X-Nico

unusual facts about Welsh-language literature



1896–97 Thames Ironworks F.C. season

"The Irons" had not yet played London Welsh and as a result, and probably thanks also to Arnold Hills' presidency of the league and Francis Payne's drafting of the rules, Thames Ironworks F.C. were awarded two wins by default and finished the revised league as runners up.

1927 in association football

The goal was scored by Hughie Ferguson who was played by Gary Dobbs in the 2007 Welsh TV recreation of the famous match.

A456 road

From the Welsh Gate of Bewdley to Newnham Bridge, it was managed by the Bewdley Trust established in 1753.

Ain't Love Crazy

"Ain't Love Crazy" is a single by Welsh music duo Lilygreen & Maguire.

Albert Evans-Jones

He was commissioned to write an exemplary play for the National Eisteddfod in 1957 – his offering Absolom Fy Mab was accepted to great critical acclaim in Welsh dramatic circles as were his translations of English Language plays John Masefield's Good Friday and Norman Nicholson's The Old Man of the Mountain.

Arwel

Arwel Richards (born 1982), Welsh public relations and society fixer

Black Welsh Mountain sheep

The lead singer, Chad Urmston, explains the song is about a man who falls in love with a Black Welsh Mountain Sheep, only to have it taken away from him.

Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra

In July 2000 Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra was invited to perform in the Welsh Proms in Cardiff, and has performed in each subsequent Welsh Proms season with guest resenters such as Brian Blessed, Sarah Jane Honeywell, Aled Jones and Dave Benson Phillips.

Clifton-upon-Teme

During the time of the wars with the Welsh, the manor of Clifton became established and was granted Royal Borough status by Edward III of England in 1377, allowing it to hold a weekly market on Thursdays and an annual four-day fair.

Cranbury, New Jersey

Jan Morris (born 1926), Welsh travel writer and historian, lived in Cranbury for several months in the 1950s whose impressions of the town are recorded in the book Coast to Coast: A Journey Across 1950s America.

Dan Rogerson

Born in Cornwall to an English father and Welsh mother, Rogerson went to Bodmin College (comprehensive school), then studied Politics at the University of Wales Aberystwyth.

David Powell

David Powel (1549/52–1598), Welsh Church of England clergyman and historian

Dominic Welsh

Welsh obtained his Ph.D. from Oxford University under the supervision of John Hammersley.

Edward Humphreys

Edward Morgan Humphreys (1882–-1955), Welsh novelist, translator, and journalist

Edward Treharne

When Richard Mullock formed the first Welsh rugby union team in 1881, Treharne was one of the youngest members contacted to join the side.

Frank S. Welsh

Since 1972, Welsh has consulted on the research and restoration of original finishes and colors on over 1,600 restoration projects, which include World Heritage Sites and many national landmarks such as Independence Hall, Monticello, Colonial Williamsburg, and Grand Central Terminal.

George McCoy

George McCoy has appeared on television several times, including three episodes of The Big Questions on 20th January 2008 in Leeds, 24th May 2009 in Bristol and 1st April 2012 in Bury as well as the Welsh Panorama programme 'Week In - Week Out' which focussed on adult services in Cardiff.

Glasbury

On 16 June 1056, a battle was fought at Glasbury between an English force, led by Bishop Leofgar of Hereford, and a Welsh force led by Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, at which the warrior bishop was killed.

Grosmont, Monmouthshire

They fell on them and defeated the Welsh, killing 800 to 1,000 men and capturing Owen ap Gruffydd ap Rhisiant, Glyndwr's Secretary and John Hanmer, Glyndwr's brother in law, who both survived the battle but were imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Heart Ache/Dethroned

Heart Ache/Dethroned is a compilation album by the Welsh band Jesu.

Hozomeen Mountain

It was first climbed on May 30, 1947 by Fred Beckey, Melvin Marcus, Jerry O'Neil, Ken Prestrud, Herb Staley, and Charles Welsh, via the Southwest Route.

Hugh Owen

Huw Owen (1926–1996), Welsh theologian, writer and academic

Huw Richards

Neath were a rising force in Welsh rugby in the 1980s, finishing as runners up in the 1984 Welsh Cup final against Cardiff.

Iona Banks

Iona Banks (20 Dec 1920; 20 May 2008) was a Welsh actress from Trelogan, Sir y Fflint.

Ivor Atkins

Born into a Welsh musical family at Llandaff, Atkins graduated with a bachelor of music degree from The Queen's College, Oxford in 1892, and subsequently obtained a Doctorate in Music (Oxford).

Jean III de Grailly, captal de Buch

While attempting to lift the siege of Soubise his force was surprised by a French force led by Owain Lawgoch, a Welsh soldier of fortune in the French service.

John Jones, Talysarn

John Jones, Talysarn (1 March 1796 - 16 August 1857), was a Welsh Calvinistic Methodist minister, regarded as one of the greatest preachers in the history of Wales.

Kevin Turvey

John Sparkes, the comedian behind the Welsh Siadwell, was directly inspired by Kevin Turvey.

Liao Zilan

In 2008, the duo presented compositions for guzheng and harp by the Welsh composer Bill Connor at Liverpool University, as part of the Liverpool's European Capital of Culture 2008 programme.

Llanddewi Brefi

Llanddewi Brefi was made famous by the BBC television series Little Britain, where the character Daffyd Thomas (a variation of the original Welsh name Dafydd; played by Matt Lucas) lives in the fictional village of Llandewi Breffi.

Llaneilian

It was this claim to this ancient Brittonic lineage by a British monarch that led to a widepread feeling of the fulfilment of the myth of the Mab Darogan, a messianic figure of Welsh legend destined to reclaim Britain for the Celtic inhabitants.

Llangynwyd Middle

Despite falling under early Norman rule, the area around Llangynwyd remained rooted in Welsh traditions, and became a centre of Welsh literary tradition, and is connected with Welsh medieval poets, such as Rhys Brydydd, Rhisiart ap Rhys and Gwilym Tew.

Malcolm Bishop

Bishop is a Welsh-speaker and it was claimed that Rhodri Morgan, First Minister for Wales, had chosen him as his preferred candidate for the post of Counsel General to the National Assembly for Wales (now called Counsel General for Wales) in succession to Winston Roddick, QC, in 2004.

Manila 10s

While the tournament is technically an amateur tournament the cup division often features ex-professional or internationally capped players such as former Welsh Captain Colin Charvis, former Australian Captain Jeremy Paul, world cup winner Joel Stransky and former British Lion John Bentley, featuring as 'guest' players for the tournament.

Meurig

Meurig ap Idnerth, early 6th-century king of Buellt, a medieval Welsh kingdom

Motorcycle Emptiness

Some of the lyrics are taken from the poem "Neon Loneliness" (the first line of the chorus, "Under neon loneliness", is a direct lift) by Welsh poet Patrick Jones, the brother of Manics bass guitarist and lyricist Nicky Wire.

Mynydd Cilfach-yr-encil

Mynydd Cilfach-yr-encil attains a height of 445m at OS grid reference SO 079033 making it the high point of the broad ridge of high ground between Taff Vale (Welsh: Cwm Taf) and Cwm Bargod in the Valleys region of South Wales.

New Welsh Review

Contributors include some of the greatest Welsh and international writers and thinkers: Dannie Abse, Paul Muldoon, P. D. James, Emyr Humphreys, Leslie Norris, Gwyneth Lewis, Les Murray, Rachel Trezise, Niall Griffiths, Owen Sheers, Terry Eagleton, Edna Longley, Byron Rogers, Gillian Clarke and Paul Groves.

Old North

Hen Ogledd, the Welsh-speaking areas of northern England and southern Scotland in the Early Middle Ages

Oliver Jones

Oliver Jones (Irish MP) (d. 1664), Welsh-Irish soldier and member of the Parliament of Ireland

Pictures in the Dark

Singers on this single includes his girlfriend at the time, Anita Hegerland, Barry Palmer and well-known Welsh choirboy Aled Jones.

Priory and Parish Church of Saint Mary, Beddgelert

An Augustinian priory was founded there in the 13th century and in the Middle Ages it grew substantially thanks to the support of important Welsh nobles including Llewelyn.

Radnorshire Wildlife Trust

Radnorshire Wildlife Trust (Welsh: Ymddiriedolaeth Natur Maesyfed) is one of six wildlife trusts in Wales.

Robert Alwyn Hughes

His father worked at Bedlinog Colliery and had a love of Welsh literary classics.

Russ North

After the demise of Monza, North was in the process of putting his next band together when he was asked to join Tredegar, (pronounced tradeegar) Tredegar was a band from the South Wales village of the same name, and was largely a reformation of the legendary Welsh rock band Budgie.

Ruth Madoc

In 2010 Madoc took part in the BBC Wales programme Coming Home about her Welsh family history in which she was told of her being related to David Lloyd George.

Secretary of State for Wales

John Redwood in particular caused embarrassment to the government when he publicly demonstrated an inability to sing (or even successfully mime) "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau", the Welsh national anthem.

The Frug

In 2008, Welsh singer Duffy used this dance in her fourth international single, "Rain on Your Parade".

The Heartaches

As they gained popularity, they became part of WMCA disc jockeys Toby Clare and Jack Spector's record hop dances, opening for acts like The Broadways, The Duprees, The McCoys, Randy & the Rainbows, Ronnie and the Highlights, and Lenny Welsh.

Un Nos Ola Leuad

Un Nos Ola Leuad (One Moonlit Night) is the only novel written by Welsh writer Caradog Prichard.


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