Note: this is the history I would pass to my children if I had any, in lieu of that I pass it on to my nephews and to you my readers--Karl
To be Welsh it is not solely enough to hang out a flag, celebrate St. David's Day with sending Grandmother daffodils, and to have several recordings of choirs or folk tunes. To be Welsh means a pride in your heritage, it means knowing your language (at least a little of it), it means knowing your history with your own heroes, it means knowing your literature and your music, it means knowing your faith (and the importance it played in keeping the light of THE FAITH alive), it means embracing the very essence of what it is to be a child of CYMRU.
I shall embark on a journey to pass on to you that essence of CYMRU that I hope will lead you on a path of healthy pride in who you are; and, in time, that you will also be able to pass that same essence on to your followers.
CYMRU is
the nation on the west coast of Britain, and it is one of the seven
Celtic nations (Ireland, Scotland, Mann, Cornwalls, Brittany, Galacia, and
Wales). We are the original people who settled Britain. We were
dispossessed of our lands and forced west by the invading Saxons. Our right
to our own nation has been opposed by the Romans, the Saxons, the Normans,
and now the British; but as a people we have survived and have flourished
in many ways.
To
reach a timetable of our earliest history; push this button
To read a very good history of our nation; push
this button
To learn about (and see) castles in our
nation's history; push this button
Welsh National Anthem
Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,
The land of my fathers is dear unto me,
Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;
Old land where the minstrels are honoured and free:
Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mad,
Its warring defenders, so gallant and brave,
Tros ryddid collasant eu
gwaed.
For freedom their life's blood they gave.
Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad,
Country (Wales), Country (Wales), true am I to my Country (Wales),
Tra mor yn fur i'r bur hoffbau,
While seas secure this land so pure,
O bydded i'r heniaith barhau.
O may our old language endure
We have a language; it is a language that is distinct, ancient
and living! Our Language is a Celtic one, and scholars say that it
is one of (if not the) oldest languages spoken in Europe. It is a language
of bards and scholars, of poets and preachers, of ancient manuscripts
and modern TV; it is a language that links us back into the depths of history
and leads us into the future.
To learn the history and status of Welsh as a language; push
this button
Push this button to find an On-Line course to
learn how to speak Welsh.
For helpful phrases in Welsh and help with Welsh
grammar; push this button
Push this button to hear a short excerpt of the
spoken Welsh language. (Press "stop" button on the Crescendo pad to stop the music
before listening to this link.)
Idioms add flavor to the spoken tongue; push this
button
CYMRU has blessed its people and the world with a seemingly unending
supply of poets and writers of prose; from the bards of the Dark and Middle
Ages on through to writers of today. Experience them to their fullest.
To read excerpts from some of our greatest authors (in Welsh); push this
button
Push
this button to read from a wide selection of the Poetry of
CYMRU
To
enjoy Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales; push this button
Push this button for a fine article on R.S. Thomas.
To visit Cfarwydd,
the storyteller; push this button
Push this button to visit the National Library
of Wales
If you are to truely feel the essence of CYMRU; you must
also explore and discover the culture of our people--our art, our music,
our theatre, and our festivals. Our contributions to the cultural world
is much more than Richard Burton and Tom Jones. We are known for our
Choirs, enjoy them but also listen to and appreciate the other forms
of music that we have contributed to. Visit our museums and experience
them. And more than any other place, the Eisteddfod will give
you the very essence of Welsh Culture.
Push
this button to read an excellent article on our Cultural Traditions
Push this button to visit the 1997 Eisteddfod.
Push this button to explore the
National Museum and Galleries of Wales.
Push this button to view the Oriel-Cambria
Virtual Gallery of Welsh art.
Push this button to experience what is happening in Popular Music in
CYMRU.
Push this button to find out about contemporary
Traditional music.
Push this button to go to one of our many Choirs.
Push this button to find a collection of
traditional recipes from CYMRU
Credo'r Apostolion
Credaf yn Nuw, y Tad hollalluog, creawdwr nefoedd adaear.
Credaf yn Iesu Grist, ei unig Fab, ein Harglwydd. Fe'i
cenhedlwyd trwy nerth yr Ysbryd Glân a'i eni o'r Forwyn
Fair. Dioddefodd dan Pontius Pilat, fe'i croeshoeliwyd, bu
farw, ac fe'i cladddwyd. Disgynnodd i blith y meirw. Ar y
trydydd dydd fe atgyfododd. Fe esgynnodd i'r nefoedd ac y
mae'n eistedd ar ddeheulaw'r Tad. Fe ddaw drachefn i
farnu'r byw a'r meirw.
Credaf
yn yr Ysbryd Glân, yr Eglwys sanctaidd gatholig,
cymundeb y saint, maddeuant pechodau, atgyfodiad y
corff a'r bywyd tragwyddol.
Amen.
The Church and the Faith of our people has been an important aspect of who
we are as as children of Cymru. Over the centuries it has
helped mold us as a people, provide us with an identity, and helped (in many
ways) to preserve our language. It is important to recognize the importance
of our Faith, and its role both personally and collectively in our lives
and in life of our beloved CYMRU.
To
explore the ancient CELTIC CHURCH, push this button
Push this button to read quotes from the great saints of the
CELTIC
For one Parish's history from ancient days up to our present time, push this
button.
Push
this button to read a good history of the Church in Cymru from
a
As I stated at the top of this page; this is an attempt to pass
on a history, a pride in one's lineage, to others. I have
included the aspects that seemed most important to me and I hope that they
are helpful for my nephews Matthew, Ryan , and Zachery. If, in the
mean time, they prove helpful to others all the better.
This is by no means a complete list of all there is to know about
CYMRU or a fraction of the links to Welsh sites on the WWW.
Push this button for an extensive list of links
dealing with CYMRU.
For a searchable index of CYMRU, push this
button
Push this button for a GREAT TOURISM
site.
For the National Welsh-American Foundation,
push this button
I wish to thank all the people who have created the wonderful sites that
I have linked to on this page; and the artists who have created the artwork
that graces this page. A special thank you goes to
Wales-Direct; as it was through their site that I first began discovering
how much information on and about CYMRU was available on the Web.
I would greatly appreciate finding out what others feel about what I have
done on this page; if you know of other links that should be
included--please let me know.
--KARL WELSHER
Push
this button to find out more about KARL.
To
find out what CYMRU means to him personally; push this button.
Push this button to send e
mailto Karl.
Sign My Guestbook
View My
Guestbook
©
CHURCH and its timeline
Roman Catholic perspective.
This Ring of the Red Dragon
site is
owned by
Karl
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