AmeriCymru

St Davids Day Book Sale | americymru.net

2017-06-11T12:53:00.001-07:00

St Davids Day Book Sale | americymru.net

Welsh Literature | americymru.net

2016-09-10T18:37:00.001-07:00

New 'Welsh Literature' page on AmeriCymru! many of our readers have asked for a focus page from which all our literary articles/interviews/reviews can be reached...so....here it is! :) Keep checking back for new content and important announcements later this month

Welsh Literature | americymru.net

Interview Welsh Crime Writer Cathy Ace | americymru.net

2016-08-24T15:28:00.001-07:00

Interview Welsh Crime Writer Cathy Ace | americymru.net

Wales March On Euro 2016 | americymru.net

2016-07-04T22:24:00.001-07:00

Wales March On Euro 2016 | americymru.net

Music From Wales Welsh Music | americymru.net

2016-06-30T21:56:00.001-07:00

Music From Wales Welsh Music | americymru.net

Wales Euro 2016 The Dream Continues | americymru.net

2016-06-23T11:52:00.001-07:00

Wales Euro 2016 The Dream Continues | americymru.net

Skirrid Mountain Inn by C.M. Saunders

2016-05-07T15:23:00.001-07:00

Skirrid Mountain Inn | americymru.net

There are not many more desolate, beautiful, and beguiling places on earth than the Black Mountains of the Brecon Beacons, where the peaks penetrate the heavens and a perpetual mist crawls down the mountainsides. But in the shadow of these mountains lies an even more mysterious place, this one made by the hands of man, The Skirrid Mountain Inn.

BUY ETO 1&2 (25% OFF)!

2016-04-17T14:06:00.001-07:00

BUY ETO 1&2 (25% OFF)!

https://americymru.net/americymru/bundle/4/eto-12

Eto 1

Chwarae Teg/Fair Play - John Good/Sioni Dda | americymru.net

2016-04-16T19:59:00.001-07:00

Coming soon on AmeriCymru - Ecommerce stores ( see example product page below) If you would like to sell via AC ( no setup fee and no subscription, 2% commission on sales) email americymru@gmail,com now request setup. Further notifications prior to 'grand launch' coming soon!

BUY 'CHWARAE TEG' BY JOHN GOOD HERE!

Chwarae Teg/Fair Play - John Good/Sioni Dda | americymru.net

St Davids Day on AmeriCymru

2016-02-25T20:02:00.001-08:00

St Davids Day | americymru.net

Croeso / welcome to St David's Day on AmeriCymru! On this page you will find everything you need to celebrate the national day of Wales on March 1st. Events, dinner recipes, activities, Welsh e-cards and more. Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus -- Happy St David's Day! :)

Events | americymru.net

2016-02-07T16:53:00.001-08:00

Events | americymru.net

St David's Day in the USA and Around The World

Dylan Thomas 2015 - An Interview With Lance Burns

2015-02-22T16:02:00.001-08:00

Hill House Retreat, Llansteffan from Haikukacho on Vimeo.

AmeriCymru spoke to Lance Thomas Burns about the upcoming event 'Dylan Thomas 2015' at The Hill House Retreat, Llanstephan

AmeriCymru: Hi Lance and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. Please tell us about your upcoming event 'Dylan Thomas 2015'?

Lance: This retreat will take a personal approach to the life and work of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas through discussing our own individual interpretations of his poetry and short stories, and the feelings they evoke. We will also explore the connection between the written words and the spoken voice when interpreting Dylan’s poems.

There will be an opportunity to visit nearby sites connected to Dylan Thomas such as the village of Laugharne, where he lived the last years of his life, and the local Llansteffan pub, The Castle, which he frequented. You might try some reading aloud and writing as part of this retreat, and to prepare you in advance you will receive a compendium of Dylan’s poems and short stories.

The retreat takes place in the beautiful landscape of Carmarthenshire; there will be convivial dinners together but also free time to reflect individually. It’s about ‘You, Me and Dylan‘ and the land where some of Dylan Thomas’s greatest work was created.

We are very pleased to welcome the Swedish poet and Dylan Thomas authority, Klara Norling, to lead us through the ‘You, Me and Dylan‘ experience. In her own words :

“I read my first Dylan Thomas book aged 13 and so fell in love for the first time… ”
“I have a firm belief that every individual is a paradox… and that poetry can be found in everything… ”

VIEW THE FULL SCHEDULE HERE (PDF)

AmeriCymru: Hill House is located in Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire. What can you tell us about Llansteffan and the surrounding area?

Lance: Llansteffan is one of those rare but fast disappearing memorable Welsh villages. Once you’ve experienced the magical beauty of a sunset over the castle above the River Tywi, it becomes very difficult to imagine how on earth, you’d ever managed to miss such a priceless gem. But then Llansteffan has been described as Wales’ best kept secret, a sort of Never Never land known only to locals. Llansteffan, whilst still very Welsh in essence and character, is also very cosmopolitan in outlook, and a hub of social activities.

Llansteffan is renowned for its twelfth-century Norman castle, now a ruin but in a good state of preservation. Entrance to the castle is free, and free parking is available at the main beach car park. It is one of a number of well-preserved castles which can be visited in this part of Wales. The views from the castle are truly spectacular. Opposite the entrance to the driveway of Hill House is the medieval church of St Stephen, whose tower is visible from many windows of the house.

AmeriCymru: What can you tell us about Hill House itself? Care to describe the accommodation?

Lance: Hill House is a distinctive Victorian villa (1855) full of character and charm situated on a hillside overlooking the quaint village of Llansteffan in Carmarthenshire, West Wales. Hill House was built in 1855 as a ‘gentleman’s villa’ by Robert Parnall of Llansteffan, who made his fortune in the clothing trade in London. The beautiful situation and unique character of Hill House offers the visitor a memorable stay, where light, space, tranquility and natural beauty are a key part of the visitor’s experience.

Hill House is set amidst a peaceful and quiet location in a conservation area on the coast of West Wales and offers glorious beaches and woodland walks within easy walking distance of the house.

The accommodation at Hill House offers several options. There are two large suites with private shower rooms, kitchenettes, period fireplaces and bay windows inside the Victorian house. There is a quiet, modern apartment towards the back of the house with its own kitchen, shower room, second bedroom and a sitting room with a double sofabed. There is also the Lookout Suite which takes up the entire top floor, and the Ground Apartment on the ground floor.

So the accommodation consists of the Ground floor flat,Grand Suite(first floor), Bay Studio(second floor), Lookout Suite (top floor) and the Garden Apartment.

AmeriCymru: Care to describe your own relationship to the poet? What are your favourite works by Dylan?

Lance: My favourite book is "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog". I find his writing very accessible and love his unique imagery. Klara Norling, who is running the event introduced me to his work, so I am relative novice!

AmeriCymru: How can people contact you for further details?

Lance: I will attach a "flyer", but further details are available through the website at www.hillhouseretreats.co.uk ( view the flyer here )

My email is lanceburns2014@yahoo.co.uk

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the members and readers of AmeriCymru?

Lance: Just that, as this is the inaugural event, it would be brilliant to have Welsh expatriates to add colour to the group! We only have places for 8-10 guests so hopefully we will fill up and be able to run this event again.

Travelling so far, they might like to stay beforehand and/or after the actual event.

Llanstephan Castle

William Hazell's Gleaming Vision

2015-02-15T13:27:00.001-08:00

A CO-OPERATIVE LIFE IN SOUTH WALES 1890-1964

In his lifetime, William Hazell was a leading figure in the co-operative movement of South Wales, but since his death in 1964 he has been all but forgotten. In this book, Alun Burge has unearthed an authentic, but previously unknown, working-class voice of the South Wales valleys. This book charts the journeys of Hazell and the Ynysybwl co-operative movement through strikes, lockouts, personal tragedy, political turmoil, and two world wars. It is a unique and absorbing account of life in a South Wales village which also sheds a much-needed light on the forgotten history of the co-operative movement in Britain.

William Hazell is a key figure belatedly emerging from the history of the south Wales coalfield. His lifelong commitment to the co-operative movement was inspired by his vision of co-operation as a means of building a better future. He epitomised the deep and loyal relationship that developed between the people of the Valleys and their co-operative societies, and which became a central part of their way of life. A writer and a thinker, as well as a man of action, his powerful and articulate voice still resonates half a century later.

'....a most impressive, important and original historical work which reconstructs a culture in its fullest sense.' Neil Evans, Cardiff University

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alun Burge is a historian of the co-operative movement. He has worked with co-operatives since 1985 in a variety of national and international roles, including five years living in Nicaragua. After returning to Wales, he worked in the Welsh Government's Department of Social Justice.

BUY THE BOOK HERE

Ynysybwl in south Wales. Home of the co-operative movement.

Welsh Crime from Dave Lewis

2015-02-11T12:47:00.003-08:00

THIS POST HAS BEEN MOVED TO HTTPS://AMERICYMRU.NET

eto 2 Available From The Welsh American Bookstore

2014-08-20T18:04:00.004-07:00

BUY HERE eto 2 available now ( August 29th 2014 ) ONLY $6.00 ( £4.00 approx )

In This Edition

Fiction by: Lloyd Jones, Cynan Jones, Bel Roberts, Gaynor Madoc Leonard, Richard Rhys Jones, John Good, Meurig Jones, Philip Evans, Stuart Keir, Ian Denning, Lesley Coburn, Sheila Lewis, Paul Worthington and Matthew Rhys.

Poems by: Robert Nisbet, Julie Samways

The second issue of eto, an anthology of fiction and verse by Welsh and Welsh American authors is now available for purchase. This edition includes contributions from established authors and newcomers making their print debut.

There is a particular emphasis on fresh talent from the Rhondda valley in south Wales with stories and poems by five new writers from the region. The edition available from this page is the direct digital edition and will download to your computer in .pdf format.

BUY ETO 2 HERE

A FEW SELECTED EXCERPTS

From The Left Eye by Richard Rhys Jones

There was something to be said about having a granddad who owned a thriving pub. A considerable amount of admiration was to be gained by the fact the senior member of your family was also a local celebrity; and Granddad Owen really lived up to his reputation.

Six foot tall and built like a bull, in his youth Philip Owen used to tour the boxing booths of north Wales for pocket money, and was renowned for his fierce right hook and anvil-like chin. A veteran of Flanders and ex army heavyweight champion, the sturdy sixty two year old still held a lot of sway in the town, and it was this very influence that brought everyone to his pub.

“The Moon Inn” was smaller than its direct competitor over the road, “The White Lion”, but packed to the gills every weekend with Owen’s cronies, as his daughter, Maud used to call them. The, “cronies” were the friends from his youth; men who’d shared the wild times with Owen, and still lived in the town of Penarfon. Now in their late fifties, early sixties, they were a loud, boozy bunch who had ruled the town since they could work. They’d earned their wages and made their muscle in the quarry that provided the main source of income for the town besides tourists, so the “Moon” was their domain, and woe betides any callow youth who tried playing the big man in Owen’s pub.

From Hydrophobia by Bel Roberts

The Marco Polo reached Manaus, capital of the Amazonas state, a thousand miles from the sea. We witnessed ‘the meeting of the waters’ (two rivers, one greycoloured and the other yellow, which maintain their separate identities even when they join), then we sailed back in glorious sunshine via Ile du Diable, or Devil’s Island, (I can’t understand why anyone would want to escape from there) calling at Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua, St Lucia and Barbados. We left the West Indies (full of dope-frenzied, quarrelsome natives) knowing that we faced five unbroken days at sea, before calling briefly into Horta in the Azores, Portugal and finally berthing at Tilbury (full of dope-frenzied, quarrelsome natives). On the four-hour car journey back to Wales, it rained solidly, by that I mean liquidly, and continued to rain for the rest of the subsequent summer and autumn. I had no grounds for complaint – in fact, I had no grounds ̶ all washed away by floods. Hurrah! No digging and weeding next year. Perhaps the tide was turning in my favour.

From Chariots Of Fire: Taxi Edition by Philip Evans

The distant sounds of speeding cars practising their hand-brake turns took on a new meaning as a single headlamp flicked on and the sound of an approaching engine suddenly startled the former athlete. The former- boy racer was staring down the headlight of another boy racer as it approached at lightening speed. Like a Jack Rabbit he froze as the Close Encounter with the speeding light seemed imminent. He could make out the shape of a Canary Wharf Yellow second-hand London Taxi rapidly approaching. Instinctively, he leapt some six feet in the air just before impact with the vehicle. The cab roof passed some three inches below the air-borne Jackson , luckily missing him narrowly. However, the CB antennae stung him hard even through his protective Lycra Designer suit.

A Message From Mike Brooks Of Here Be Dragons

2014-07-29T14:50:00.001-07:00

Remember us? I know it's been a while but I have some band news and a free mp3.

We finally finished recording the new album "The Year Of The Dragon" and it's currently being mixed by Luke Jones here in Cardiff. We'll be taking orders soon on our Website. For those of you who can't wait to add to your HBD album collection we decided to release our original cassette "Gargling With Brains" onto CD for the first time. Of course we've added some expected bonus tracks that weren't on the original release. Songs from the vaults recorded about the same time (Early 1990s). You can buy this (and other albums) on our Website on the band shop page

http://www.kattpie.com/HereBeDragonsShop.html

We're back to Italy this week to play at Castlefolk festival in Castellano (TN). 21.00 1/8/14

https://www.facebook.com/events/248565321934028/

See you there?

Maybe you don't live near that part of Italy. Don't worry we'll be announcing more gigs soon. November we'll be playing in Cardiff and in France (Normandy). I'll let you know more about that very soon.

The free mp3 with this mail is a live recording from earlier this year in Pordenone, Northern Italy. The song is "I Hate Love" from the forthcoming "The Year Of The Dragon". We hope you like it! To get it follow this link:-

http://www.kattpie.com/DSCdownloadJul14

Oh please go to our Facebook page and "like" us if you do that kind of thing.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Here-Be-Dragons/15550991191?ref_type=bookmark

I'm happy to receive friend requests too if you want to know what I'm up to.

See you soon I hope,

Mike

NAFOW 2014 - An Interview With John Good of Tramor

2014-07-11T13:25:00.000-07:00

Tramor will be appearing at this years NAFOW festival in Minneapolis!

"Opening Concert ~ Tramor [Overseas] ~ John Good is a multi-instrumentalist, Welsh piper, singer, songwriter, poet and storyteller. His ensemble of Billy Parker and John Piggott add mandolin and harp to bring the flavor of tradional Welsh music to the contemporary stage.."

READ MORE HERE

AmeriCymru: Hi John and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. What can you tell us about your forthcoming performance at NAFOW 2014? What will the lineup be?

John: Tramor (Overseas) - with the snazzy byword of The Welsh-American Acoustic Project - can vary somewhat in lineup according to the focus, demographics, location, date and budget of the appearance. Harper John Piggott and yours truly are always on stage, but on this occasion, being something of a need-to-rock-and-reel-their-socks-off kind of night, guest Mandolin/string virtuoso Billy Parker will be with us, as he was for our recent album. Billy swells the ranks for the festival and major concert venues and - believe me - lights up all sentient beings within earshot. So … you will hear various dastardly combinations of harp[s], harmonica, laughter, Welsh Pipes, tears, guitar, voices (spoken and sung), wooden/silver flute[s], claves, bones and egg shaker, mandolin, penny whistles, sopranino recorder, octave mando and pibgorn. There will be songs, instrumentals and true and not quite so true stories, some ancient, some modern in Welsh and in English, hailing from Scotland, USA, Ireland, and of course predominantly Cymru. NAFOW is a yearly gathering of the tribes that has all kinds of Welsh activities, with Tramor headlining the Thursday night folk concert. ‘Na fe/There you go! http://www.nafow.org/index.html

AmeriCymru: Any sneak previews of the evening's repertoire?

John: Mp3?

AmeriCymru: You have recently started re-mastering your last album 'Chwarae Teg'. What can you tell us about this and about the album generally?

John: As an experiment, I recorded the pilot album in my home studio. Then I took it for mix/mastering to the masterful Kyle Harris http://www.playrrecording.com/about.html.

Kyle votes on the Grammies, is a seminal and exquisite engineer / producer of acoustic/traditional-esque music. He said he would take on the job after listening to my efforts, but being a wily perfectionist, made me an offer I couldn’t refuse: For a fee I am embarrassed to quote, he offered to re-record the whole album, live in the studio (minimal overdubs). He has been a stalwart supporter of my endeavors since Hywel Dda (no relation!) was a boy, and I must say, this was the most enjoyable and productive session ever for the band and myself. Yes, there were some very long days, occasional gnashing of teeth and desire for strong alcoholic drink to replace lost hope, but in the end we got what we wanted: A live-sounding, accurate, professional and enjoyable recording that represents the range, dynamic and eclectic ability of the band and, most important of all, something I feel will be listen to and enjoyed for many days to come as well as something we are and will remain proud of. So in fact it is a completely new and better album, and to be fair, we will swap this one for any of the old ones previously bought … if you found or stole a copy of the old CD, we’ll replace it for half price plus a bonus bonclust / clip on the ear. Can’t be fairer than that … Chwarae teg/Fair play.

AmeriCymru: Where can readers go to hear your music online and/or purchase 'Chwarae Teg'?

John: The track attached to this article is from the album and I’ll have further samples up on our web site very shortly. http://tramormusic.com/index.html

It’ll be available at gigs, and as soon as the final mastering and printing is finished (within a month) on our web site and other sites to be announced. If you get stuck and can’t find it write to me at potelobop@hotmail.com

(Maybe AmeriCymru could make it available in the shop for members and browsers … hint, hint.)

AmeriCymru: You will be in Minneapolis for the whole event. What for you are some of the other highlights on the program? Is there anything you are particularly looking forward to?

John: The event has concerts (Only Men Aloud!), seminars, celebrities (Elinor Bennett, Dafydd Wigley, Sioni Dda %$*& …), a pub night, language classes ac ati … but the highlight to me is being in the company of other Taffies (Taffs/Taffys?) and hearing perhaps a thousand people sing in harmony along with our band and in the Cymanfa Ganu. I grew up with choirs, eisteddfodau, sheep and of course friendly little Welsh people. It’ll be like going home …sob sob.

AmeriCymru: I know that the Welsh language is a passion for you. Care to tell us a little about your Welsh language classes?

John: I taught myself Y Gymraeg/Welsh after reaching the homesick-of-a-sudden age of forty, so, in the unlikely event they let me into heaven, I can speak to my grandmother in the language of her childhood. I’ve already accomplished one goal which was to almost exclusively converse - on the phone and in person - with my mother in her natural language over the last ten years of her life. This has instilled a passion in me to pass on the delight of understanding, reading and speaking the language of my heritage to other like-passioned people. As a teacher/learner of 15 or more years, I worked and still work hard to make up for lost time as a monoglot English speaker and am now able to understand the sometimes very basic but elusive problems encountered by reasonably adult learners, that teachers who knew Welsh from the cradle sometimes understandably miss. It’s not a hard language to learn if you appreciate its logical beauty, and beauty and logic are there in abundance. In our classes we use stories, poems, songs, grammar, newspaper articles, YouTube, conversation …so that not only the syntax etc but the context of Welsh can be appreciated and retained. AmeriCymraeg, as you know is affiliated with AmeriCymru and is an inexpensive, on-line affair bringing real-time rewards to those willing to try.

http://americymru.net/online-welsh-class-americymraeg

AmeriCymru: What's next for John Good and Tramor?

John: It must be time for a pasty and pint by now.

But seriously, The Festival of Wales is my/our focus. We are hoping to bring a couple of smiles to perhaps world-weary faces; tell a couple of entertaining lies; make people feel part of a larger, totally inclusive Welsh-American community; also, in general, play a few gigs (Celtic Harvest Festival, Sedona, Sept. 20th; Tucson Celtic Fest. Nov 1st), sell a few CD’s and enjoy ourselves with others enjoying each other and us. (Or should that be us enjoying each other with others enjoying themselves? Mae pen tost ‘da fi nawr/I have a headache now.)

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the attendees of NAVOW 2014?

John: Get the word out! Y Cymry sy’n dod/The Welsh are coming!!

Wales Lacrosse Denver, Colorado 2014 - An Interview With Coach Dan Funnell

2014-07-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

OK... so the US is out of the World Cup and Wales didn't make it this time around BUT there is another international sporting event coming up soon in which Wales will most definitely be represented. The Welsh Lacrosse team landed in the USA on Wednesday for the 2014 World Lacrosse Championships in Denver Colorado.

We sincerely hope that AmeriCymru members in or near Denver will turn out to support the team details here . If you dont live in Colorado you can watch Wales play live on ESPN. Their first televised match is against New Zealand on July 13th schedule here AmeriCymru spoke to team coach, Dan Funnell about this years competition and the squad which will fly the flag for Wales.

AmeriCymru: Can you tell us something about the history of the team? How did there come to be a Welsh lacrosse team and how did you become involved with it?

Dan: Lacrosse has been played in Wales since the early 1900s and has grown steadily until the last decade when development has accelerated. The first national side was selected in 1992 and our first full international was a defeat to Scotland – but the game has been played in Wales since the early 1900s.

I have had the fortune to have been part of all levels for Wales as a player since 1999, and as a coach at U19 and senior level and I was proud to captain Wales from 2003 to 2008. I was appointed Head Coach in 2012

 AmeriCymru: For people who are new to lacrosse, can you tell us a little about the game and the World Lacrosse Championship?

Dan: The game was originated by native North American Indians who called it baggataway and used it as a test of manhood and to settle tribal disputes. It was christened lacrosse by French missionaries who thought the stick looked like a bishop’s crosier. The game is still fast and furious but rules have been established with teams of ten, with rolling substitutions, playing each other. The aim is to score in a 6ft by 6ft goal by passing a hard rubber ball between players’ sticks and shooting. Opponents can hit – called a check – your stick to dislodge the ball and competition for loose balls is intense. You can play behind the goal and its format resembles hockey a lot.

AmeriCymru: Who are the members of your team and what kind of players are they?

Dan: We have picked a 23-man squad who age from 18 to 36-years-old and they are all either employed or students. Each one has had to train in their spare time and fund their own travel and accommodation in Denver while taking holiday from their jobs. The sport is totally amateur in Wales and the UK. Some of our players have played at other World and European Championships but for several this will be a totally new experience. Our co-captains are attacker Paul Simpson, Steve McDermott, a midfielder, and Jason Jones, a defender, who have all played in previous World Championships. But watch out for midfielders Rhodri Stanford, whose younger sister Non is World Triathlon Champion, and Dave Howie.

AmeriCymru: The Welsh team is in the Plum division, which also includes Argentina, New Zealand and Russia. What do the divisions mean and how are teams assigned to them?

Dan: Teams are seeded in different groups according to their performances at earlier tournaments. Up until 2006, only ten nations took part but now the field has grown to 38 in Denver with teams from all over the globe – including the first from Africa – taking part. The winner country will come from the top division and the predicted final is the holders USA facing off against Canada.

 
AmeriCymru: What can you tell us about the other teams in the Plum Division? Has Wales played any of them before?

Dan: The explosion of world lacrosse makes it difficult to predict what we will be up against. Russia is making their first appearance at the World Championships. We beat Argentina 20-3 at the 2010 Worlds and played New Zealand in warm up match in 2006. But we expect that all nations will have recruited heavily from US colleges so their rosters could be way more powerful than ever.

 
AmeriCymru: What date(s) will Wales play and which team will be their first opponent?

Dan: Our first game will be against Russia at Field 3 at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Park at 9.30 a.m. on Friday, July 11. We then play Argentina on Field 8 at 11.30 on Saturday 12 and finish the Group games on Sunday, July 13, against New Zealand on Field 10 at 8 am.

AmeriCymru: The US cable sports network ESPN will be broadcasting 60 games in the world championship this year, will we be able to see Wales play?

Dan: We welcome support to all of our games and it would be great to meet the fans after the game. Our game v New Zealand will be televised by ESPN.

 AmeriCymru: Can you tell us something about what you're doing to get your team ready for the world championship games? What do you think your team's greatest strengths and weaknesses are?

Dan: We have been training regularly as a squad and most of them play against each other regularly in the same leagues so that bond will be vital to us. We have a great team spirit, a huge pride in wearing a Wales shirt and there’s a bit of a Dragon in us. We will come up against some fantastic players and teams but we have worked hard to reach a peak of fitness and performance.

AmeriCymru: How confident are your players and are they looking forward to competing in this year's championships?

Dan: There is a great excitement and determination about the squad and it will be something that will live with us for many years to come. Lacrosse is a very competitive game on the field but has a huge community spirit off it so it will be fantastic to meet players from around the world. We also know we will get a brilliant welcome in Denver and are really looking forward to the tournament.

AmeriCymru: We'll all be wildly cheering you on - any final message for members and readers of AmeriCymru?

Dan: Support the Dragons – Y Dreigiau Coch – we do need support and sponsorship to develop lacrosse in Wales.

It has been brilliant and inspiring to connect with AmeriCymru and it gives us huge encouragement. We would love people to come down to the games to support us and then have the opportunity to meet them. And anyone wishing us well from afar will still give us a boost.

If you can’t get to Denver, follow us at on Twitter at #FollowTheDragons and the website is www.waleslacrosse.com

Y Ddraig ar Eryr / The Dragon and the Eagle - An Interview With Colin Thomas

2014-07-03T14:34:00.001-07:00

Colin Thomas will be appearing at this years NAFOW festival in Minneapolis!

"Putting Welsh History on Television ~ presented by Colin Thomas
The producer/director of the U.K. Channel 4 series The Dragon has Two Tongues, will cover the whole of Welsh history and he will compare the approach of that series – thirteen confrontations between a pair of historians with totally different attitudes to the past – with that of the BBC’s more consensual approach in its series The Story of Wales. Sponsored by Cronfa Ddigidol Sianel Pedwar Cymru/S4C Digital Media Ltd and Llywodraeth Cymru/The Welsh Government, The Bait Studio, Cambria."

READ MORE HERE

Colin Thomas

AmeriCymru: Hi Colin and many thanks for agreeing to this interview. You will be giving a presentation at this year's NAFOW in Minneapolis. Is this your first visit to the States? What is the subject of your talk?

Colin: No, this is not my first visit - I have filmed in the U.S.A. previously (for "Rebels and Redcoats" on the American War of Independence" and for "Escaping from Liberty" with Jan Morris) and also socially (once for my son's wedding to a delightful daughter-in-law from Pittsburgh). My two talks will be on "Putting Welsh history on television" and on "Making 'The Dragon and the Eagle/Y Ddraig a'r Eryr' ".

AmeriCymru: What can you tell us about the theme and content of Y Ddraig a’r Eryr/The Dragon and the Eagle ?

Colin: "The Dragon and the Eagle/Y Ddraig a'r Eryr" aims to tell the story of Welsh emigration to America by means of an enhanced ebook, accessible through a tablet like an iPad or Kindle Fire. Welsh migrants had to grapple with the problem encountered by migrants everywhere - how do you become a good citizen of your new country whilst also aiming to hold on to your values, your traditions and your language.

AmeriCymru: What can you tell us about the interactive format of the book?

Colin: The interactive format makes it possible to convey information by text, videos (one for each chapter narrated by Cerys Matthews) and interactive graphics - a tap on the screen will, for instance enable the reader/viewer to trace out the routes of those Welsh-American pioneers Morgan John Rhys and John Evans. The project, now being completed at The Bait Studio in Cardiff, will be available in both Welsh and English.

AmeriCymru: You directed and produced the landmark Welsh history TV series "The Dragon Has Two Tongues: A History of the Welsh". Care to tell us a little about that experience?

Colin: "The Dragon has Two Tongues" series set out to tell the story of the history of Wales but aimed to challenge the notion that there is THE truth about the past and to make it clear that the same facts can be interpreted in different ways.

AmeriCymru: What was it like working with Wynford Vaughan-Thomas and Gwyn A. Williams?

Colin: Because Wynford Vaughan Thomas and Professor Gwyn Alf Williams often profoundly disagreed, there were sometimes real tensions during filming. But both respected each other and at the end of the series Gwyn gave Wynford a copy of his book "When Was Wales?" and wrote in it "To my beloved enemy".

AmeriCymru: Their opposing views revolve around the notions of cataclysm and/or continuity in Welsh history as a defining force. How were you affected by the debate?

Colin: We backed up the series with discussion groups and document packs containing primary sources so that viewers could make up their own minds; cataclysm, continuity - or neither option. Working on the series made me realize that, despite growing up in Wales, how little I knew about Welsh history and how important it is to understand the past that shapes our present.

AmeriCymru: What's next for Colin Thomas?

Colin: If this project works out well, I aim to make another enhanced ebook on the history of documentary film making.

AmeriCymru: Any final message for NAFOW attendees and AmeriCymru members?

Colin: It would be surprising if there are no errors and omissions in "The Dragon and the Eagle/Y Ddraig a'r Eryr" and I hope that members of NAFOW and AmeriCymru will help me to put them right and in that process to continue the important debate on the history of the Welsh in America.

Bryn Seion Welsh Church, Beavercreek, Oregon - 79th Annual Gymanfa Ganu

2014-06-27T20:02:00.000-07:00

More than 200 people attended last Sunday's Gymanfa Ganu at Bryn Seion Welsh Church in Beavercreek, Oregon. People came from Northern California, Seattle and as far away as New York to enjoy the annual event now in its 79th year.

The Oregon Welsh Festival Chorus perform at the 79th Bryn Seion Gymanfa Ganu

For those who do not know, undoubtedly a small minority of our readership, a Gymanfa Ganu is:- "a Welsh festival of sacred hymns, sung with four part harmony by a congregation, usually under the direction of a choral director" .

Bryn Seion Welsh Church, Beavercreek, Oregon

Bryn Seion's Gymanfa Ganu is always held on the fourth Sunday in June. The first session begins at 1.45 pm followed by a te bach, or small tea, at Beavercreek Grange. Then back to the church for the evening session at 6:00 pm. Singing is in English and Welsh - no experience required.

Janet Figini prepares refreshments for the te bach at Beavercreek Grange

This years Gymanfa Choral Director was Eryl Aynsley who was born in Denbigh, north Wales in the beautiful Vale of Clwyd. She has been active in Welsh music and culture all her life and is a native Welsh speaker and singer. Eryl is the Cultural Director of the Welsh-American Society of Northern California. In August 2013, she was Leader of Wales International at the National Eisteddfod of Wales and she had been looking forward to her trip to Oregon.

Eryl, who has lived in California for 32 years, spoke to AmeriCymru during the afternoon te bach. When asked for her impression of the event and its importance for Welsh culture she replied, "Fabulous singing! I was greatly impressed with both the enthusiasm and the Welsh pronunciation. The Gymanfa Ganu is very important. We cannot afford to lose this body of hymns. Please everybody do whatever you can to keep this language, music and culture alive."

In addition to the regular program Gymanfa goers were treated to a guest appearance from the Oregon Welsh Festival Chorus at this years event. The OWFC, which recently welcomed its new Musical Director, Dr. Jamie Webster, performed during the Gymanfa itself and also entertained the crowds during the afternoon te bach at Beavercreek Grange.

The Oregon Welsh Festival Chorus entertain Gymanfa goers at the afternoon te bach

The Origins of Bryn Seion Welsh Church (From the event flyer)

The Welsh had been among the first to come to the New World and had already settled many areas for 200 years. In the 1840's an increasing number of Welshmen emigrated to America in search of opportunity and affordable farmland. In Beavercreek, the settlers were reminded of their home back in Wales and called for family and friends to join them.

The Welsh families longed for a church where they could come together to worship and sing with family and neighbours.

In June 1884 this dream became a reality as Bryn Seion (Mt. Zion) church. First listed as "The Welsh Evangelical Congregational Church", Bryn Seion is now non-denominational. Church members come from a variety of backgrounds and most travel miles to attend. They share a bond of Welsh ancestry, the language, love of singing and the tranquil setting.

At one time there were many Welsh churches across North America but now only a few remain. Bryn Seion is the last Welsh church on the West Coast and has kept an unbroken tradition for 150 years.

Geri Baker-Parry and Bette run the Welsh Gift Shop at the Gymanfa Ganu

Mara Freeman - The Spirit of Wales - Land of Myth & Magic

2013-12-16T12:30:00.000-08:00

Mara Freeman has been a leading teacher of Celtic spirituality for over twenty years. She is an initiate of the Western Mystery Tradition, an Archdruidess of the Irish Druid Clan of Dana and Honored Bard with the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids.

AmeriCymru spoke to Mara about her new book Grail Alchemy: Initiation in the Celtic Mystery Tradition and the upcoming 2014 Celtic Spirit Journey Tour of Wales.

READ OUR 2011 INTERVIEW WITH MARA HERE MARA FREEMAN ON THE AMERICYMRU BOOKSTORE

AmeriCymru: Hi Mara. We last spoke in 2011 about your unique tour of Wales in June of that year. There is another tour coming up in July of 2014. Care to tell us more about it?

Mara: Well, since then we've added more wonderful historical places and sacred sites to visit both in North and South Wales. Dinas Emrys is a real favourite every year: Bard and storyteller Eric Maddern comes along to guide us to the top of the hill where the famous story of Merlin took place. Eric declaiming Merlin's prophecies on the summit is not to be missed! We also have obtained special permission to enter into the chambered mound known as Barcloddiad y Gawres (The Giantess's Apronful) on Anglesey, which is full of the most beautiful and unique prehistoric rock art.

AmeriCymru: What is the itinerary and what can patrons expect to see and experience on their journey?

Mara: As you know, despite its small size Wales has tremendous variety in its scenery. We make a circular tour of Wales, with five days in the south and five days in the north. En route, we spend time at castles, megaliths, cathedrals, abbeys, holy wells, sacred groves, and some of the most attractive market towns and villages. One of our perennial favourites is Penmon Priory, with its Celtic crosses, sheela-na-gig, and beautiful holy well. An exhilarating walk to Carreg Cennen castle perched on its high crag in the Brecon Beacon hills is a real adventure; then there's the haunting beauty of Tintern Abbey in the Wye valley, the stone circles of the Preseli Hills, and the lakes of Snowdonia – to name but a few of our destinations.

AmeriCymru: Where can our readers go for more information about the tour?

Mara: You can find out all about it at The Spirit of Wales - Land of Myth & Magic

AmeriCymru: You have a new book coming out next year. Care to tell us more about Grail Alchemy: Initiation in the Celtic Mystery Tradition

Mara: Well, the book traces the Grail legend from its beginnings in Welsh myth and poetry through to its later incarnation as the Cup of Christ, and shows why this story has such a deep resonance within the Western psyche. It also includes a practical workbook of exercises designed to give spiritually transformative experiences with the Cauldron of Rebirth, the Chalice of Healing, the Sword of Light, and the Holy Grail itself.

AmeriCymru: What's next for Mara Freeman?

Mara: This year I was asked to create the text for a wall calendar of Celtic Sacred Sites for Amber Lotus publishing company, and apparently it's proving very popular. So I'm now working on one for 2015. There are quite a few sacred sites of Wales in this series. You can see this year's at: Sacred Celtic Sites - 2014 Wall Calendar

AmeriCymru: Any final message for the readers and members of AmeriCymru?

Mara: I hope more and more people of Welsh heritage will come and visit Wales – it's still so much more uncrowded and unspoilt compared to the more well-known places of Britain every year which are getting over-run with hordes of tourists. And you know what? The food is really great these days! So many artisan cheese and bread makers have revived traditional Welsh skills; there's more and more organic produce for sale in markets and farm shops; not to mention the finest Welsh lamb and black beef for carnivores! Plus there's a very high standard of hotels and guesthouses to stay in – so hope to see more of you over here in future!

West Coast Eisteddfod 2015 Online Poetry & Short Story Competitions

2013-12-11T17:55:00.001-08:00

ENTER STORY COMP HERE ENTER POETRY COMP HERE

Croeso/welcome to the 2015 West Coast Eisteddfod online poetry and short story competitions. The competitions began in 2009 as an online complement to our live event, the West Coast Eisteddfod, first held in Portland that year. The competition pages are linked below together with our 'Hall of Fame' winners page.
.

The WCE competitions are free to enter and ( although it helps ) you need not be a member of AmeriCymru to participate. Nor do your submissions have to reference Wales in any way , shape or form. For a fuller explanation of the rules please read the post below and click through to the submission guidelines pages for poetry and short stories

Pob lwc/best of luck to all of our 2015 competitors.

WEST COAST EISTEDDFOD ONLINE POETRY COMPETITION

We are pleased to announce that the winner of the West Coast Eisteddfod Poetry Competition ( English language category ) will be featured in the prestigious international poetry magazine - "The Seventh Quarry" Peter Thabit Jones, the editor of the magazine which is based in Swansea, will feature the winning submission together with an appreciation and a picture of the author. The winner will also receive a free annual subscription to the magazine for one year plus the cash prize of $200 ( 130 GBP approx ). You may submit your entries in Welsh or English. The language categories will be judged separately and there will be a prize for each. Accompanying graphics are not permitted. There is a 200 dollars (approx 130GBP ) prize for the winners in each category. Final submission date is Nov 30th 2015.

All poetic styles and conventions are welcome ( limericks, however, will not be considered for a prize ) There is no upper or lower word limit. Entries need not reference Wales in any way , shape or form. You may submit up to five entries in each category and work which has appeared elsewhere is acceptable provided you have not surrendered your copyright.

The winner and his/her work will be featured on this site on what we hope will be a heavily trafficked page.

UPDATE 04/11/15

Peter Thabit Jones ( editor, Seventh Quarry Magazine and WCE Poetry Competition judge ) will feature the winning submission together with 12 pages of poems by the winning author (which would include a photo and a bio) in the Winter/Spring 2016 issue of The Seventh Quarry magazine, due February 2016. The winner will also receive a free annual subscription to the magazine for one year plus the cash prize of $200/130 GBP approx.

This is a great opportunity to win international exposure. We must stress that the winner will be chosen from amongst the entrants to the WCE Online Poetry Competition and that contestants are NOT required to submit ten poems. The winner will be invited to submit ten poems for inclusion in the chapbook once the adjudication has taken place.

WEST COAST EISTEDDFOD ONLINE SHORT STORY COMPETITION

The short story competition starts today. The theme of your story need not reference Wales in any way. You may submit your entry in either Welsh or English. Basically you will need to write a short story between 1000 and 3000 words in length and submit it in accordance with the rules for site members or non-site members outlined below. Accompanying graphics ARE permitted but your entry will be judged solely on its literary merit. There is a US 200 dollars (approximately 130GBP ) prize for the winner. The final submission date is Nov 30th 2015 . You may submit up to four entries.

We are immensely proud and pleased to announce that in 2015, author Mike Jenkins will judge the entries in the West Coast Eisteddfod Online Short Story competition. Poet, story writer and novelist. Mike is a former teacher at Comprehensive school level for nearly 30 years and is now a fulltime writer and is available for readings and workshops at any time. Mike has lived in Merthyr for over 30 years and was winner of an Eric Gregory Award in 1979 and the Welsh Arts Council Young Writer’s Prize in 1984. Mike also won the John Tripp Award for Spoken Poetry and the 1998 Wales Book of the Year (English section) for Wanting To Belong (Seren, 2000), a book of interlinked stories for teenagers. He was a runner-up in Academi's 2009 Rhys Davies Short Story Competition.

He is a former editor of Poetry Wales and has co–edited Red Poets magazine for many years. His latest novella The Fugitive Three centres on three young people in a South Wales Valley’s estate whose stories intertwine and who, despite the odds, refuse to live lives of quiet desperation. It is fast-paced and written in a tight dialect in the third person narrative. Mike is a Fellow of Academi. Read his poem for Glyn Jones here.

Mike and painter Michael Gustavius Payne have recently been successful in an application to the Arts Council of Wales to tour a body of work across Wales in 2011 and 2012. The exhibition, currently being developed, will be titled 'Dim Gobaith Caneri', meaning “no hope like a canary” exploring ideas inspired by traditional Welsh idioms and phrases. Mike's latest book Barkin is a collection of poems and short stories published by Carreg Gwalch.'

UPDATE 04/11/15

Today we are proud and pleased to announce that in future, in addition to the $200 cash , all WCE Short Story Competition winners will be featured in the following years’ edition of eto.

Eto 2 is now available on Kindle ( click here to buy eto 2 ). The second issue features a short story called ‘Chiaroscuro’ by Gaynor Madoc Leonard. Gaynor’s story won first prize in the 2013 West Coast Eisteddfod Short Story Competition

This is an exciting opportunity for aspiring short story writers to achieve recognition and publication and we would like to repeat that there are NO registration fees.

The winner and his/her work will also be featured on this site on what we hope will be a heavily trafficked page.

Oes i Oes - An Interview With Nial Cain And Cass Meurig

2013-04-22T16:23:00.001-07:00

Welsh tunes and songs, old and new. Wistful and intricate to gritty and driving acoustic folk/baroque by two of Wales’s foremost traditional musicians.

Alawon a chaneuon Cymraeg, hen a newydd. Hiraethus a chymhleth i bras a gyrru - gwerin acwstig / baróc gan ddau o brif gerddorion traddodiadol.

AmeriCymru interviewed Nial and Cass about the album and their past and future musical projects. Please read on below.

Buy Oes i Oes here

Americymru: Hi Nial and Cass and many thanks for agreeing to be interviewed by AmeriCymru. Please tell us more about your new album 'Oes i Oes'?

Nial – Thanks for asking us! Oes i Oes was originally going to be an album with a children’s focus – we were both inspired by the David Grisman and Jerry Garcia album “Not just for Kids” (I’m sure some readers will be familiar with this recording, and if not, I unreservedly recommend it!) This was the idea of a grown up album using material that was originally children’s. And that still might appeal to kids. So some of the songs are children’s songs or hwiangerddi – lullabies, nursery rhymes, and some other lyrics are semi nonsense and are from penillion, which is a traditional body of verses sung either to any tune that would fit, or used for Cerdd Dant. Some I remember singing at school. And though at pains to retain the traditional feel, we’ve sometimes been quite cavalier in our treatment, putting lyrics to different melodies and vice versa and even writing new music or lyrics if we thought it would be successful. It progressed from the original concept to some extent, but hopefully still retains a sense of the childlike.

Croeso/Welcome To The Welsh American Bookstore

2013-04-17T14:03:00.001-07:00

For some time now we have been striving to provide a useful bookstore for our members and readers. Our earlier efforts were built around an Amazon astore and subsequently an Amazon astore embedded on the AmeriCymru site in a series of linked pages. Neither of these alternatives were satisfactory so we decided to upgrade.

Croeso/welcome to Bookstore 3.0! ( Click Here )

First, the new bookstore allows us to include books from sources other than Amazon. Whenever possible, we will advertise direct links to publishers in Wales and to Welsh booksellers and do whatever we can to stimulate interest in, and purchases of, their titles. Pennies we make from affiliate fees go toward maintenance of the AmeriCymru network AND subsidizing our efforts to bring Welsh authors and artists to events like the Wordstock ( and possibly other ) literary festivals in the US.

NEW FEATURES ON THE WELSH AMERICAN BOOKSTORE

Now fully searchable! You can search for any item in the store from any and every page on the site.

Now fully browseable! The dropdown list on the top navbar ( under Welsh American Bookstore ) gives access to every category page on the site. We will be expanding the category and book listings on a regular basis.

Suggestions! If you would like to see something included in our listings please use the 'Suggest Book' button on the category pages ( for an example see this page :- Welsh American Bookstore Drama. We are always open to suggestions particularly from authors and will add any relevant titles as soon as we can.

Reviews! Read a book by a Welsh or Welsh American author recently? Want to sing its praises? Feel free to use our review feature. You will find the 'Add Review' button at the bottom of every book listing page ( for an example see this page:- Under Milk Wood

News! Reviews! Interviews! Guest Articles and more. If you have a title you want to promote on the store send us a press release for the news section or send us a review copy. Better still we are always happy to feature interviews and guest articles by contributing authors. Email americymru@gmail.com or use the contact form on the site for more details.

Music! The bookstore will also offer music listings and we will be looking for suggestions to vastly increase our range of products in the coming months. We are also interested in promoting Welsh musicians and performers by means of interviews, reviews etc on the store.

More stuff! We will be looking at introducing more product lines ( gifts etc ) and dedicated online stores for niche marketers in the coming months. Please check our news page for regular announcements.

Above all we urge you to remember that this site has not been created for the purpose of personal enrichment. Any minimal profits made will be plowed back into activities designed to promote Wales and Welsh artists in the US. If you are a shopper please remember us when you decide to buy. If you are a Welsh author,artist or musician please contact us to see if we can help.

AmeriCymru

St Davids Day Book Sale | americymru.net

Welsh Literature | americymru.net

Interview Welsh Crime Writer Cathy Ace | americymru.net

Wales March On Euro 2016 | americymru.net

Music From Wales Welsh Music | americymru.net

Wales Euro 2016 The Dream Continues | americymru.net

Top Fifty Youtube Music Videos | americymru.net

Skirrid Mountain Inn by C.M. Saunders

BUY ETO 1&2 (25% OFF)!

Chwarae Teg/Fair Play - John Good/Sioni Dda | americymru.net

St Davids Day on AmeriCymru

Events | americymru.net

Dylan Thomas 2015 - An Interview With Lance Burns

William Hazell's Gleaming Vision

Welsh Crime from Dave Lewis

eto 2 Available From The Welsh American Bookstore

A Message From Mike Brooks Of Here Be Dragons

NAFOW 2014 - An Interview With John Good of Tramor

Wales Lacrosse Denver, Colorado 2014 - An Interview With Coach Dan Funnell

Y Ddraig ar Eryr / The Dragon and the Eagle - An Interview With Colin Thomas

Bryn Seion Welsh Church, Beavercreek, Oregon - 79th Annual Gymanfa Ganu

More than 200 people attended last Sunday's Gymanfa Ganu at Bryn Seion Welsh Church in Beavercreek, Oregon. People came from Northern California, Seattle and as far away as New York to enjoy the annual event now in its 79th year.

Mara Freeman - The Spirit of Wales - Land of Myth & Magic

West Coast Eisteddfod 2015 Online Poetry & Short Story Competitions

ENTER STORY COMP HERE ENTER POETRY COMP HERE

WEST COAST EISTEDDFOD ONLINE POETRY COMPETITION

WEST COAST EISTEDDFOD ONLINE SHORT STORY COMPETITION

Oes i Oes - An Interview With Nial Cain And Cass Meurig

Croeso/Welcome To The Welsh American Bookstore