What would it take for a Welsh language band to pull 7000 punters ?

 

 

An almost insignificant tweet by Owain Schiavone @owainsgiv editor of Y Selar magazine on the 22^nd of December  put a very good question out there. Basically, what would it take for a current Welsh language band to have the pulling power of Edward H ? Edward H’s ‘Farwell Concert’ at the 2013 Eisteddfod had been shown again on S4C, as ‘Mwy o Gig Olaf Edward H Dafis’ and I’m guessing that it’s this repeat showing that prompted the tweet.

The gig has already attained mythical status, with accounts of anything up to 7,000 present and the who’s who of the Welsh rock scene all in attendance (well Huw Stephens and Dyl Mei) and probably a good number of current Welsh band members checking out the ‘legends’. Actually, watching ‘Pethe 2013’ on S4C recently, the attendance figure had gone up to 8,000. It can only go up !

Whatever the Pop theories, and there are certainly no easy answers, I do agree with Schaivone, in the sense that it would be great to see several young / old / current Welsh language bands who could pull 7,000 punters. It’s a shame that as a scene we have managed to do this with only one band. On the other hand, it’s not a numbers game – what if we were to debate online which is the best band – Edward H or Datblygu or which is the Best Welsh language band of each decade, you would have more criteria than punters at a gig for sure ??????

But to focus on Schiavone’s point, such a question could probably occupy a Phd student but here’s a simplified version of 10 thoughts on why and how.

1.    Edward H were the first Welsh language Rock’n Roll band to really make the effort to play live and release records and to present Welsh language audiences (mainly) with a band they could relate to. Y Blew had released an excellent record (Maes B) in 1967 but had split after one tour, therefore although technically y Blew can claim to be the first Welsh language rock band, they probably didn’t stick around long enough to make any serious in-roads.

Edward H will always be seen as the first Welsh language rock band – that’s a head start.

2.    Edward H had two front persons in Cleif Harpwood and Dewi Pws, both colourful characters, both with presence, and probably more importantly, the girls fancied them. Both had been in other bands, they had enough stage experience to pull this off.

3.    There is an argument that Edward H were a proto ‘boy band’. The musical directorship and songwriting / arranging / production talents of Hefin Elis should not be underestimated. If you study the history of Welsh language Pop music, Elis is always there in the background putting bands together, writing songs. Elis was there with Dafydd Ifans before Y Blew, he was, and is, there with Dafydd Iwan. Elis is a quiet unassuming musical Svengali. Elis wanted to put a Welsh language rock band together because he’d seen there was a gap in the market, but more for promoting the language than for commercial motives.

4.    Edward H had image, the red neck scarfs, the waistcoats, the denims, they looked like a cool version of the audience (students and farmers). The audience dressed like their heroes. It was win win. In terms of fashion this is definitely pre-Mclaren and Westwood and not a whiff of Roxy Music or David Bowie to be seen. More Status Quo than anything else.

5.    Edward H were political. Songs such as ‘Yn y Fro’ and ‘Ty Haf’ struck the right chords politically. Welsh language pop music has always been a bedfellow of the language campaign. Of course they also wrote ballads, ‘Ysbryd y Nos’ case in point, which must be one of the most played (to death) songs on BBC Radio Cymru, but essentially you have a band singing to an audience who empathise with the songs. This is a must.

6.    Sex. How many young Welsh-sters must have lost their virginity at Edward H gigs. Never underestimate the importance of Sex. Pop music is all about Sex (even when it’s about saving the Welsh language). Whether the band realised this or not, but again for Edward H it was win win.

7.    Throughout the 1980s, and in many a DJ case, right up to the present day, the Welsh Media portrayed the Edward H period as the “Oes Aur” (the Golden Age of Welsh Pop). In fact the media who propagated this myth were merely reflecting (and wallowing in) their own impressions of their own youth, not realising that Pop music never stay’s still, but in true Murdochesque fashion this eventually translates as fact. It’s a Beatles situation – no new band can ever be better than this. In this sense the Welsh Media have a lot to answer for, not for constantly promoting Edward H, but for failing to give any new band the space or enough rope to create new myths.

Case in point is the failure to fully grasp or support Cyrff or Ffa Coffi Pawb who eventually morph into Catatonia and Super Furry Animals (who were vastly more successful than Edward H and Internationally to boot) but it took success in England and the sanction of the NME for the Welsh Media to fully catch on. ‘Cool Cymru’ is a logical conclusion to the “Oes Aur”. We can’t win so we will sing in English.

8.    Edward H probably reached the more ‘traditional’ Welsh audience. It’s a similar audience shared by Bryn Fon. The more straight (non queer) the whole thing is, the better. Cyrff always had weird haircuts and probably took drugs and were townies from Llanrwst. They had no chance. Edward H did not challenge anybody musically, it was Quo riffs meets Celtic twighlight folk, distinctly Welsh / Cymreig in that it looked traditional enough, straight enough. Frankie Goes To Hollywood would have been lynched at an Edward H gig. It’s all about the perception of being ‘gwerinol’ one of the ‘hogia’, ‘hogia ni’. In this sense Bryn Fon is totally carrying the torch in the 21^st century.

9.    Actually if you look back at the live footage and listen to some of the recordings, they were a pretty good Rock’n Roll band. They had energy, they gave off an energy. It was not until Trwynau Coch, Geraint Jarman and Maffia Mr Huws later on in the 70’s / early 80’s  that any other Welsh language bands actually gave this much energy out on stage. Political anger can be an energy source for rock’n roll lightbulbs.

10.  We have to make it clear – it’s not Edward H’s fault. They did what they did and at the right time. Hergest or Shwn would not have had the same impact had either of those bands been the so called first Welsh language rock band. Maffia probably worked harder, did more gigs but could not compete with their heroes. The legacy is a catalogue of fine songs, many a classic and a few duff numbers for sure.

 

So what should the current Welsh language bands do ?

1.    Short of calling themselves Edward H and singing in English, I don’t know. Mind you a band called Edward H singing in English is not going to make much sense in downtown Newcastle or Glasgow and singing in English is going to be a bit of a turn off / bit tricky getting paid, at the Eisteddfod.  Try naming your band Edward Furry Animals, Edwardphonics, Funeral for an Edward or the Manic Street Edwards, that might help a little bit.

2.    Tony Wilson’s pop theory about real talent always finding a way through all the dross seems to be manifesting itself in the career trajectory of Georgia Ruth. Here is real talent, sex appeal, song-writing skills and a real ‘hit’ with Week of Pines. Maybe it’s that simple, be cool and write a great tune. Georgia has matured as an artist, she has been given space to develop within Wales and she is now moving on up. Week of Pines is a great song for sure but had this been sung in the Welsh language would it have had the same effect ?  Do the Edward H / Bryn Fon fans get Georgia Ruth ?

I suspect it no longer matters, Georgia will continue onwards and upwards in both languages but will not confined or defined by the Welsh language scene. Even if Georgia has International success, she is no more likely to pull 7,000 at a future Eisteddfod than Gruff Rhys and Cerys Matthews combined next year. That tradition is signed, sealed and delivered and is firmly Oes Aur forever more. You have to find another venue, another gig – try Margam Park or something and call the gig ‘Home International’.

3.    Stop doing gigs in front of your mates. Rule No 1. Your mam and Anti Nel are always going to tell you that you are a great band. The real test is to play in front of a hostile audience or an audience where the band has no relatives, friends or school mates. That’s the test – can you engage with Joe Public on songs and performance alone ? The Welsh language scene is at times too much like a mutual appreciation society – they will not like this, but for all their awards and back slapping and Eisteddfod gigs – the fact remains, it get’s them nowhere – because they have not grafted for the real audience, the real fans – that takes several years of hard work and loads of gigs, not a Huw Stephens session a Maes B headliner or a Selar award. False economy. It’s not meant to be easy or quick.

I know, I know, some bands are out there grafting, well, you just have to keep keeping on if you believe in what you do – my point is don’t believe the Welsh hype, you have to believe the audience – they are what counts. If no one turns up then you have to ask why – lack of advertising and blame the promoter or face up to the fact you band’s shit !

 

4.    It’s not as simple as singing in English. God, we’ve had our fair share over the years of bad Welsh language bands that have been given far too much exposure / airtime / TV slots when they should have been doing a gig in the local pub. The Welsh language scene has no filter, no bullshit detector, no discerning mechanisms – that’s always been a thing with the Welsh language scene. It’s worse since ‘Cool Cymru’, they all think that if they do a song in English they will turn into Super Furry Animals overnight as if by magic, shown by God of course.

 

5.    Bring back politics. Save the Welsh language or something. Does anybody know or care what some of the current bands are singing about or stand for ? You could enjoy Edward H, get pissed, get laid and still sing about Holiday Homes. You have to have something interesting to say, at least some of the time. Be funny, be sharp, be controversial even – but you have to be in some way interesting and intelligent outside the confines of the band. Of course it’s a generational thing, the teenagers will relate to their peer bands but that’s not enough to pull 7,000 punters, not that Edward H ever pulled 7,000 back in the day. They might have done a few gigs with 1,000 punters, but then so have Bryn Fon, Dafydd Iwan – probably just as many. The sad fact is that you only pull 7,000 (if it was of course) after 40 years of the Media telling everybody in the Welsh language scene that you are the best Welsh band ever and constantly playing your songs – but you still have to carry it off – which Edward H have always done.

 

But then again, shooting at the Media is too simplistic, the same amount of Media exposure for Llygod Ffyrnig or Datblygu would not have resulted in 7,000 at the Eisteddfod, not even after 400 years.

 You have to know your audience.

6.    There is also the question of what is meant by success. For bands such as Datblygu, arguably, it was recording several John Peel Sessions and that was almost enough – they hated doing gigs anyway. But Ffa Coffi Pawb and Cyrff ran out of places to play and places to go on the Welsh language scene, so for them it was sing in English or Dai.

Bands such as Radio Rhydd, following in the tradition of rebel rousers like Tystion or even Elfyn Presli back in post-punk days, are doing what they do, no compromise, for them surely it’s about doing the right gigs, for the right causes and keeping hold of artistic freedom and integrity. An Eisteddfod gig should be seen as a compromise in one sense, all establishment and no Anarchy, so we cannot evaluate the success or failures of  Radio Rhydd or Datblygu with the same microscope as the one we use for Edward H. It’s not always about the numbers.

Mind you Radio Rhydd supporting Edward H in front of 7,000 at the Eisteddfod would have been an interesting (not to miss) event.

7.    There are very good bands out there today. Gwenno is producing some of her best stuff ever, ‘Chwyldro’ is pure elctro-pop genius. The Lovely Wars are doing the Darling Buds punk-pop thing and we could argue that the Welsh Pop Wars have been won – certainly in terms of song-writing and production, we now have cool urban pop, we have current sounds and well dressed bands, but to compare them in any way to Edward H is to miss the point. These acts have to find and build their own audience – they (as did Datblygu and Cyrff in post-Punk days)  have to create Culture for the new Wales, a forward looking and forward thinking Wales – their problem is that they will be too cool, too urban, too well read, too referenced, too style, too visual, too articulate for the Edward H audience (young or old). They will create a new audience, they will re-define the borders and at the same time blur and smash the borders, and they will, they will !

8.    Tunes, again there are plenty of current or recent great tunes out there, Yr Ods ‘Cofio Chdi o’r Ysgol’ is one that comes to mind as a great, great tune and Colorama had a good one as well, but I can never remember the song title – maybe that’s part of it. Yr Ods and Colorama produce great pop but are they great bands, do they change people’s lives  ? – Edward H did change people’s lives, Datblygu changed people’s lives. Sometimes it has to be that vital, that life changing.

9.    Our overall failure as the Welsh language scene to move forward, our ambition to stay in that little world, the Welsh bubble, that’s not good.

10.  Great Welsh language bands who did not pull 7,000. Big Leaves, Trwynau Coch, Tynal Tywyll, Traddodiad Ofnus, Geraint Jarman, Brodyr, Heather Jones, Topper, Melys, Ffa Coffi Pawb, Y Gwefrau and on and on and on ………

One’s to watch : Y Ffug, Radio Rhydd, Lovely  Wars

Ones that should reform : Big Leaves definitely, Topper yes, Brodyr why not …… Trwynau Coch at ‘Rebellion’ maybe.

Ones that can never reform with the original line up sadly : Elfyn Presli, Cyrff, Fflaps.

 

 

 

 

 

Review of Dafydd Iwan documentary S4C.

First posted on link2wales. http://link2wales.co.uk/2013/crudblog/blog-rhys-mwyn-review-of-dafydd-iwan-documentary-on-s4c/

 

John Robb’s summary of Christmas TV is as good place as any to start, to quote from his Sex Pistols review  “ the dire Xmas break - where UK culture seems to be on a permanent 1974 time loop “. But then Robb does not have to deal with Welsh TV, at least the occasional thing gets through on BBC 4 or Channel 4. Someone pointed out on twitter (rather critically) recently that the commissioning editors at BBC 4 are definitely from the Punk generation as every other Pop Culture programme refers to Punk in some way.

On S4C it’s a case of “Did we fight in the Punk wars for this ?”. Caryl’s sketch show on the previous evening was borderline painful, were the sketches funny ? I flicked over in dis-belief. Thankfully that’s not a programme I have to review.

Dafydd Iwan’s documentary was on S4C during the hour preceding Julian Temple’s film on the Pistols gig in Huddersfield, Christmas day 1976. It’s not possible to have greater opposites – or is it ?

I had been warned not to watch Dafydd Iwan’s documentary as it was guaranteed to wind me up but I flicked channels, as you do, and found Dafydd’s documentary to be compulsive viewing. Celebrating over 50 years in the Welsh Music Scene (like his contemporaries Hogia’r Wyddfa) this had been billed as a “personal insight” into his career over those 50 years. It was.

Dafydd in many ways is a Legend, he was there when we were growing up. (I saw him in Neuadd y Foel in the early 70’s supported by Edward and it was an important milestone – my first taste of Welsh Pop music) and at the grand old age of 70 he’s still at it.

Musically Iwan comes from the Woody Guthrie / Bob Dylan protest folk song school, but he sings in a Chapel / Glanllyn / hwynagreddi kind of way. Light entertainment they used to call this sort of stuff, indeed he started off on TV back in the 60’s as a good looking young singer but definitely very light entertainment, albeit with a strong political message to many of his songs. The black and white clips highlighted his good looks.

The difference I guess is that Guthrie had a sticker on his guitar, “This machine kills fascists”, Dafydd did not. Dafydd is no Billy Bragg although his songs are as political and even with a song like  ‘Blowin in the Wind’, Dylan gave that song an edge, while Dafydd always sounded to me like he was performing at Glanllyn. The others probably took drugs. Dafydd probably did not, there is nothing “rock’n roll” about Dafydd, I don’t know if a bit of LSD would have helped his music, interesting question …… Apart from his collaborations with Ar Log, his backing musicians have always taken off the edge from his songs by delivering bog standard MOR piano led backing.

Iwan’s delivery has always been a tad light which is a shame in a way as some of the songs are truly brilliant. Songs such as ‘Pam fod eira yn wyn’, ‘Tywysog Tangnefedd’ and even ‘Can yr Ysgol’ are certainly class songs. As pop songs these far outweigh his better known ‘anthems’ in terms of song craft but that’s an argument that will never stand up in a Welsh Court.

Dafydd spends a lot of time going in and out of his car in this film, he is the ultimate troubadour. He does a whole range of gigs, from large concerts, to social clubs to gigs for school kids. Interestingly, this is where the Pistols documentary touches base with Iwan’s film. Both acts discuss the pleasure of playing in front of kids. The Pistols did it once for the kids of striking firefighters in Huddersfield, Dafydd does it regularly and it’s obvious that the kids (and mums) are happy. In this instance Iwan could probably have taught the Pistols something. Iwan is also fluent in Benefit gigs.

What comes across in the film is Iwan’s utter commitment to what he does. He is in effect a communicator, pop singer / folk singer maybe – but essentially what he does is communicate (in his unique way).

There is footage where he plays to a packed marquee, probably a 1000 + punters and they are all young teenagers. There is no doubting that they are loving it, both Dafydd and audience, in fact the audience know every word to every song and they sway along to his every word and chord. But it is also obvious from the footage that they are pretty pissed if not totally pissed.

This is Welsh culture Eisteddfod / Royal Welsh style – for me, Hell on earth  - but you can’t deny it is impressive and glorious in a strange way. These are rugby style anthems for the pissed and the Welsh Nationalists. These are anthems for those who await the return of Glyndwr, we are ‘Yma o Hyd’. God know what John Robb would make of this – that would be a far more interesting review than mine, I’m too close, too tainted by growing up in Wales. My Punk Rock was rebelling against all this, so in a way it’s like Robb’s generation going to review Genesis or Pink Floyd – it’s never really going to work ….

Dafydd’s other communication channel is his preaching, which he approaches with the same commitment as his gigs, again he is the ultimate troubadour and as he points out, it’s not about the numbers, it’s about getting out there. I share not his Christianity, but in this bit of the film I actually get to respect him more. He stands there in a pulpit in front of seven people in some literally God forsaken chapel in the middle of nowhere, it’s pissing down with rain on the outside, and he just get’s on with it.

Iwan uses the word ‘communicator’ to describes his job and it’s here that the documentary actually tells us something that we didn’t know, Iwan’s own view on what he does. He admits that he functions best with an audience, this is a man on a mission with almost unfaltering commitment to what he does. The Welsh language is always mentioned, always central and it is here, whatever we say about the musical delivery, that it’s impossible to criticise Iwan.

He admits to some kind of depression or breakdown during the 80’s and there is a painful clip where he performs with Ar Log obviously too pissed to remember his own lyrics. It’s car crash stuff but honest. His divorce is mentioned and his saviour, his new wife acknowledged. This is difficult territory in Welsh Wales where everybody knows everybody. But without some grit and some truths this would have been a superficial documentary. So the filmmakers justify the documentary and portrait claim.

In all honesty, the best stuff comes from his family, and certainly his now grown up children. They, more than anybody understand the man with a mission and they convey this without any romanticism and with a refreshing honesty and matter of fact ness . The way his children both accept and respect the mission probably tells us more than anything in this film. This is the good stuff.

There are no other guests, no talking heads. In many ways this is a dull documentary. It lacks pace, lacks sex, lacks edge – it’s more akin to a documentary for Sunday evening before ‘Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol’ but the family stuff really does work – they do “get it” and their portrait of the man is by far the best thing in terms of useful insight.

Dafydd’s comment on the role of Cymdeithas yr Iaith today, as a protest group searching for something to protest about is glanced over, blink and you’ve missed it, which leads one to ask if there is another programme here – Dafydd on politics, the state of the Welsh Nation in 2014 .

This programme was followed by another on his music. Thankfully we could flick over to watch Julian Temple’s film on the Pistols on BBC 4. Two different acts, two very different documentary’s and probably Iwan’s documentary would have benefited from a Julian Temple treatment, but then S4C don’t have any Punk Rock commissioning editors …… or maybe BBC 4 should do something on Iwan’s politics ……. They all conform to what they know and understand while the audience are treated with the usual contempt, to quote Weller ‘the public want what the public gets’.

John Robb’s review of the Julian Temple Documentary http://louderthanwar.com/never-mind-the-baubles-sex-pistols-at-xmas-documentary-review/

 

People's Collection Wales, Sex Pistols @ Caerffili Dec 1976

 

I have just written a piece for my Herald Gymraeg column (January 1^st) on the fact the ‘People’s Collection’ website have just published a piece on Councillor Ray Davies, the man who tried to ban the Sex Pistols from playing the Castle Cinema in Caerffili during the Anarchy Tour December 1976.

The difficulty with the Herald column is that the readership want history / archaeology – not Pop Culture and in a way I have to respect that. I was lecturing in Ysgol Goronwy Owen, Benllech, just before Christmas to over 60 people, who were all over 60, and although I was introduced as an “ex-Punk” and member of Anhrefn, you could tell from the introduction that the majority of them were aware of the Herald column.

Usually the audiences at lectures just laugh about the punk stuff – they are unlikely to have ever attended an Anhrefn gig, and it’s rare that the Chair for the evening does not slip in something about Anhrefn during their introduction – they have done their research ! I am usually there to talk about archaeology, occasionally I do lectures about writing, but I am never asked to lecture about ‘Punk Rock in a Welsh Context’ or ‘The effects of Thatcher on Welsh Music’, or whatever …….

My point in the Herald was that we need to look at the Caerffili concert in terms of Social History. There is no doubt that for many Welsh people watching ‘The Great Rock’n Roll Swindle’ that the Caerffili footage is amongst the most interesting thing in that film. The fact there were more people outside the gig protesting and singing carols than there were inside watching the Pistols. Only in Wales. But fascinating in terms of Social History – that’s the point.

There were some kids in the audience who had already tuned in to Punk, some were dressed up for the part, but the real interest for this piece is the social context, the Methodism and the conservatism of the socialist working classes at the tail end of 1976, the Valley’s culture, the state of the Country in those gloomy,dark depressing days of 3 day weeks, strikes and that’s before Thatcher had  even started !

Ray Davies has since changed his mind on his stance – this is what is up on the People’s Collection, this is the stuff of history, this is fascinating and almost tinged with sadness as Davies regrets his actions of December 1976.

In fact, Davies et all, do the Pistols a massive favour. They give the Pistols the ‘outlaw’ image McLaren craved for so desperately. They give Rotten and Jones the opportunity for great quotes “we’re inside and warm, they’re outside and cold” and they gave Julian Temple brilliant footage. The Caerffili gig would have been soooo “boring” (Punk word) if it had gone ahead without incident.

My point is that the People’s Collection is a great resource, a very democratic source – where Welsh history is dealt with without the selective editing that so sadly and badly affects the Welsh Media. We really do need to claim and re-claim bits of our history and it’s quite funny that Caerffili Heritage have seen the value of promoting the fact that the Pistols visited their town. Not many towns in Wales can make that claim.

http://gwasgair.llgc.org.uk/blogs/cywblog/2013/12/councillor-ray-davies-reflects-on-the-night-he-led-protests-against-the-sex-pistols/
 

Cloddio Archaeolegol 2013 Herald Gymraeg 18 Rhagfyr 2013.

 

 

 

Herald Gymraeg 18 Rhagfyr 2013

Rhyw amser od o’r flwyddyn yw’r wythnos neu ddwy olaf yma mewn blwyddyn. Amser i edrych yn ol ac wrthgwrs amser i gychwyn edrych ymlaen am flwyddyn newydd. Dwi ddim yn amau fod pawb di blino yn lan, ac yn barod am wyliau dros y Dolig, mae’r dyddiau yn fyr, mae’n dywyll toc ar ol tri o’r gloch ac o fewn ychydig ddyddiau byddwn yn profi diwrnod byra’r flwyddyn.

            Rhywbeth y byddaf yn ei ddweud bob blwyddyn yw “argian dan mae’r flwyddyn yma wedi gwybio heibio”, ac yn sicr mae’n teimlo felly,  dwi’n teimlo fod amser yn mynd yn gynt fel rwyf yn mynd yn hyn, ond y cysur rwyf yn ei gael bob blwyddyn yw’r hyn sydd wedi cael ei gyflawni. Neu oleiaf mae rhywun yn gobeithio fod rhywbeth wedi ei gyflawni.

            O ran archaeoleg mae hi wedi bod yn flwyddyn gyffrous a boddhaol iawn. Cawsom gwblhau y gwaith cloddio ar y cwt crwn deheuol ym Meillionydd, Pen Llyn a’r newyddion da yw ein bod yn dychwelyd yn ol i Feillionydd Haf nesa 2014. Y tro nesa rydym yno am ddeufis sydd yn caniatau i ni wneud mwy o waith a gobeithio gallu cwblhau darnau cyfan o’r safle yn hytrach na gorfod llenwi tyllau a’u hail agor eto mewn blwyddyn.

            Rhaid dweud ei bod yn fraint cael gweithio ym Meillionydd, mae’n safle hynod ddiddorol yn dyddio rhwng oddeutu 800 a 200 cyn Crist, mae’n safle yn y rhan gora o’r Byd a mae’r brawdgarwch ymhlith yr archaeolegwyr yno heb ei ail. Y flwyddyn nesa yma fydd fy mhedwaredd mlwyddyn  ym Meillionydd.

 

            Cafwyd wythnos yn Llanbeblig yn ystod mis Gorffennaf hefo criw Ymddiriedolaeth Archaeolegol Gwynedd yn archwilio darn o dir ger Ysgol yr Hendre yn y gobaith o gael hyd i fwy o olion Rhufeinig ac er i’r archaeoleg fod yn siomedig (hynny yw doedd fawr o ddim yno) roedd y brawdgarwch, y sgyrsiau, y trafodaethau a’r angerdd yn ysbrydoli rhywun yn ddyddiol. Welais i rioed y math yma o gyfeillgarwch na brawdgarwch yn fy nghyfnod yn y Byd Pop a rhaid cyfaddef, er fod archaeoleg yn golygu edrych yn ol, dwi ddim yn colli’r Byd Pop o gwbl – dim edrych yn ol, dim diddordeb, ddim yn ei golli !

            Criw arall i mi ddod i’w hadnabod dros yr Haf oedd criw Dr Iestyn Jones, Archaeology Wales a chwmni teledu Trisgell. Rwan dyma chi hwyl go iawn a bydd y canlyniadau ar S4C rhywbryd yn ystod 2014. Cefais wahoddiad i ymuno a nhw yn Llwydfaen ger Tal-y-Cafn, Dyffryn Conwy. O flaen llaw roeddem ar ddeall ein bod am gloddio eglwys Normanaid gynnar wedi ei ddarganfod o’r awyr gan Toby Driver o’r Comisiwn Brenhinol.

            Wrth gloddio dyma’r stori yn datblygu ac yn newid, efallai i rai ohonoch glywed am hyn ar y newyddion, ond am y tro rwyf am awgrymu eich bod yn cadw golwg allan am y rhaglen ar S4C felly dwi ddim am ddweud dim mwy. Unwaith eto dyma’r ‘gang’ archaeoleg yn dod at eu gilydd, roedd Beaver a Geoff yno o griw GAT, daeth criw Meillionydd draw am ychydig ddyddiau a wedyn y “cavalry” go iawn Bill a Mary Jones Dolwyddelan. Ar y diwrnod olaf ymunodd George Smith o GAT a ni, un o’r archaeolegwyr maes gorau sydd ganddom ar hyn o bryd.

 

            Unwaith eto, braint yw cloddio ochr yn ochr a rhywun fel George, petae ffasiwn beth a ‘crefftwr’ yn y Byd Archaeoleg, dyna fydda George, meistr wrth ei waith – fedra ni ond dysgu wrtho. Ond y brawdgarwch a’r hwyl oedd yn cadw rhywun i fynd yn y tywydd drwg. Ar y Dydd Mercher mi fwrwodd gymaint nes ein bod yn fwd o’n pen i’n sodlau a mae gennyf lun doniol ohonnof hefo un o grow Meillionydd yn edrych fel rhyw aelodau coll o lwyth y mwd o Ddyffryn Conwy – does dim darn glan na sych i weld arnom !

            Galwad arall, anisgwyl, ond un a werthfawrogais yn fawr iawn oedd i gael ail ymuno a Iestyn a chriw Trisgell, y tro yma yn Cynffig, De Cymru. O bosib, mewn rhai ffyrdd yn sicr, efallai mae hwn oedd fy uchafbwynt personol i yn ystod 2014 oherwydd cefais gyfle i gloddio Melin Wynt a oedd yn dyddio oddeutu 1500. Rwan, da ni ddim yn cloddio melinau gwynt yn aml, a dweud y gwir dyma’r tro cyntaf.

            Bwriad y gwaith yn Cynffig oedd edrych ar safle bryn gaer Oes Haearn a hefyd edrych am safle castell Iestyn ap Gwrgant, tywysog Morgannwg ond fel mae lwc cloddio fe fu Jerry a finnau yn y “twll crwn” sef safle’r felin wynt am yr wythnos gyfan. Y rheswm am y felin wynt wrthgwrs yw ein bod ar ben bryn, dim cysylltiad fel arall hefo’r bryn gaer na Iestyn ap Gwrgant. Eto bydd canlyniadau hyn ar S4C yn ystod 2014.

            Felly yr hyn sydd yn sefyll allan i mi am 2013 yw’r brawdgarwch yn y Byd Archaeoleg, y cyffro a’r wefr a’r fraint o fod yn rhan o gloddio’r safleoedd yma a gwneud darganfyddiadau newydd. O ran edrych ymlaen felly ? – wel cael dychwelyd i Meillionydd a chael mwy o gloddio yn 2014.

Llechi to Rhufeinig @ Llwydfaen

 

Magic Lantern, Tywyn Herald Gymraeg 11 Rhagfyr 2013

 

‘I Bought a Mountain’ oedd yr enw gwych ar lyfr Thomas Firbank a gyhoeddwyd ym 1940 yn disgrifio ei ymdrechion i ddygymod a ffermio yn Nyffryn Mymbyr. Ac yn rhyfedd iawn, dyma’r union ddisgrifiad ddaeth i’m meddwl Dydd Gwener dwetha wrth gyfarfod a Geoff Hill yn y Sinema yn Nhywyn, Sir Feirionydd ond fy mod yn rhoi Sinema i mewn yn y disgrifiad yn hytrach na mynydd.

            Gwr diddorol iawn yw Geoff Hill, gallai fod yn hawdd iawn yn un o’r bobl hynny lle byddaf yn cymeryd yn ei erbyn o’r eiliad cyntaf ond nid felly y bu hi. Coblyn o beth ynde, ond mae’r eiliadau cyntaf yna mor bwysig, a dyma rannu gwen yn syth a sylwais yn syth bin ein bod yn rhannu’r un math o hiwmor a mwy na thebyg yr un math o wleidyddiaeth.

            Roeddwn wedi cael fy ngwahodd i lawr i’r hen Sir Feirionydd gan fy nghyfaill Dewi Llwyd, yn bennaf i gael cyfarfod Geoff ac i gael golwg ar rai o fentrau diweddara’r gwr mewn du, roedd hyd yn oed yr het gowboi yn ddu. Teithiom lawr i Fachynlleth i gyfarfod Geoff cyn symud ymlaen i’r Iard Gychod ger Aberdyfi lle mae Geoff yn cadw cychod yn ogystal a newydd sefydlu busnes newydd i werthu stofs llosgi pren ar gyfer gwresogi tai.

            Chwerthais wrth feddwl am y gair “ymryddawn”, a Dewi yn ei ddisgrifio fel “serial entrepreneur” ond nid yn yr un modd a Sugar et all, dyma entrepreneriaeth amgen, di-ffwdan, di-lol – dyn sydd yn gwneud yw Geoff yn hytrach na rhywun sydd am bwyllgora ei ffordd drwy fywyd. Unwaith eto, dyma glosio ato o ran meddylfryd, mae gwir wrthgwrs yn yr hen fantra “Gwneud Nid Dweud” fel sydd yn cael ei arddel gan y grwp dub / hip hop Cymraeg Llwybr Llaethog ar gloriau eu recordiau.

            Dyma ni felly yn sefyll yn edmygu cychod ar lan y Dyfi, a finnau prin yn gwybod pa ochr yw ‘starboard’ a rioed di hwylio yn fy mywyd, ond eto rhaid chwerthin, mae hyn rhysut mor “cwl” yntydi – bod yn berchen ar Iard Gychod. Trodd y sgwrs at y ffaith ein bod yn byw mewn lle fel Caernarfon ac eto rydym bellach wedi ein datgysylltu yn llwyr o’r mor, rhyfedd sut mae’r oes wedi newid.

            Dydi fy ngwybodaeth am ‘stofs’ fawr gwell na fy ngwybodaeth am gychod felly Duw a wyr pam y penderfynais gytuno hefo Geoff wrth iddo egluro manteision stofs o Ddwyrain Ewrop dros rhai o’r wlad yma, cwrteisi efallai, ond doedd gennyf ddim clem go iawn. Yn dilyn y stofs a’r cychod dyma gytuno fod cinio yn galw, cawn ginio yn Nhywyn felly ar ol cael ein tywys o amgylch y sinema, y ‘Magic Lantern’.

            Rywf yn gyfarwydd a’r sinema er nad wyf rioed di mynychu’r lle o ran gwylio ffilm neu un o’r gigs byw sydd yn cael eu cynnal yno. Y peth pwysig yma yw fod Geoff a’i bartneriaid wedi cymeryd gofal am y sinema. Fel arall mae’n debyg bydda’r lle wedi cau. A dyma lle daeth enw llyfr Firbank i’m meddwl – ‘I Bought a Cinema’. Unwaith eto,ac ymddiheuraf am y Gymraeg sal, ond mae hyn mor “cwl” yntydi.

            Atgoffwyd mi rhywsut o’r ddrama ar golygfeydd yn ‘Coming Up Roses’, ffilm Stephen Bayly, 1986, gyda Ifan Huw Dafydd, Mari Emlyn a Gillian Elisa Thomas, un o’r ffilmiau gorau Cymreig wrthgwrs. Dyna oedd y teimlad wrth gamu mewn i’r Magic Lantern, braidd yn hen ffasiwn, seddau o’r 1940au, a rhyw elfen D.I.Y (gwna fo dy hyn) oedd ond yn ychwanegu at yr awyrgylch.

 

            Cymaint yw’r elfen gwna fo dy hyn yma nes bod Geoff yn gorfod eistedd yn y blwch tocynnau ar fore Sadwrn, dyma’r matinee wrthgwrs, y ffilmiau i blant, pam mor wych yw hynny, mor syml ond dyna’r modd o gadw pethau i fynd dyddiau yma – darpariaeth ar gyfer gwahanol bobl, gwahanol oedran ar wahanol amser – ond mae rhywbeth bytholwyrdd am y matinee yndoes ?

            Yn ogystal a ffilmiau, mae’r Magic Lantern yn cynnal nosweithiau byw a syndod mewn ffordd yw deall fod y cerddor Robin Hitchcock newydd fod yno yn canu. Rwan mae Hitchcock yn ffigwr “cwlt”, mae ganddo ddilynwyr, mae’n uchel ei barch ond rhywsut dydi rhywun ddim yn disgwyl ei weld ar lwyfan yn Nhywyn. Diawliais na wyddwn am y peth, achos mi fyddwn wedi mynd draw jest am y profiad.

            Bu Dr Who yn cael ei ddathlu yma yn ddiweddar, sef dathlu ei benblwydd yn 50 a bu’r Magic Lantern yn dangos Dr Who mewn 3D yn fyw ar y 23ain o Dachwedd – ar flaen y gad ddiwylliannol yma yn Sir Feirionydd – eto pam mor wych yw hyn ?

            Efallai mae’r pwynt rwyf yn ei wneud, neu’r pwyntau i fod yn fanwl gywir, yw fod pethau yn digwydd yng nghefn gwlad Cymru, ond efallai nad yw’r pethau yma yn cael digon o sylw. Mae’n braf gweld rhywun fel Geoff Hill yn gwneud yn lle dweud, a fod y sinema bach hanesyddol yma nid yn unig yn dal i fodoli ond yn ffynu.

            Oherwydd yr A470 mae Tywyn allan o’r ffordd, nid anghysbell ond rhaid penderfynu mynd yno. Mae Aberdyfi yn drysor bach sydd o bosib yn colli’r Gymraeg – dyna mae nhw’n ddweud a mae penal lawr y ffordd wedyn gyda’i gaer Rhufeinig a’i lythyr gan Glyndwr yn le bach arall lle mae angen treulio amser.

            Atgoffwyd mi o pennod yn ‘On The Road’ wrth i Dewi fy nhywys o gwmpas y gornel fechan hon o Sir Feirionydd, dyma’r lonydd cefn, diarffordd (braidd) sydd angen eu hail ddarganfod. Doedd dim amser i fynd draw i Gastell y Bere, campwaith Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, ac anodd iawn oedd peidio mynnu ein bod yn galw heibio. Tro nesa medda ni, a mi fydd tro nes yn fuan gallaf eich sicrhau.

Diwrnod lle cefais fy ysbrydoli, cipolwg o ddarn bach arall o Gymru a chymeriadau diddorol, ychydig yn ddoniol, rhywle rhwng ‘Coming Up Roses’ a Llareggub wedi ei drawsblanu i Feirionydd. Nid pob amser yn Gymraeg na Chymreig ac eto yma yng Nghymru felly “deal with it” fel dyweda’r Sais.

Bwyd Iach Herald Gymraeg 4 Rhagfyr 2013

 

Pregowtha yw’r gair Cymraeg am “rant”, felly efallai mae’r ‘Pregowthwyr’ oedd y mudiad crefyddol o gyfnod rheolaeth Oliver Cromwell a’r Seneddwyr rhwng 1649-1660. Rhaid wrth arbenigwr o un o Adrannau Hanes y Brifysgol i gadarnhau hyn ond hyd yma ychydig iawn o gysylltiad a Chymru dwi di gallu gael hyd iddo yn y cyd-destyn yma.

            Credai’r Pregowthwyr fod Duw yn bodoli ym mhob creadur byw, ac oherwydd hynny roedd modd iddynt ymwrthod ac arweinwyr ac awdurdod yr Eglwys a’r ysgrythur gan alw ar eu cyd bregowthwyr i ddarganfod ac i droi at yr Iesu mewnol. Oherwydd y gred yma, ymwrthodasant ac awdurdod y dydd gan gredu eu bod yn ‘rhydd’ o awdurdod o’r fath ac o ganlyniad ystyrir y Pregowthwyr yn fygythiad difrifol i gyfraith a threfn gan yr Awdurdodau.

            Bron yn nodweddiadol o fudiadau o’r fath, anodd yw darganfod arweinydd amlwg ond mae enw Laurence Clarckson neu Claxton yn aml yn cael ei gysylltu fel un o’r ‘heoelion wyth’. Ymhlith damcaniaethau Claxton oedd yr awgrym fod eiddo personol yn anfoesol, sydd yn debyg iawn i’r mantra anarchaidd “property is theft”. (Does dim modd clywed anarchwyr yn son am “property is theft” bellach heb gofio am yr olygfa yn y rhaglen Young Ones lle mae Rick yn ceisio gael ei bensil yn ol gan Vivian).

            Damcaniaeth arall gan Claxton oedd fod “ond modd pechu yn y dychymyg”. Petae Claxton yn byw heddiw mae’n debyg byddai mwy o groeso iddo ymhlith anarchwyr na unrhyw grwp arall. Er hyn, mae awgrym fod John Bunyan awdur ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’ wedi bod dan ddylanwad y Pregowthwyr am gyfnod a mae awgrym arall fod y rhan fwyaf wedi ymuno a’r Crynwyr wedyn ar ol adfer y Frenhiniaeth ym 1660.

            Oes bosib felly, fod elfen o hyn oll wedi ei drosglwyddo i’r Methodistiaid cynnar. Ateb, dim syniad gennyf, yn sicr yn y cyd-destyn Cymreig ? Dros y Sul bu’m yn teithio drwy Llanddowror yn Sir Gar, a does dim modd mynd heibio Llanddowror heb gysylltu’r lle a Griffith Jones a’i Ysgolion Teithiol. Mae’r eglwys yno ar ochr y ffordd a gobeithiaf fod bob plentyn yng Nghymru yn gallu cysylltu Griffith Jones a Llanddowror – mae’r ddau beth mor ynghlwm. Mae stori’r Ysgolion Teithiol yn hanfodol i hanes Addysg yng Nghymru.

            Ond rheswm arall sydd gennyf am son am bregowtha, nid un hanesyddol, ond y ffaith yr wythnos hon fy mod am bregowtha am pam mor anodd yw hi i ddod o hyd i fwyd iach os yn bwyta allan yn y wlad hon. Oherwydd natur fy ngwaith rwyf yn tueddu i deithio yn aml, rwyf hefyd yn gorfod aros mewn gwestai dros nos a’r ffaith amdani yw fod hi’n ofnadwy o anodd cael rhywbeth ysgafn a iach i’w fwyta.

            Yr argraff yn sicr mewn gwestai, ac yn sicr os yw rhywun yn gorfod bwyta yn hwyrach yn y nos, yw fod y bwyd yn rhy drwm a bod gormod o fwyd ar y plat. Byddaf yn trafod hyn yn aml y dyddiau yma, yn enwedig hefo pobl sydd yn heneiddio a mae’r rhan fwyaf ohonnom yn cael trafferth cysgu os ydym wedi bwyta yn rhy hwyr.

            Er mwyn gwneud bywyd yn anoddach, rwyf yn lysieuwr, ac er bellach fod dewis ar y fwydlen, y tueddiad yw fod hyn yn cynnwys caws gafr (rhy drwm) neu’r arferol lasagne. Daw’r lasagne gyda sglodion neu salad pitw ar ochr y plat ac wrth gwrs mae’r pasta yn llawn glwten. Prin iawn yw’r dewis o salad call ar unrhyw fwydlen.

            Fel arbrawf dros yr Haf, penderfynais roi’r gorau i fwyta bara a glwten.Gwnaethwpwyd y penderfyniad yn haws gan mae dyma’r tymor archaeoleg, felly byddaf allan yn y maes yn gweithio yn galed yn yr haul poeth a ni fydd cymaint o awydd bwyd arnaf beth bynnag. Yn lle bechdan, byddwn yn mynd a ‘cracyrs heb glwten’ hefo mi gan eu llenwi hefo salad, caws ysgafn a hwmws – dim problem !

            O ganlyniad o fwyta llai, gweithio’n galed (gwaith corfforol) a chael gwared o’r glwten dyma lwyddo i gyflawni sawl peth. Yn raddol dyma golli ychydig o bwysau, a fel un oedd erioed wedi gorfod poeni am hyn, dipyn o sioc oedd cyrraedd fy hanner cant a sylweddoli fod rhywun yn dechrau magu pwysau, nid drwy unrhyw newidiadau yn y ffordd roeddwn yn byw a bwyta ond achos fod hi’n anoddach cael gwared a’r brasder.

            Heb os, mae cael gwared or glwten wedi bod yn rhan o’r llwyddiant. Wyddoch chi fy mod yn temlo yn ddeng mlynedd yn iau. Dychwelodd yr awyr clir i’r amenydd, rwyf yn gallu meddwl, rhesymu a siarad yn well ers fwyta llai o glwten, sydd yn peri i rhywun ofyn faint o sbwriel di angen sydd yn yr holl bethau yma rydym yn ei fwyta ? Sbwriel sydd yn ein llygru yn ara bach – mae’r corff yn dweud hynny wrthyf heb unrhyw dystiolaeth gwyddonol.

            Ac i orffen dyma estyn canmoliaeth i ‘Caban’ yn Brynrefail lle gefais ginio yn ddiweddar. Ar y fwydlen dyma ‘Salad Figan’, gwych a mor falch oeddwn i’w gael. Cinio ysgafn ond digon blasus a finnau rhwng dau gyfarfod, dyma’r union beth. Rwyf wedi rhoi gorau i’r wy,ffa pob a sglods, rwyf wedi rhoi gorau i’r brecwast llysieuol (bwyd di ffrio) ac awgrymaf yn garedig wrth bob caffi a gwesty – da chi rhowch fwy o ddewis iach ar y fwydlen neu mi fyddaf yn teithio o gwmpas Cymru hefo pecyn bwyd fy hyn !

 

Gyda llaw oes rhywun yn cofio'r sengl yma gan Rocyn ?

Cerfluniau Neuadd y Ddinas Caerdydd Herald Gymraeg 27 Tachwedd 2013

 

“Wylit, wylit, Lywelyn,

Wylit waed pe gwelit hyn.

Ein calon gan estron ŵr,

Ein coron gan goncwerwr”,

 

Geiriau Gerallt Lloyd Owen ac ‘Awdl Cilmeri’ a tybiaf fod y rhan fwyaf ohonnom ar un tro, yn sicr pawb fu erioed yn fyfyriwr, wedi cael y postar yma ar wal eu lloft. Ynghyd a’r geiriau bythgofiadwy mae’r postar yn cynnwys llun o Llywelyn ap Gruffydd (Ein Llyw Olaf) sef y cerflun mamor sydd yn Neuadd y Ddinas Caerdydd. Bore LLun dwetha treulias awr yma yn astudio’r cerfluniau.

            Disgrifir Neuadd y Ddinas fel adeiladwaith Edwardaidd ‘Baroque’ sydd yn gwahaniaethu ychydig o adeiladwaith ‘Beaux Arts’ Smith a Brewer yn yr Amgueddfa Genedlaethol. Twr y cloc yw’r nodwedd mwyaf amlwg ar dirlun y ddinas a rhaid cyfaddef fod y Ganolfan Ddinesig, ar dir a werthwyd i’r ddinas gan 3dd Arglwydd Bute, John Patrick Crichton-Stuart, yn cyfleu y naws angenrheidiol o ddinas, sydd ers 20 Rhagfyr 1955 yn brif-ddinas. Mae crwydro’r strydoedd unionsyth yma yn brofiad yn ei hyn.

             Wrth droedio i fewn i foethusrwydd y Neuadd (heibio portreadau o Siarl a Diana sydd yn eironig wrth feddwl am neges Awdl Cilmeri) dyma ddringo’r grisiau am y cyntedd llawr cyntaf lle mae’r unarddeg cerflun mamor pentelicaidd. Agorwyd y cyntedd mamor yn swyddogol gan ein hen gyfaill, Lloyd George, ar y 27 Hydref 1916 yn ystod ei gyfnod fel Ysgrifennydd Rhyfel. Mae llun benigedig o LL.G ar y wal gan Margaret Lindsay Williams.

 

 

 

 

 

          A dyma chi gasgliad diddorol o’r da, y drwg a’r diddorol o gymeriadau hanesyddol Cymreig. Yng nghanol yr ystafell mae cerflun Dewi Sant yn bendithio’r bobl gan William Goscombe John. Mae gwaith Goscombe John yn ymddangos yma ac acw hyd a lled Cymru yntydi, does ond rhaid meddwl am gerflun LL.G ar Faes Caernarfon neu cofeb ‘Y Ferch Fach’ yn Llansannan (sydd yn cofio am nifer o enwogion lleol fel William Salesbury).

 

            Yn ddiweddarach yr un dydd yng Nghaerdydd, bu i mi ymwelad ac Eglwys Ioan Fedyddiwr yn yr Hayes a dyma mwy o waith Goscombe John sef y cerfluniau o bobl yn y reredos to cefn i’r allor. Ymlygodd Goscombe John ei hyn fel un o arweinwyr y dadeni Cymreig ddiwedd y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg a ddechrau’r Ugeinfed Ganrif. Bu’n gefnogwr brwd o’r Amgueddfa Genedlaethol gan eistedd ar gyngor yr Amgueddfa am flynyddoedd maith.

            Cerflunwyr gwahanol sydd i bob cerflun, felly yn ei gyfnod roedd hwn yn brosiect pwysig iawn o ran amlygu cerfluniaeth Cymreig. Roedd Goscombe John dan ddylanwad rhai fel Rodin, yn arddel y dull fwy naturiol gyda fwy o fynegiant a hyder o gerflunio. Ymhlith y cerfluniau amlwg, yr arwyr Cenedlaethol, does dim modd osgoi Owain Glyndwr gan Alfred Turner a Llywelyn ap Gruffydd gan Henry Albert Pegram.

            Gyda’i fraich dde yn codi i’r awyr, onid yw Llywelyn yn awgrymu fod angen i’r Cymry ei ddilyn i faes y gad ? Os oedd awdl Gerallt yn eiconaidd, felly hefyd y cerflun yma. Ac onid yw Glyndwr, a’i law ar ei gleddyf, yn awgrymu gladweinydd, gwladweinydd o statws Ewropeaidd ? Nid portreadau difflach mor cerfluniau yma ond adlewyrchiad o ddeheuadau pobl Cymru yn ystod y dadeni Cenedlaethol yma dros ganrif yn ol – mae rhinwedd eiconaidd i bron bob un o’r cerfluniau.

 

 

            Ty hwnt i’r amlwg Llywelyn a Glyndwr cawn gymeriadau fel Dafydd ap Gwilym, gan W. W Wagstaff, gwr pwysig iawn o ran ei farddoniaeth a’i ddisgrifiadau o arferion cymdeithasol y Canol Oesoedd ac yn bwysicach byth yn ol Myrddin ap Dafydd am ei ddisgrifiadau o’r llys a neuaddau yr Uchelwyr yn y cyfnod yma. Gwelir dafydd a’i Delyn yn ei law (yn diddannu’r Uchelwyr mae’n siwr ?).

Dafydd ap Gwilym

Gerallt Gymro

 

            Cawn hefyd gymeriadau fel Gerallt Gymro (Henry Poole) a Buddug gan J. Havard Thomas a Buddug efallai sydd yn cyfleu yr ymdeimlad Celtaidd a’r un cyn-hanesyddol, yn wir hi yw’r unig ferch yma. Efallai wir fod y dadeni Cymreig ar ddechrau’r Ugeinfed Ganrif felly yn un oedd yn rhoi gorbwyslais ar y gwrol-wyr ? Rhaid cofio mae ond 13 mlynedd oedd yna ers i Emily Pankurst ffurfio’r WSPU felly cwestiwn da os oedd Cymru ar eil hol i chydig bach yn y cyd-destyn yma ?

 

            Pam ddim Ann Griffiths neu Mari Jones Llanfihangel y Pennant ? Ac os am ofyn y cwestiwn yma, rhaid cofyn ar pa sail mae Thomas Picton (T. Mewburn Crook) yma o gwbl ? Os fu dyn annymunol a chreulon erioed Picton oedd hwnnw, dyn a ddisgrifiwyd unwaith fel “the blood soaked Governor” am ei greulondeb ar ynysoedd y Caribi. Er hynny amlygodd ei hyn fel arweinydd milwrol a bu farw ar faes y gad Waterloo ym 1815 gan fwled drwy ei dalcen. (Er hyn roedd stori ei fod wedi ei saethu yn ei gefn gan un o’i filwyr ei hyn cymaint oedd eu casineb tuag ato).

Thomas Picton.

 

            Felly mae dipyn o wrthgyferbyniad rhwng Picton a dau wr y Beibl, sef William Morgan (T.J Calpperton) a William Williams Pantycelyn (L.S Merrifield). Dyma’r her i ni gyd mewn un ystyr wrth droedio’r gofod yma, nid yw pob aelod o’r cerfluniau yn “arwr” amlwg a cwestiwn arall yw lle mae Harri VII (Ernest Gillick)  yn gorwedd yn hyn i gyd ? Oes mae cysylltiad a Penmynydd, Mon, ond bregus iawn oedd Cymreigtod Harri Tudur.

William Morgan

 

William Williams Pantycelyn

 

Harri VII

 

Hywel Dda

 

            O ran profiad, mae astudio’r cerfluniau a meddwl ymhellach am y Dadeni Cymreig  ganrif yn ol yn gwneud awr hynod ddifir yn Neuadd y Ddinas Caerdydd !