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First off, wishing one and all Celtic New Year Greetings along with a call for patriots to campaign for the making of this Celtic Fire Festival an annual Bank Holiday. There are already calls for Dydd Dewi and Dydd Glyndwr to be made Bank Holidays and, despite Dydd Dewi being associated with Christianity possibly it will remain the hot favourite. This is even though the Euro Empire not being too keen on things that promote Christianity as recent ruling regards crucifixes in state schools. Although, given recent ruling by the Euro Empire I cannot help but wonder when they will rule that Dydd Dewi celebrations in state schools will be outlawed, as surely what goes for the crucifix might also apply to Dydd Dewi Day celebrations in Welsh Schools.
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My attention is also drawn recently to a campaign for a 'Community Day' Bank Holiday in October, the reasons given for this month are same as I give for a Samain BH. However, if it's a choice between the two, then I put a Samhain BH first. But do note that whilst many countries have 'Community Day' holidays the objectives of which I fully support, a number of countries also make existing Holidays as days for community services, as Martin Luther Day in the USA. Surely the same could apply to a Samhain BH with all the energy that goes into making of 'Trick or Treat' mischief made more charitable rather than spoiling kids just before Bonfire Night and Xmas. Whatever, if you support Samhain better get campaigning fast as those who support a 'Community Day' Bank Holiday are already well ahead with their campaigning and have a very well presented web site as a platform plus huge support as from TUC and other bodies that would have a stake in such a Bank Holiday.
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This coming Thursday 4 Tachwedd marks anniversary of the Newport Rising 1839, if you search web for Welsh Chartist Commemoration you will find stacks of stuff commemorating Chartism in Welsh History over the coming months well into 2010 and maybe beyond. Amazing how the left can get their act together but not nationalists when it comes to comemorating Welsh Medievalism, if your stuck for ideas go over to my blogs I'r Gad - Welsh Battlefield Campaign and Urdd Brenhinol Cymru. Hope some of you will pick up on ideas out of all this enthusiastic medieval history blogging of mine. Not least in view of potential regards the New Welsh Heritage Strategy and Cadw's five year Heritage Tourism Plan 2009 - 2014, so get cracking! Anyone who knows anything about the work of Cofiwn will appreciate the potential of the new Welsh Heritage Strategy and Cadw's five year plan, further details on their websites. This is an huge opportunity to see some real Welsh History Initiatives, projects and schemes advanced, so get up and do it asap.
.Myself am slowly abandoning my active interest in Medieval Wales as all that I could possibly been interested in has been done, not least pioneering way forward regards a Welsh Battlefields Register. Other than that it looks as if Cadw at long last is paying attention to all that Cofiwn has been pushing for regards Medieval Welsh History, I draw your attention to Cadw's Initiatives re Princes of Gwynedd and Deheubarth but oddly, not of Deheubarth or Glywysing? My main medieval work at moment is in archiving material to deposit at NLW or package as Initiatives for others to follow up on. My only main pro-active medieval concern at the moment is regards prompting most urgently a MORGANNWG MEDIEVAL INITIATIVE, more on this in aforementioned blog Urdd Brenhinol Cymru.
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Look out in the aforementioned blog for my take on the local Caerffili 'National Hero' Tomos ap Cwpwr who made the Anglo - Normans laugh so much that they handed over that mighty Castle (said to be made of cheese) to local lord Llywelyn Bren. Thus Tomos ap Cwpwr is remembered to this day in Caerffili, not least with a fantastic statue being errected in his honour whilst Llywelyn Bren is forgotten, or only just remembered as a local lout who went about kicking tax collectors tables over. Amazing but true that even though Plaid Cymru membership has been very strong in this area since the 60's and not without good representation on the Council, that they never got around to errecting a Llywelyn Bren statue nor commemorate is revolt of 1315. Wonder why? better things to do, I guess!
.Over the coming November, in Welsh Remembrancer Ishall focus some attention on the issue of Welsh Involvement in WWII, made an issue in letters page of Western Mail by a J. H. John of Penybot ar Ogwr who does not consider it to have been a war the Welsh should have been involved in. This of cause raised the spectre of Saunders Lewis and other Catholic Welsh Nationalists supporting Franco. A further contentious issue is regards Welsh Soldiers being involved in the war in Afghanistan, the question begging to be asked is, if Wales was of free mind to chose a position, would an Independant Wales send troops to Afghanistan? Indeed could it be justified to support a struggle against basically an Islamic Religious Fascism as much evil as Franco's Fascist Catholic Cause in Spain during the 1930's. It seems to me that the 'Welsh Left', paticularly the PLAID's Left Femme Fatales would be up for International Socialist support in Spain's Civil War but I have yet to hear any of they condemn Islamic Fascist Extremist terror against Afghan Women. Personally I opposed the war in Iraq but am not so sure as to what position I should hold re the fight against the Taliban?
.Further, in November in I'R GAD blog, I shall be giving some attention to Wales and WWI, from my own families experience. Also I shall be looking into 11 November Rememberance Day and the wearing of the Red Poppies, noting that pacifists wear a white poppy and annimal lovers a purple poppy perhaps Welsh Nationalists need to wear a Red Poppy with a green & white ribbon to signify they remember the sacrifice of those who fought and died in this most awful of capitalist wars but we do so, not as supporters of the then 'British Imperialism' of 1914 - 16 but in remembrance of those who were killed, even if it was not for Wales as was the case in WWII.
.My main area of research and resulting presentation over the coming months will be regards my proposed LAND & LIBERTY Campaign, recently Adrian Jones of Cymdeithas Owain Glyndwr in letter to Western Mail, in passing stated "Wales was no longer occupied''. A rather ignorent or plain daft thing to be saying, after all is he not mindful of those many acres of our land occupied by the English Army and not least Liverpool Corperation and the Severn Trent Water Authority. That's just for starters but what about English Capitalist companies involved in Cheque Book Conquest and other forms of Neo - Colonialism and what of English Lords? I hope others will look into the former areas, I have mentioned above whilst I focus some attention on the English Aristocrats who have been owning much of our country since 1282. At moment two areas of interest have my attention so focused on, first The Forest of Snowdon Controversy 1569 - 98 and then the Beauforts in Southern Wales. The results of this research will be posted up on my WELSH PATRIOT BLOG, whilst over on Red Remembrancer blog I shall be doing a write up on Pan Jones and Michael D. Jones and Rural Trade Unionism and labour unrest in the 19th century as part of my coming two years focus entitled GOING LEFT!
.Welsh Remembrancer blog in December will return to matters 1282 & 1969 with posts in which I will enlarge on why I feel it's time to say 'Good By To The Sixties' and why I regards Cilmeri's 'Sacred Acre' a failed 'Field of Dreams'. I shall also be posting up further info on my Cilmeri 2009 tribute on line in memory of Glyn Rowlands the 'Lone Wolf' of Corris. Which reminds me, is it curious or maybe not that we have heard no screams of 'Civil Liberties' regards the Secret Service seeking to secretly film the Glyn Rowlands Tribute Rally in Machynlleth. Of course if the same had been attempted against CyIG, CND or some such other 'in' group the Plaid Left 'Femme Fatales' would have been pulling their hair out in rage. It was interesting to see these 'Lassies of the Left' making such big issue of the BNP and so help their publicity profile to rise and be so quick again to earn 'Brownie Points' in protesting against the so called WELSH DEFENCE LEAGUE, the reality is of course that there is no such body only the English Defence League masquerading as a W.D.L.
. To conclude on some politics, the present Welsh Labour campaign to elect an Assembly Labour Party leader and thus first First Minister leaves me somewhat cold. Carwyn's too moderate but possibly best suited to the 'One Wales' coalition with PLAID whilst Huw Lewis has good left wing credentials, but it's so sad he appears to be such a 'Rave from Old Welsh Labours Grave'. That leaves Edwina and why not, but who cares as come next year, or is it the year after there will be Assembly Election, no doubt it will then be all change again.
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Of course what's at stake now is future of the PLAID - LABOUR Coalition and with it my main concern being that the New Welsh Heritage Strategy gets set up and too well founded to be taken apart by Labour or Tory hostiles gaining upper hand in the Assembly. This of course does not look likly as with the Tories more than likly be back in Power at Westminster after a 2010 BGE, then one can see Labour doing so badly in an Assembly Election that it will be the Welsh Tories leveling up with PLAID? Does this mean a possible Plaid - Tory 'One Wales ' Coalition? Has not Adam Price murmed he would favour such but would Leanne and Bethan favour such a deal? Maybe a left of centre Democratic Progressive Alliance against the Tories in Westminster and at Assembly will be on the Cards?
.POLITICS CONTINUED: However, it's all up in the air including if or not we are to witness a referendum in 2011 re more powers for the Assembly, that looks to be the big question? So I suggest all those who favour such start to get them selves organised and also those who want a question on Independence included in the referendum, I suggest the latter in particular go over and view seriously what I say in my SOFRANIAETH blog ok! Whatever, the two years ahead are going to be quite interesting, exciting and momentous years in Welsh History, at moment be it a Referendum 'win' or 'Loose' for the 'Yes' campaigners is all rather academic at the moment. But I suggest that if we are done out of a referendum, even with suggestions it be held at a later date then those who are really pro - Welsh Sovereignty should start to radically think as what to do next, maybe civil disobedience should be on the cards, like lets make Wales Politically ungovernable or lets set up our own community based peoples Parliament.
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Last but not least, the fourth coming Investiture of William Windsor in Caernarfon. Abergynolwyn's Agony Aunt Roy 'Jac' Jones takes the oppinion there will not be one after the big bother in 1969, but what the hell does he know? The ''big bother'' for him on the 1st July 1969 was seeing how fast he and, his fellow 'Good Ole Boys' could get over to Dublin out of harms way. Of course he and his mates could have gone off to attempt protest in Caernarfon or risk arrest getting there. Maybe they could have at least made it into Gwynedd to join Adfywiadwyr Gwladgarol in carrying out acts of civil resistance as constructive vandalism etc, but no he did a runner to Ireland to save bother of attempting to put up some fight. Mean while John Jenkins and other MAC stalwarts did risk all and of course two patriots died whilst three others were imprisoned. So my advice to Jac is quite simply shut up and to Patriots not of the 'Good Ole Boy' ilk, I can but say please pay no attention to Jac or next time around you all might be running off to Ireland to sit in a Dublin Pub to watch William's Investiture on the TV whilst pissing it up which is just about all the 'Good Ole Boys' are good for really.
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Will there be another Investiture, of course there will and why not, if Caernarfon wants it, Celebs Cymru want it, Politicians want it, the Welsh Media want it and you can bet your bottom dollar S4C will be first in the que seeking TV broadcasting film and distribution rights. Plus next time around there will be little Patriotic Resistance as for starters the Welsh Language Establishment aka Industry will not risk annoying the master who pays their pipers and poets et al. Betime Wales goes through a funeral for Elizabeth II and Carlo's Coronation the majority of Welsh People will be gagging for a third Investiture to take place in the Royal Borough of Caernarfon. This is despite the petition organised by Cambria magazine earlier this year for no great purpose really than seeking names of people to put on their Cambria magazine spam mailing list, so do not pay much attention to they. Ye Gods! how patriots delude them selves by believing in false prophets who spout spuedo patriotism in interest of self promotion and advancement, no doubt with hidden political or other 'Secret Agendas'.
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As for myself, I have given up all attempts to continue promotion of present and future radical pro-active campaigning against a third Investiture,. No! I lie Rali Cilmeri 2009 will be my last attempt and, even if successful intend to leave it to others to take the campaign forward. I have given such my best shot this year but very few were willing to listen, even less so in Gwynedd where such should really count. Despite a worthy stand at the Gate of Caernarfon Castle on 1st July 2009 by Balchder Cymru people from Fflintshire, it is painful for me to have to say to the few who are concerned, forget it! don't bother! unless there is a big change of heart by patriots who attend annually Rali Cilmeri to profess Cofia 1282 and wear and Ivy Leaf but actually do little else about it, instead rather Dydd Dewi Day Parade in Caerdydd. Yes! Pathetic for sure!
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Anyway, really I advise patriots not to bother with the futility of opposing an Investiture III, as the writting is already on the wall. The Brits will win and next time around I do not think it should be working class patriots who have to die and go to prison, lets see some ''Intellectuals'' radically risking all against an Investiture III next time around, yes! So things are maybe going to look bad on any Anti - Investiture Front, for when I give up on it, just who will take up prompting this as a big issue and matter of our Sovereignty. Yes! who? the 'Good Ole Boys' or Cambria Magazine maybe, I doubt it, so who?
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That's it for now, looking forward to the coming two years of serious patriotic struggle?, for now have an 'Happy Halloween' and a good Celtic New Year.
.Gethin Gruffydd..
