel Farage defends making ‘joke’ that Welsh speakers are foreigners #Britain #GreatBritain #MerthyrTydfil #NigelFarage #Politics #ReformUK #UK #UnitedKingdom #Wales #WelshLanguage

#welshlanguage #wales #unitedkingdom #uk #reformuk #politics

Kit Peters @[email protected] · 2026-03-27 · 12:00 UTC

Bilingual Neath theatre company lands major funding for youth climate projects

A Neath-based theatre company has received £100,000 from the ScottishPower Foundation to take its climate-focused productions to schools and community venues across South Wales.

The funding comes from the foundation’s new £200,000 Art for Climate Fund, which aims to support arts projects that educate young people about environmental issues.

Theatr na nÓg will use the grant to tour its bilingual shows We Need Bees and Bug Hotel, which explore biodiversity loss and climate displacement through music, storytelling, and interactive performance. According to the company, the productions will reach thousands of children and families in the region.

Actors from Theatr na nÓg’s ‘Hot Poets’ production

Geinor Styles, Artistic Director of Theatr na nÓg, told Swansea Bay News that the shows are designed to engage children with “important issues including biodiversity loss, climate displacement and the climate emergency.”

The plays were written by award-winning playwright Katherine Chandler, who said the insect-focused stories help children understand environmental challenges in ways that encourage empathy and resilience.

The ScottishPower Foundation said in a statement that the Art for Climate Fund was intended to support long-term projects rather than short-term interventions. Melanie Hill, Executive Officer and Trustee, said the foundation believes “the arts have a unique power to make complex ideas accessible, emotional and impossible to ignore.”

Alongside Theatr na nÓg, the first round of funding also supported Wonder, a UK-wide poetry initiative led by Hot Poets and Forward Arts Foundation, which aims to use poetry to explore climate change in classrooms. The programme is expected to reach more than a million children.

Local education and community groups welcomed the news, highlighting that engaging young people through theatre and creative projects can complement environmental education already taking place in schools across Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

Theatr na nÓg has a history of community-focused work, including school workshops and bilingual performances designed to be accessible to a wide range of audiences. The company said the funding will allow it to extend the reach of its productions.

Environmental campaigners in South Wales have expressed support for projects that combine arts and climate education, noting that biodiversity and pollinator populations are under pressure in the region.

Schools and community venues interested in hosting the shows are encouraged to contact Theatr na nÓg directly. Specific tour dates and locations will be announced on the company’s website and social media.

Observers say the ScottishPower Foundation’s funding approach — supporting multiple-year projects — reflects a broader trend of long-term investment in youth climate education across the UK.

The grant highlights the growing role of arts organisations in tackling climate issues locally, showing how performance and creative expression can be used to help children understand environmental challenges.

#ArtForClimateFund #bees #biodiversity #biodiversityLoss #BugHotel #climate #climateChange #climateDisplacement #ClimateEmergency #education #Environment #HotPoets #Neath #ScottishPowerFoundation #TheatrNaNÓg #theatre #WeNeedBees #WelshLanguage

#artforclimatefund #bees #biodiversity #biodiversityloss #bughotel #climate

Dave Henry @[email protected] · 2026-03-23 · 10:01 UTC

RE: https://fosstodon.org/@kev/116268729558859927

Can anyone help @kev with a welsh translation for his blogging software?

I've check and if someone is happy to put together a translation pack, he's happy to support it.

#cymraeg #welshLanguage

#cymraeg #welshlanguage

Dave Henry @[email protected] · 2026-03-23 · 10:01 UTC

RE: https://fosstodon.org/@kev/116268729558859927

Can anyone help @kev with a welsh translation for his blogging software?

I've check and if someone is happy to put together a translation pack, he's happy to support it.

#cymraeg #welshLanguage

#cymraeg #welshlanguage

Dave Henry @[email protected] · 2026-03-23 · 10:01 UTC

RE: https://fosstodon.org/@kev/116268729558859927

Can anyone help @kev with a welsh translation for his blogging software?

I've check and if someone is happy to put together a translation pack, he's happy to support it.

#cymraeg #welshLanguage

#cymraeg #welshlanguage

Dave Henry @[email protected] · 2026-03-23 · 10:01 UTC

RE: https://fosstodon.org/@kev/116268729558859927

Can anyone help @kev with a welsh translation for his blogging software?

I've check and if someone is happy to put together a translation pack, he's happy to support it.

#cymraeg #welshLanguage

#welshlanguage #cymraeg

Dave Henry @[email protected] · 2026-03-23 · 10:01 UTC

RE: https://fosstodon.org/@kev/116268729558859927

Can anyone help @kev with a welsh translation for his blogging software?

I've check and if someone is happy to put together a translation pack, he's happy to support it.

#cymraeg #welshLanguage

#cymraeg #welshlanguage

Kit Peters @[email protected] · 2026-03-04 · 15:38 UTC

‘Devastated’ parents hit out as council votes to AXE village school despite rising numbers claim

Carmarthenshire County Council has today (Wednesday 4 March) issued a notice to shut Ysgol Llansteffan, marking the end of an era for the local community.

The controversial move, which will see the school close its doors on August 31, 2026, will force pupils to move to Ysgol Llangain from September 1.

Council bosses have defended the decision, claiming the school has too many empty desks and a mounting budget deficit.

Official figures suggest the school had just eight registered pupils at the start of 2025, with bosses claiming there is little chance of numbers picking up.

But the Ysgol Llansteffan Parent Teacher Association has slammed the move, previously telling chiefs that pupil numbers were actually starting to grow. This follows a statutory closure notice that was issued in late 2025.

Language campaigners from Cymdeithas yr Iaith have also waded into the row, previously vowing to fight what they describe as “flawed” closure plans, and have now submitted a formal complaint to the Welsh Language Commissioner.

Ffred Ffransis, representing the group, has said that parents are “devastated” by the lack of support for the school in the council chamber today.

“Not only does closing a school disrupt children’s education and remove one of the main Welsh language institutions from the community, but we saw a democratic deficit today,” Mr Ffransis has stated.

He also hit out at the fact that there was “not a single word” in favour of the school from councillors during the meeting.

The school is one of four across the county facing the axe as part of a massive shake-up of local education.

Cllr Glynog Davies, Cabinet Member for Education, has admitted the decision was “difficult for everyone involved” and has been agreed with “sadness.”

#Carmarthenshire #CarmarthenshireCountyCouncil #CymdeithasYrIaith #education #Llangain #Llansteffan #schoolClosure #WelshLanguage #YsgolLlansteffan

#carmarthenshire #carmarthenshirecountycouncil #cymdeithasyriaith #education #llangain #llansteffan

Kit Peters @[email protected] · 2026-03-03 · 12:12 UTC

Senedd committee accuses WRU of ‘dereliction of duty’ over controversial plans to cut a Welsh region

In a damning letter, a cross-party Senedd committee told WRU bosses they have “lost the argument” over the future of the professional game and warned them not to find themselves in a position of “winning the vote but losing the soul of Welsh rugby.”

The broadside from the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee comes after a fiery evidence session last week where WRU Chair Richard Collier-Keywood was grilled by politicians.

The WRU has been pushing forward with plans to reduce the number of professional teams in Wales from four to three, a move that has sparked a furious backlash from fans, regions, and politicians alike.

The Senedd’s Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee in session, with Richard Collier-Keywood appearing on screen via video link. (Image: Senedd.wales)

The committee’s letter, signed by Chair Delyth Jewell MS, states that Welsh rugby is in a “perilous state” and that the WRU’s proposals have caused “considerable concern to people across our nation.”

“It is clear the union does not have the consensus needed to move forward with the proposal to reduce the number of regional sides from four to three,” the letter reads. “The WRU must recognise that it has lost the argument over the future of the professional game.”

The committee was particularly scathing about the WRU’s admission that it has no ‘Plan B’ if its current proposals do not progress as planned.

“We were alarmed to hear you tell us that you have no Plan B,” the letter continues. “Were this the case, it could represent a significant dereliction of duty. We urge you to find an alternative approach that continues to stabilise the finances of the Union and maintains confidence, whilst rebuilding trust with clubs and supporters.”

The intervention from the Senedd is the latest blow to the WRU’s leadership, which has faced a furious political backlash and a vote of no-confidence over its handling of the game’s future.

The Ospreys and Scarlets have been particularly vocal in their opposition to the plans, issuing a joint statement condemning the uncertainty that has left the regions in limbo.

The letter concludes with a stark warning to the WRU leadership.

“The people of Wales feel a deep sense of ownership, pride and emotional connection to the game. That connection must be respected and nurtured. The union must not find itself in the position of winning the vote but losing the soul of Welsh rugby.”

#culture #CultureCommunicationsWelshLanguageSportAndInternationalRelationsCommittee #DelythJewell #Ospreys #RichardCollierKeywood #Rugby #Scarlets #Senedd #sport #WelshLanguage #WelshRugby #WRU

#culture #culturecommunicationswelshlanguagesportandinternationalrelationscommittee #delythjewell #ospreys #richardcollierkeywood #rugby

United States @[email protected] · 2026-03-01 · 08:45 UTC

How digital technology is bringing the Welsh Bible to more people

(Photo: Cymdeithas y Beibl) 1 March is St David’s Day, the national day of Wales. Ever since the…
#UnitedStates #US #USA #america #bibleengagement #BibleSociety #Bibletranslation #digitalbibles #onlinebible #science #technology #unitedstatesofamerica #Wales #Welsh #WelshBible #Welshlanguage #YouVersion
https://www.europesays.com/2814130/

#youversion #welshlanguage #welshbible #welsh #wales #unitedstatesofamerica

Kit Peters @[email protected] · 2026-02-09 · 17:52 UTC

Welsh Government offering £5,000 to tempt Welsh‑speaking teachers into secondary schools

Applications have opened for the latest round of Cynllun Pontio, a scheme that retrains Welsh‑speaking primary teachers — and those who’ve left the profession — to switch into secondary education. The programme pays participants a salary while they retrain, with ministers saying it is vital to meet demand for Welsh‑medium teaching.

Nearly 100 people have already gone through the scheme since 2020, but buried in the small print is a further sweetener: a £5,000 retention bursary for eligible secondary teachers who teach Welsh or teach through the medium of Welsh.

The incentive is part of an £8m package aimed at boosting the Welsh‑medium workforce, including funding to keep A‑level Welsh courses running in schools with low numbers and extra support for English‑medium teachers learning Welsh.

Ysgol Bro Teifi headteacher Gareth Evans said the scheme had already helped his school retrain primary teachers and bring them into the secondary sector.

“Cynllun Pontio has enabled us to retrain primary teachers to develop their experience and confidence,” he said. “Some have stayed with us, others have secured jobs elsewhere. It’s a unique and effective programme.”

Cabinet Secretary for Education Lynne Neagle said the scheme was about supporting people who want to switch sectors while strengthening the Welsh‑medium workforce.

“We want to support those who want to make the switch to secondary education or rejoin teaching,” she said. “This programme provides training and financial support to help people in their education career.”

Applications are open until 22 February 2026, with candidates asked to submit forms by email.

#education #teachers #WelshGovernment #WelshLanguage #WelshMediumEducation #WelshSpeakingTeachers

#education #teachers #welshgovernment #welshlanguage #welshmediumeducation #welshspeakingteachers

Kit Peters @[email protected] · 2026-01-30 · 13:41 UTC

Pontardawe Arts Centre to host new drama inspired by forgotten Welsh folk songs recorded in a workhouse

Pontardawe is one of just 13 venues across Wales chosen to host Ledi’r Wyrcws (The Lady of the Workhouse), a new production uncovering the remarkable true story behind one of Wales’s most important folk‑song collections.

The drama, written by author and academic Jerry Hunter, explores the unlikely relationship between Lady Amy Parry‑Williams — wife of renowned scholar and poet T. H. Parry‑Williams — and a woman living in a workhouse in the 1950s, where Amy recorded traditional songs that were on the brink of disappearing forever.

A forgotten workhouse and a cultural mystery

Hunter says the idea struck him after giving a talk in Denbigh, when a member of the audience pointed out an old building across the road — once a workhouse where Lady Parry‑Williams had captured some of her most treasured recordings.

He was stunned to learn that a workhouse was still operating in the 1950s, years after the founding of the NHS.

The revelation sparked a series of questions that form the backbone of the play: Who was the woman singing in the workhouse? Why was she there? And what conversations unfolded between two women from completely different worlds, united only by their love of Welsh culture?

Hunter said the story “immediately captured” his imagination, leading him to picture the pair spending a day together — one a respected academic’s wife, the other living in poverty — yet both preserving the same musical heritage.

The cast and creative team of Ledi’r Wyrcws — from left: Morfudd Hughes, writer Jerry Hunter, Owen Arwyn and Judith Humphreys.

Touring Wales — with a key stop in Pontardawe

The production stars Morfudd Hughes, Owen Arwyn and Judith Humphreys, and will tour Wales from 4 March to 2 April.

Pontardawe Arts Centre will host the show on 25 March, giving local audiences a rare chance to see a drama rooted in real Welsh history and cultural survival.

Full tour dates

04–05 March – Galeri Caernarfon 07 March – Twm o’r Nant 10 March – Theatr Clwyd 13 March – Theatr Derek Williams 17–18 March – Theatr Arad Goch 19 March – Yr Egin 20 March – Theatr Felinfach 24 March – Theatr Soar 25 March – Pontardawe Arts Centre 26 March – Yr Olwg 28 March – Llanover Hall 01 April – Neuadd Dwyfor 02 April – Pontio

Tickets and more information are available via Galeri Caernarfon: https://www.galericaernarfon.com/eng/ledirwyrcws.html

#LediRWyrcws #Pontardawe #PontardaweArtsCentre #theatre #WelshLanguage

#ledirwyrcws #pontardawe #pontardaweartscentre #theatre #welshlanguage

Columbus - Feeds @[email protected] · 2026-01-16 · 00:30 UTC

A Friendship From Gallipolis leads to Ohio State’s First Welsh Club - Adrian Murillo Silva

#artslife #features #instagrampage #news #aidentoler #bilingualism

Ed Bridges @[email protected] · 2026-01-01 · 14:34 UTC

Amused to spot earlier that there is one extra element of guidance for Welsh speakers at Maindy BMX track than there is for English speakers. Monoglot English speakers can disturb neighbouring residents, but Cymros cannot.

#Caerdydd #Cardiff #WelshLanguage #IaithGymraeg

#caerdydd #cardiff #welshlanguage #iaithgymraeg

Ed Bridges @[email protected] · 2026-01-01 · 14:34 UTC

Amused to spot earlier that there is one extra element of guidance for Welsh speakers at Maindy BMX track than there is for English speakers. Monoglot English speakers can disturb neighbouring residents, but Cymros cannot.

#Caerdydd #Cardiff #WelshLanguage #IaithGymraeg

#caerdydd #cardiff #welshlanguage #iaithgymraeg

Ed Bridges @[email protected] · 2026-01-01 · 14:34 UTC

Amused to spot earlier that there is one extra element of guidance for Welsh speakers at Maindy BMX track than there is for English speakers. Monoglot English speakers can disturb neighbouring residents, but Cymros cannot.

#Caerdydd #Cardiff #WelshLanguage #IaithGymraeg

#iaithgymraeg #welshlanguage #cardiff #caerdydd

United Kingdom News Beep @[email protected] · 2025-10-09 · 22:00 UTC

Alun Wyn Jones ‘not proud’ of one thing as he finally looks to put it right

Former Welsh rugby captain Alun Wyn Jones is embarking on a new Welsh journey, having admitted he is…
#NewsBeep #News #Rugby #AlunWynJones #ProRugbyWales #rugby #S4C #Sports #UK #UnitedKingdom #WalesRugbyTeam #Welshlanguage
https://www.newsbeep.com/uk/189018/

#welshlanguage #walesrugbyteam #unitedkingdom #uk #sports #s4c

UK @[email protected] · 2025-10-09 · 21:20 UTC

https://www.europesays.com/uk/486636/ Alun Wyn Jones ‘not proud’ of one thing as he finally looks to put it right #AlunWynJones #ProRugbyWales #Rugby #S4C #Sports #UK #UnitedKingdom #WalesRugbyTeam #WelshLanguage

#welshlanguage #walesrugbyteam #unitedkingdom #uk #sports #s4c

UK @[email protected] · 2025-09-30 · 07:55 UTC

https://www.europesays.com/uk/462541/ Welsh place names to be safeguarded under new initiative #Britain #GreatBritain #UK #UnitedKingdom #Wales #WelshGovernment #WelshHistory #WelshLanguage

#welshlanguage #welshhistory #welshgovernment #wales #unitedkingdom #uk

UK @[email protected] · 2025-09-21 · 07:46 UTC

https://www.europesays.com/uk/440431/ ‘Children learn more about Nazi Germany than Welsh history’ #CapelCelyn #DrGriffiths #DrinkingWater #EU #Europe #Germany #HuwGriffiths #Liverpool #LocalHistory #NationalLibraryOfWales #NaziGermany #SecondaryEducationInWales #Tryweryn #UniversityOfWales #Wales #WelshHeritage #WelshHistory #WelshLanguage

#welshlanguage #welshhistory #welshheritage #wales #universityofwales #tryweryn

Bytes Europe @[email protected] · 2025-09-21 · 07:08 UTC

‘Children learn more about Nazi Germany than Welsh history’ https://www.byteseu.com/1398760/ #CapelCelyn #DrGriffiths #DrinkingWater #Germany #HuwGriffiths #Liverpool #LocalHistory #NationalLibraryOfWales #NaziGermany #SecondaryEducationInWales #Tryweryn #UniversityOfWales #Wales #WelshHeritage #WelshHistory #WelshLanguage

#welshlanguage #welshhistory #welshheritage #wales #universityofwales #tryweryn

Matthew Malthouse @calmeilles · 2025-04-03 · 10:28 UTC

Good drama; enjoyed, solid 8/10⭐ on IMDB from me.

But I'm puzzled.

You could just do "a production in Welsh."

Or you could portray a Welsh speaking community in the drama, complete with code switching when appropriate.

But this is definitely set in Newport, not a Welsh speaking city. Plus there seems less use of English than would be realistic.

So is something being conveyed by that choice that I'm missing?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33981048/

#film #TV #Welsh #drama #WelshLanguage

#film #tv #welsh #drama #welshlanguage

Matthew Malthouse @[email protected] · 2025-04-03 · 10:28 UTC

Good drama; enjoyed, solid 8/10⭐ on IMDB from me.

But I'm puzzled.

You could just do "a production in Welsh."

Or you could portray a Welsh speaking community in the drama, complete with code switching when appropriate.

But this is definitely set in Newport, not a Welsh speaking city. Plus there seems less use of English than would be realistic.

So is something being conveyed by that choice that I'm missing?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33981048/

#film #TV #Welsh #drama #WelshLanguage

#film #tv #welsh #drama #welshlanguage

Matthew Malthouse @[email protected] · 2025-04-03 · 10:28 UTC

Good drama; enjoyed, solid 8/10⭐ on IMDB from me.

But I'm puzzled.

You could just do "a production in Welsh."

Or you could portray a Welsh speaking community in the drama, complete with code switching when appropriate.

But this is definitely set in Newport, not a Welsh speaking city. Plus there seems less use of English than would be realistic.

So is something being conveyed by that choice that I'm missing?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33981048/

#film #TV #Welsh #drama #WelshLanguage

#film #tv #welsh #drama #welshlanguage

Matthew Malthouse @[email protected] · 2025-04-03 · 10:28 UTC

Good drama; enjoyed, solid 8/10⭐ on IMDB from me.

But I'm puzzled.

You could just do "a production in Welsh."

Or you could portray a Welsh speaking community in the drama, complete with code switching when appropriate.

But this is definitely set in Newport, not a Welsh speaking city. Plus there seems less use of English than would be realistic.

So is something being conveyed by that choice that I'm missing?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33981048/

#film #TV #Welsh #drama #WelshLanguage

#welshlanguage #drama #welsh #tv #film

Matthew Malthouse @[email protected] · 2025-04-03 · 10:28 UTC

Good drama; enjoyed, solid 8/10⭐ on IMDB from me.

But I'm puzzled.

You could just do "a production in Welsh."

Or you could portray a Welsh speaking community in the drama, complete with code switching when appropriate.

But this is definitely set in Newport, not a Welsh speaking city. Plus there seems less use of English than would be realistic.

So is something being conveyed by that choice that I'm missing?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt33981048/

#film #TV #Welsh #drama #WelshLanguage

#film #tv #welsh #drama #welshlanguage

Kit Peters @[email protected] · 2025-03-19 · 12:11 UTC

The Hobbit takes a Welsh twist at Morriston Library

Adam Pearce will be talking about how he translated JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit into Welsh for the first time at two events – one in Welsh, the other in English at 1pm and 2pm, respectively.

Translated as Yr Hobyd, The Hobbit tells of the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Middle Earth, dragons, treasure and a ring of gold and Adam Pearce brings it all to life through the medium of Welsh.

To go along to the event on Saturday, you must book free tickets by calling 01792 516770 or by emailing [email protected]

Elliott King, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Equalities, said: “Any fan of a book that was already legendary before the amazing films brought it to an even wider audience, will want to find out more about how Adam translated The Hobbit into Welsh.

“The Hobbit has already been translated into many languages, from Dutch and Latin to Esperanto and Faroese, but never into Welsh. So to have Adam at one of our libraries discussing how and why he did it, is quite a coup.”

Adam has previously translated H.G. Wells into Welsh and works by T. Gwynn Jones and Daniel Owen from Welsh into English.

His translation of The Hobbit has been prepared in accordance with J.R.R. Tolkien’s own instructions for translators of his work and officially licenced by the Tolkien Estate.

Included are J.R.R. Tolkien’s original illustrations and new Welsh versions of the two maps featured in the original novel.

(Lead image: Swansea Council)

#books #Morriston #MorristonLibrary #SwanseaCouncil #WelshLanguage

#books #morriston #morristonlibrary #swanseacouncil #welshlanguage

Editor @[email protected] · 2025-03-19 · 12:11 UTC