Wales – History of Sorts

My interview with Dar van Horn

On Saturday 3 December, I had the privilege to talk to author Dar van Horn about his new book “The Jokester-‘Watcher of the Whych’ “. We also talked about his time in Iran, and how his parents and he escaped in 1979.

Below an excerpt of his book

“The city of Aberystwyth, this little Welsh Jewel or
its ancient name (Llanbadarn Caerog) in which our
story is set, is a small community that is situated
on Cardigan Bay on the west coast of Wales, near
the confluence of the River Ystwyth and Afon
Rheidol. Following the reconstruction of the
harbour, the Ystwyth skirts the town. The Rheidol
passes through the town. Aberystwyth prides itself
as a beacon of diversity and celebrates its staunch
and committed opposing and of exercising zero
tolerance for racism, xenophobia and for all forms
of hate crimes and discrimination of any sort. A
sentiment and feeling shared not only just in an
official capacity as the cities policy, but rather a
position that is upheld and vigorously championed
by the local residents in general. I have been a
regular and frequent visitor to this truly exquisite
Welsh community for several years and I have
found the locals to be truly a very welcoming,
accommodating warm and friendly people who will
go out of their way to please and make all feel right
at home. Also as an added note, although there can
be no dispute as to the quality, care and
accommodating service of any of the local Hotels,
Bed and Breakfasts etc.”

His book will be available on Amazon

ROCKTOBER Episode5:Motorcycle Emptiness-Manic Street Preachers.

In my opinion 1993 was the worst year in Pop music-I have no scientific data to back this up, it is just based on the re-runs of Top of the Pops on BBC4. Most of the songs are awful and hardly memorable.

Luckily the rock track on this episode of Rocktober is not from 1993 but was released in June 1992, I find it hard to believe it is 30 years old.

“Motorcycle Emptiness” is a song by Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers. It was released on 1 June 1992 through Columbia Records. It was the fifth single to be released from their debut album, Generation Terrorists. The track is inspired by S.E. Hinton’s book Rumble Fish, about biker gang culture. According to the band, the lyrics are an attack on the hollowness of a lifestyle centered around the consumerism which is offered by capitalism, describing how society expects young people to conform. The line “From feudal serf to spender” draws a direct parallel between slavery of peasants to the lord of their manor under the Feudal system in medieval times and the brand loyalty of people in modern capitalist societies, which the companies use to their advantage in pursuit of profit.

In 2006, Q magazine readers voted the song as the 88th best song ever.

source

https://www.songfacts.com/facts/manic-street-preachers/motorcycle-emptiness

https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/16138-120-1

The death of Dafydd ap Gruffydd.

pRINCE OF wALES

On October 3rd 1283, Dafydd ap Gruffydd, prince of Gwynedd in Wales, became the first person to be tried for what later would become high treason against a king, hewas also the first nobleman executed by being hanged, drawn and quartered.

On Palm Sunday 1282 Dafydd ap Gruffydd attacked Hawarden Castle, in so doing, thereby starting the final conflict with Plantagenet-ruled England,King Edward I(Edward the Longshanks), in the course of which Welsh independence was lost.

On 22 June, Dafydd and his younger son Owain ap Dafydd were captured at Nanhysglain, a secret hiding place in a bog by Bera Mountain to the south of Abergwyngregyn. Dafydd, who was seriously wounded in the struggle to arrest him, was conveyed that night to King Edward’s camp at Rhuddlan. Dafydd was taken from there to Chester. Dafydd’s wife Elizabeth de Ferrers, their seven daughters, and their infant niece, Gwenllian ferch Llywelyn, were also taken prisoner at the same time.

On 30 September, Dafydd ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales, was condemned to death, the first person known to have been tried and executed for what from that time onwards would be described as high treason against the King. Edward ensured that Dafydd’s death was to be slow and agonising, and also historic; he became the first prominent person in recorded history to have been hanged, drawn and quartered, preceded by a number of minor knights earlier in the thirteenth century. Dafydd was dragged through the streets of Shrewsbury attached to a horse’s tail then hanged alive, revived, then disembowelled and his entrails burned before him for “his sacrilege in committing his crimes in the week of Christ’s passion”, and then his body cut into four-quarters “for plotting the king’s death”. Geoffrey of Shrewsbury was paid 20 shillings for carrying out the gruesome act on 3 October 1283.

Donation

I am passionate about my site and I know you all like reading my blogs. I have been doing this at no cost and will continue to do so. All I ask is for a voluntary donation of $2, however if you are not in a position to do so I can fully understand, maybe next time then. Thank you. To donate click on the credit/debit card icon of the card you will use. If you want to donate more then $2 just add a higher number in the box left from the PayPal link. Many thanks.

$2.00

Sources

http://www.deeside.com/palm-sunday-736-years-ago-dafydd-ap-gruffydd-attacked-hawarden-castle/

http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/dafydd_grufydd.html

https://biography.wales/article/s-DAFY-APG-1283

View at Medium.com