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Regards Statement on the Historic Environment given by WAG Minister of Heritage Alun Ffred Jones in Plenary Session at the National Assembly 22 - 09 - 2009. To be honest much, if not most of the document looks as if had been written by Cofiwn but of course it was not. This statement is result of many years of work by Heritage proffesssionals, look up Historic Environment Group and Treftadaeth'08 & '09 on the web for full history as to how it all comes about. Not least there would have been an input from the Plaid Minister of Heritage in the 'One Wales' Coalition Government, and I must admit that if Plaid Cymru were not in this position of power then I doubt if this document let alone this New Welsh Heritage Strategy would be in existence. So Gethin boyo, you got to admit Plaid Cymru delivered and you need to acknowledge that and say a big 'Diolch yn Fawr'.
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That said, I can go back to being nasty, no! only joking! This new Welsh Heritage Strategy is excellent, not least in the potential in the action plan over the coming years up to 2014. However, that said there are some reasons to be cautious in so far as the following are concerned:
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1: If now due to Plaid not continuing to hold deal broking power at the Assembly, and say Labour or Tories with Liberals dominated would it all be 'change' and this NWHS be undermined or done away with? Further, how much will the lack of real Parliamentary Powers make much impossible to carry out not least in areas of legislation to preserve and protect Welsh Battlefields.
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2: I see that Cadw is given responsibility for much regards deveoping Initiatives over the coming years, but can they really undergo a 'Sea Change' that allows their Cerebral Colonial past mentality to be done away with so that may forge ahead to provide us with the history that a Nation truly deserves. As wished for by the Plaid Minister of Heritage Alun Ffred Jones, see his many statements on 'Sharing His Ambition'.
.3: I am also concerned with potential for failings in lack of transparency, too much exclusivity in developing of the NWHS and possibly it's future advance. Questions need to be answered here as to if the Heritage Environment Group is to continue in existance or is the Civic Trust to take over as appears the case if one reads certain material from that source. See Mathew Richards Report on Web. I am further concerned, as to where and when we will see Historical Anniversary Commemorations coming in, and getting some big attention, as much as the 'Cultural Olympiad' is at moment.
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However, to conclude I must say that the NWHS has been delivered in excellent shape and form with an action plan within and around which Patriots can do a lot. So at end of the day, much is up to you to get on with, and I particularly address those so up for fringe & fantasy 'Alternative Nationalist Politics'. In such area we have failed, yes I count myself as one who has for over 40 years dwelled in these outlands of Political Patriotism, and it has failed, at end of the day on 1 July 2009 it proved to be futile (sad to say, despite efforts of a gallant few). I will not repeat what I have said about this in greater detail elsewhere, as you can read about it yourselves on by Adfywiad Cilmeri and Adfywiad Gwladgarol Blogs regards saying ''Good Bye to the Sixties'' and all that!
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However, for much of those 40 yearsI did devote myself much to Cofiwn. and I would hope that the pioneering work done by that movement has contributed to the eventual coming into existence of the NWHS & Action Plan. I say now yes lets be thankful to Plaid and the Heritage proffessionals delivering it, but if it's to work, work well and work big time that is up to you, so go to it and make it work. Not least see my proposals over on my URDD BRENHINOL CYMRU blog plus of course, so see my I'R GAD Welsh Battlefield Campaign Blog. Of which I have more to say below after this commercial break >
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A MUST BUY BOOK OK, not least with the above in mind.
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I'r GAD Welsh Battlefield Campaign as stated above go see the blog, so suffice here on this issue I have laboured on for, not 2 but 7 years. Great again, the NWHS is to deliver this too in due course, my comments on this are in aforementioned blog. However, I will comment here on this, during the aforementioned Plenary debate PLAID A.M. Bethan Jenkins chirped up regards a Welsh Battlefield Register being fourth coming, and sought recognition for work of a Welsh Battlefied Society (run by Albert Ward from across the border, and Adrian Jones of Cymdethas Owain Glyndwr and Amnesty InternationalCymru etc).
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Bethan requested that the MofH give her assurence that this WBS be brought into matters concerning the Register, this just shows how much Bethan and the WBS knows about all this. Long ago my campaign was made clear that yes, the O.S, RCAHMW and Cadw were agreed on a register but certain factors and rules had to be taken into consideration. These people had good point and did have much to consider, plus I not only accepted that but also accepted they, not I were the proffessionals and were the right people to go about this. At no point in my WBfC have I been so presumptious as to demand I have a say in their deliberations, indeed I was quite happy to leave such to they and still do.
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But I have requested Patriots to adopt their local Battlefields, and establish Research & Study Groups bringing their Local Authorities aboard and then all lobby the aforementioned Proffessional bodies to include their adopted Battlefield in a Register. Meanwhile get on with any number of projects concerning your adopted local Battlefield, even join a WBS if that will be a bit of an hobby or Social Club for you. However, what I would like to see come into existence is a WELSH BATTLEFIELD TRUST with room for the proffessionals and amature Interests to be involved activelly or otherwise.
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Other than this, I suggest a Welsh Battlefield Centre is established in Builth Wells with an annual Medieval Festival and Fair being held in the Royal Welsh Agricultural Showground, I shall have more to write up on this proposed initiative soon. One other thing, I know such is considered in Scotland and so too should such be in Wales, it's this, given the nature of Warfare in Medieval Wales often guerrilla warfare. Should not important major ambushes and skirmishes be considered for any Welsh Battlefield Register? so think on it and suss out local incidents of this nature. Write up and let Cadw know details and what you think about this, inform me if you wish too also why not adopt such and memorialise one way or another by means of educational way, or commemoration.
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Turning Left for a Moment, but more so on my Red Remembrancer blog.
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Rather oddly for someone of Left wing Socialist persuasion Bethan Jenkins went on to make comments concerning the home of Hedd Wyn and showed concern for the Port Talbot YMCA in Port Talbot because of it's connection to Richard Burton. I will thus below a short list of more left and Socialist history and Heritage for Bethan to be concerned and involved with as:
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* Finding out why HERIAN left out the Merthyr Rising and Scotch Cattle off their Illustrated Poster Map. Otherwise Herian is doing a fine job for the Industrial Political Heritage of the South, should there not be a Medieval Version as my suggested Brenhinol Cymru?
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* Why are there no Statues and plaques in Merthyr marking the event and place of the Merthyr Rising Massacre of 3 June 1831, compared to Newport, Llantrisant and Blackwood's commemorating of the Chartists 1839, so very little has been done in Hirwaun and Merthyr regards the Red Rising 1831, why not? Maybe, the Workers attack on the Castle Hotel, Merthyr 1831 and Newport 1839 attack on Westgate Hotel should such be registered as 'Battles'. Whatever, maybe there should be a way of officially recording and registering struggles of the people, inc strikes etc. Maybe this will be within remit of Merthyr's proposed Peoples History Museum, suggest it to the developer Huw Lewis AM.
.Neither Merthyr or Hirwaun had a Chartist history comparable to Monmouthshire, so just why does Herian suggest and manages to get an act together that involves the Bevan Foundation (Thus Labour & Trade Unions), Newport College, WEA, Llafur, and theatre Groups plus various Chartist Societies inc a Chartist Cymru Connection Website to organise and mount a two year 170th Anniversary Commemoration across some parts of Glamorgan and into Monmouthshire, but there cannot be organised a major annual Merthyr Insurrection 1831 Festival comparable to that that commemorates the Tolpuddle Martys in England. I think 1839 and all that is great but what about 1831? Yes! what about 1831?
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Last but not least, and dear Bethan here's something that really might be close to your heart, the great Chartist 'Charter for England' hope for 1848 virtually came and went with a monster rally on Kennington Common, London. Whilst plans in Merthyr for a possible second up rising came to nought, meanwhile Nationalist Historiography has left Wales with 1848 as Year of the Blue Books, via which the former Mayor of Newport Sir Thomas Phillips who ordered English Soldiers to fire on Welsh Workers, many no doubt Welsh Speaking. Became champion of the Welsh against English 'Blue Book' defamnation, of which possibly few know of he?
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The year 1848 for us is of course year of the Blue Books and all the baggage that has gone with it in largelly a Cymru Fydd Liberal Cultural Nationalist historiography but what of 1848 as the SPRING OF NATIONS, the year of great left radical nationalist revolts of which I have no doubt the Welsh, inc Welsh Patriots know so little. Thus Bethan why not organise in Merthyr next year as part of Red Week Revolution 1831 Festival or the Chartist Commemoration Programme, a day or weekend conference on Remembering the Spring of Nations 1848.
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I and I now others would help draw up a programme of subject matter to discuss, and I am sure it would be very illluminating. Meanwhile, anyone interested in this then do contact me asap.
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For further info on much of the above go see my RED REMEMBRANCER blog, do nor forget 2010 - Cofia 1910 - Tonypandy Riots and 2011 - Cofia 1911 - Llanelli Riots.
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Gethin.
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PS:
I am standing down from any campaigning against Cadw re Welsh Battlefield Campaigning or anything else, that includes protest against their Silver Medal and Mug . If any Patriot is unhappy about that, why don't you go and protest, indeed why not if your so bothered as many tell me they are? Possibly better way to spend the day, is to assemble around the Tommy Cooper memorial and ask yourself the question, why the hell is not a statue of Llywelyn Bren not standing there or anywhere else in Caerfilli? Methinks, a Cymdeithas Llywelyn Bren is needing to be set up asap to move forward a MORGANNWG MEDIEVAL INITIATIVE, yes!
PPS:
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Remember Brenhinol Cymru 2011, see Urdd Brenhinol Cymru blog
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To be followed in 2014 with
GLYNDWR 660 commemorating birth of Owain Glyndwr
28 May 1454.
Further information from Embassy Glyndwr.
