Dydd Gŵyl Dewi

St. David's Day

Gwyn Thomas

Glyn Houston as Gwyn Thomas

Today is Glyn Houston's 90th birthday.
In the 1980s the Welsh actor performed a hugely successful one-man play called "Chunks and Chips" using the autobiographical writing of Gwyn Thomas to bring his unique wisdom and dark observational humour back to life. This performance is a must for anyone who appreciates Welsh humour, great writing and superb acting.

This video has been uploaded with the kind permission of HTV Wales, who own the copyright. If you have enjoyed this video please click on the link below to view more of their great content.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT2N...

Aberfan is different

Aberfan

At 9.15am on Friday October 21st 1966, after several days of heavy rain, a huge slag tip above the town of Aberfan in South Wales suddenly liquified and poured down the mountain. The black tidal wave demolished properties in its path and engulfed the Pantglas Junior School in seconds. Of the 144 people who lost their lives that day, 116 were children. The tragedy was totally preventable. The National Coal Board had been warned time and time again of the dangers of dumping slag in such a geologically unstable area above towns. They chose to ignore the warnings claiming it wasn't profitable for them to move the slag tips to safer locations. After the disaster, donations from all over the world poured in for the shattered community. However, most of the money never reached Aberfan. Instead the Government gave it to the National Coal Board so that they could move other slag tips overlooking other towns in South Wales.

The great Welsh writer and broadcaster Gwyn Thomas delivered his own moving tribute to the victims of the tragedy on the BBC the morning of the mass funeral. This is an excerpt from his eulogy

Steamer from Cardiff to Tenby

In the 1960's writer and broadcaster Gwyn Thomas made a series of programmes for TWW in which he visited different parts of Wales. In this programme, Gwyn joins a group a day trippers on a Steamer from Cardiff to Tenby. Today, his unique, warm and darkly humorous observations give us a fascinating insight into what life was like for people living in these Welsh communities half a century ago.

Although the original audio of this particular broadcast has not survived, the script that Gwyn Thomas wrote for the programme has. His timeless words are read here by the superb actor Glyn Houston.

Please note that the copyright of this video belongs to ITV Cymru Wales / National Library of Wales. They have very kindly given permission for it to be showed here. Please show them your appreciation and visit their YouTube channel to see more fantastic archive recordings from Wales: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT2N...

Convy Castle

Twice.

Laughing Lhursday*

. . .

* [For first time visitors]: 
Typo in the title?
Nah. It's just that I would not let
a tiny T spoil an avantgardistic alliteration.