Friday 22 June 2018

Another Great Welsh Victory - 22nd June 1402 - The Battle of Bryn Glas also known as Battle of Pilleth -




There were few contemporary sources for details of the battle, and some, such as that of Adam of Usk, contained inaccuracies. 

Most details must therefore be assumptions, although the ground remains largely unchanged and provides a reasonable basis for them.

Mortimer's army was seeking to bring Glyndwr's smaller army to battle. Although the location was only just inside Wales, Glyndwr undoubtedly had many local informants and sympathisers, and could plan a decisive battle.

Probably, he had also been able to summon reinforcements from other parts of Wales, which moved rapidly over hill tracks, and was therefore far stronger than Mortimer realised.

Though always a risky tactic, Glyndwr divided his army. Part of the army, including many archers armed with the powerful longbow, was placed on the slopes of the hill. 

The remainder were concealed in a valley to the left of the hill, camouflaged by thick foliage.

Mortimer's army formed up and advanced up the slope, against the Welsh archers clearly in view. With the advantage of height, Glyndwr's archers outranged Mortimer's (themselves armed with longbows). 

As Mortimer's men at arms tried to close with Glyndwr's archers, the Welsh troops who had been concealed in the valley emerged to attack Mortimer's right flank and rear.

At some stage, contingents of Welsh archers in Mortimer's army defected, and loosed arrows against their former comrades. 

It is not known whether their defection was planned in advance, or whether they chose to back Glyndwr in the middle of the battle as the likely winner. 

Their action contributed to the confusion of Mortimer's army which, attacked from the steep slopes above, and from their flank and rear, was destroyed.

Among those killed were Sir Walter Devereaux of Weobley, and Sir Robert Whitney, who was Henry IV's Knight-Marshal

SEE ALSO THE GREAT WELSH VICTORY AT HYDDGEN

https://greatunrest2012.blogspot.com/2018/06/plethyn-hyddgen-celebrating-welsh.html

Thursday 21 June 2018

Celebrating the Welsh Parliament in Machynlleth 21st June 1404





THE TRIPARTITE INDENTURE 



Yr Aflonyddwch Mawr has noticed all the talk about Northern England joining Scotland as they have interests that are different from the South of England, so we thought it time to revive Glyndwr's idea of the Tripartite Indenture  of 1405 and visit the past as present.

The maps reflect the British Isles as it might have been with an Owain Glyndwr victory two England's and a larger Wales


The Tripartite Indenture was an agreement made in February 1405 between Owain Glyndŵr, Edmund Mortimer, and Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, agreeing to divide England up between them at the expense of Henry IV.

Glyndŵr was to be given Wales, and a substantial part of the west of England, including the English portions of the Welsh Marches.

Northumberland was to have received the north, as well as Northamptonshire, Norfolk, Warwickshire, and Leicestershire.

The Mortimers were to have received the rest of southern England.[1]



Yr Aflonyddwch Mawr cannot let this occasion pass without commenting on the Welsh Assembly that extension of the British State in Wales and certainly not a Welsh Parliament.

Look at its record on the Question of Welsh Land and Water basic elements of a country and you soon will soon discover it is not an institution that defends Wales.

There is a a need for a ground up Congress to represent the Welsh People and we see that as a Welsh Republican Congress the antithesis and nemesis of the Welsh Assembly.






Wednesday 20 June 2018

I ymladd dros ryddid dy wlad - Plethyn - Hyddgen - celebrating a Welsh Victory at Battle of Hyddgen June 1401



Mor dawel yw'r llethrau heno
O Hyddgen i Darren Bwlch Gwyn
A'r niwlen yn drwch dros y moelni
Fel amdo a'r Garn at y llyn
Daw dim i darfu ar lonyddwch
Gylfinir a'i chri uwch y dwr
A'r defaid yn pori'n ddihidio
Wrth Gerrig Cyfamod Glyndwr

(Cytgan:) Hyddgen, unwaith fe gefaist dy awr
 A seiniau buddugoliaeth yn atsain drwy'r tir
A seiniau buddugoliaeth drwy'r tir

Ni welir un milwr yno
O Hyddgen i Darren Bwlch Gwyn
Daeth rhoncwellt canrifoedd i guddio
Pob defnyn o waed ar y bryn
Ond lle bu ei faner unwaith
Ar gopa Pumlumon Fawr
 Mae'r creigiau yn dal y dystio
I Hyddgen gael ei awr

Cytgan) A dreuliaist ti orig ar Hyddgen
A cherdded hyd Darren Bwlch Gwyn
I brofi o falchder hen fynydd
Sy'n datgan 'Bu Owain fan hyn'?
 A deimlaist ti gynwrf y goncwest
A glywaist ti utgorn y gad
Yn dal i'th alw i'r frwydr
 I ymladd dros ryddid dy wlad??








JUNE 1401 SOUNDS OF VICTORY THROUGHOUT THE LAND 

Tuesday 19 June 2018

Tan yn Llyn - Plethyn - Firing up the Nation



We would like to put fire into Land and Water Campaigns the basic elements of a country - not just language and religion - a country also needs money hence a Public Bank for Wales is a vital necessity.

Land and Water and Money are the three essentials of a Welsh National Revival and Renaissance as outlined by the Welsh Socialist Republican Congress in October 2016,


Monday 18 June 2018

Irish Socialist Republican Radio


Red Salute to Irish Socialist Republican Radio from our Irish Comrades

Good Campaign in Ireland to Exit EU

Yr Aflonyddwch Mawr – the Great Unrest in Wales sends greetings and solidarity to the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement on the occasion of your Celebration of the Battle of Bannockburn




Yr Aflonyddwch Mawr – the Great Unrest in Wales sends greetings and solidarity to the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement on the occasion of your Celebration of the Battle of Bannockburn.

We hail the Scottish Struggle for Independence as reflected in the Battle of Bannockburn we also hail John Maclean who combined the national struggle with the struggle for socialism and was an enemy of what Lenin called Imperialist Economism a fatal disease that still plagues the British Left.

Red Salute to the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement from your class brothers and sisters in Wales.

Friday 15 June 2018

W.H.Davies "No Master"



Against Wage Slavery for Social Liberation

Cardiff Born and Cardiff Bred - Frank Hennesey



There are two Cardiff's there's the Cardiff of the English lickspittles and the real working class Cardiff  and they get mixed up by people like Frank Hennessy and by Cardiff people themselves.

There is a problem with all erstwhile capital cities they think they are the country they are capital of  - but  they are not - certainly not in Wales.

Cefn Caer where the sword of the Welsh Nation and Glyndwr's Crown reside have more Welsh authenticity even if they are copies than the charade they call that extension of the British State in Wales the Welsh Assembly in Cardiff.




Thursday 14 June 2018

When we Walked to Merthyr Tydfil by Idris Davies



FROM THE POEM TO THE SONG

Marty Wilde performs Abergavenny





Not quite paradise people but my dog certainly runs free in Abergavenny usually in Bailey Park


This song was a hit single in Europe in the spring of 1968. The following year the song was also a top 50 charting single in the United States. 

Abergavenny is a small town called the Gateway to Wales. 


SEE ALSO:

https://greatunrest2012.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-bells-of-rhymney-is-there-hope-for.html

Yr hen dderwen ddu - the Old Carmarthen Oak





All Good things (and bad) come from Carmarthen the home and capital of the Welsh Republican Movement since 1949 - we continue the struggle

Yr hen dderwen Ddu (cyfieithiad o gân Frank Hennessey ‘The Old Carmarthen Oak)

A minnau’n mynd un bore, yn gynnar, tua’r ffair
Fe gwrddais eneth ifanc a’i gwallt yn donnau aur.
Yr eneth ger Caerfyrddin, a’i llais fel llais y lli
Arhosais i am ennyd fach i sgwrsio gyda hi.

Cytgan

Y ferch mewn brethyn cartre’,tyrd i eistedd gyda mi
a dweda i iti’r stori am yr hen, hen dderwen ddu.

A ni ar gwr Caerfyrddin, edrychodd arna i’n flin
Wrth fy ngweld yn codi ‘nghap i bwt o goeden grin
 Ond dwedais wrthi’r hanes: pe gwympai’r goeden hon,
 Yn ôl yr hen chwedloniaeth, âi’r dref o dan y don

Cytgan

A dyma hi yn chwerthin a’m gwneud i deimlo’n ffôl
bod crwt fel fi yn credu hen stori oesau nôl.
Ond roedd ei llais yn heintus, a’i gruddiau hi mor llon
Fe deimlais i ryw chwithdod a chyffro yn fy mron

Cytgan A nawr rwyf ar f’aelwyd a’m cymar gyda mi,
yr eneth gyntra’ gwrddais gerbron y dderwen ddu.
Fy nheulu sydd yn gyflawn a bywyd sydd yn win
Am imi godi ‘nghap un dydd i bwt o goeden grin

Cytgan x2



SEE ALSO:

https://greatunrest2012.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-bells-of-rhymney-is-there-hope-for.html

Human Rights organizations in Catalonia claim that allowing a rescue ship with refugees to dock in a port is not enough. They demand that Spain change its whole immigration policy.



Raising Human Rights for Refugee's in Catalonia - still decency among small nations Wales should emulate.


Monday 11 June 2018

Sycharth - Vivid Virtual Reality



Owain Glyndwr's former residence, we can reconstruct the past - now is time to construct our future with Yr Aflonyddwch Mawr

Basque Human Chain for Independence

Saturday 9 June 2018

Tommy Robinson is no free speech hero - he has risked collapsing two trials and is guilty of contempt of court



Yr Aflonyddwch Mawr says Tommy Robinson in right wing media is being represented as a hero - the truth is much more interesting but that will not interest his racist and islamophobic supporters.

SEE ALSO:

https://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.com/2018/05/tommy-robinson-was-sentenced-in-may.html

Friday 8 June 2018

Galiza: Joint declaration by the 19 people accused by the Francisco Franco Foundation and the Dictator’s family



Joint declaration by the 19 people accused by the Francisco Franco Foundation and the Dictator’s family

On 30 August 2017 a group of Galizan democrats, nationalist militants, trade-union leaders, grassroots and cultural activists and people working to restore the memory of what happened during the Francoist dictatorship, etc., carried out a peaceful and symbolic action which involved unfurling two large banners from the Pazo de Meirás manor house calling upon the public bodies to intervene to reclaim this property which we believe belongs to the Galizan people as a whole. We saw this action as necessary in order to demand that the public bodies empowered to do so stop turning a blind eye and take concerted action to reclaim this property and all of those plundered by the dictator, Francisco Franco.

It was, as already stated, a peaceful action, carried out during an open day when those in charge of the property are obliged to open up the house to the public in accordance with its status as a Site of Cultural Interest. The action itself lasted approximately two hours and all of those involved left the building and the premises equally peacefully escorted by the Civil Guard, with no incident or damage to the property of any kind.

We are convinced that the motives behind our action are shared by a vast majority of Galizan society who believe that it is unfair that this property and others like it such as the Casa de Cornide in A Coruña and the sculptures of Abraham and Isaac taken from the Portal of Glory of Santiago Cathedral remain in the hands of one single family, namely that of the dictator, Francisco Franco, who acquired them illicitly by an abuse of power (also acquired illicitly by his coup d’état) and by the terror wielded against the population in order to maintain power during that period. Since then, many people and groups have approached us to congratulate us and express their support for an action which they viewed favourably and saw as both fitting and necessary.

In fact, this symbolic occupation of the Pazo de Meirás which achieved international attention rekindled the social and political debate regarding the recuperation of the manor and forced public bodies to make their position clear either by taking more decisive action or steps towards action. It is notable that even the ruling People’s Party which had never shown the slightest interest in the property plundered by Franco was forced to subscribe in the Galizan Parliament, albeit in only in word, to the aim of reclaiming Meirás for the Galizan people.

Consequently, all of those of us who took part in it feel rightly proud to have undertaken an action which fulfilled the aim of strengthening the public demand to reclaim all of the properties plundered by Franco which are by rights a public heritage belonging to us all.

However, a legal notice served by the Courthouse in Betanzos recently informed us that the National Francisco Franco Foundation together with Franco’s daughter, Carmen Franco y Polo, and the dictator’s grandson, José Cristóbal Martínez-Bordiú, have lodged a complaint against 19 people accused of the following offenses: BREAKING AND ENTERING, aggravated by the use of violence and intimidation, punishable under the Spanish Penal Code with a 1-4 year prison sentence; DEFAMATION, liable to 6 months to 2 years imprisonment or a 12-24 month penalty; aggravated CRIMINAL DAMAGE, punishable with 1-3 years imprisonment and a 12-24 month penalty; and HATE CRIME, with 1-4 years imprisonment and a 6-12 month penalty.

In all, the offenses of which were are accused by a Foundation which upholds Fascism and by the dictator’s daughter and grandson amount to at least 3 years and 6 months and could rise to 13 years imprisonment for each of the accused, above and beyond an indeterminate fine. In other words, together we could be facing a total of up of 247 years imprisonment and half a million euros in fines.
We obviously hope that it does not come to that. We believe that any such action would be a political and legal outrage. It is politically aberrant (and indeed shocking for any democrat living anywhere other than the Spanish State) that the properties plundered by the dictator remain in the hands of his family rather than having been reclaimed as part of the public heritage after the end of the dictatorship. It goes beyond mere monetary or even patrimonial value, symbolising wide-sweeping political implications.

We believe that the fact that these properties remain in the clutches of the Franco family is an excellent example of the way the true power structures of the dictatorship remain unchanged, be it at economic, the judicial, media and many other levels of politics, all handed down to the regime ushered in in 1978 which remains in place to this day, giving rise to a very poor quality democracy whereby, forty years later, the Spanish State continues to persecute the freedom of speech, imprisoning people for their opinions and their political convictions.

It is all the more disgraceful bearing in mind that the individual and collective dignity of the actual victims of Franco’s regime still goes unacknowledged by the State. Nor should we forgot that we are talking about a criminal act, a coup d’état which left thousands of dead in its wake in Galiza, a three-year-long Civil War and a ruthless dictatorship which ran roughshod over freedom and rights in the Spanish State for forty years. Therefore, reclaiming the Pazo de Meirás, the Casa de Cornide and the sculptures taken from the Portal of Glory constitutes a basic democratic demand and a way of bringing justice to the victims who suffered the plunder first hand, together with all of the victims of the Francoist regime. In a word, it is an excellent means of restoring our democratic memory and our collective dignity.

But, as stated above, we also deem it aberrant from the legal point of view. We wish to highlight a series of patently obvious issues. Firstly, the symbolic action was carried out on an official open day, whereby it could hardly be described as an act of breaking and entering, inasmuch as the building was open to the public on that day. Nor did any kind of violence ensue, as attested to by the media present. It was, we repeat, a peaceful and symbolic act.

Secondly, no damage occurred during the action. One part of the group hung a banner on the outside of the building while the remainder made our way straight to the top of the tower to hang another banner, whereupon we left, escorted off the premises by the Civil Guards.

Thirdly, it is at the very least ironic that a Foundation dedicated to promoting Fascism and the dictatorship (and, shamefully from a democratic point of view, with public funds provided by the Spanish State) which had prior to the action publically stated that the intended purpose of the visits by the public was to “exalt” the figure of the dictator should accuse democratic people of committing a hate crime and being guilty of defamation. We believe that at the political level there is nothing more to be said.

For all of these reasons, we are convinced that the accusations brought against us are unsubstantiated and hope the action is seen in its true light, as a peaceful and democratic expression and defence of a stance which we know is shared by all true democrats around country. In short, an action which should be seen as a democratic exercise of the freedom of speech.

Furthermore, we find it alarming that a Foundation whose stated aims include an apology of Fascism and the Francoist dictatorship and, therefore, should not exist (and which could not legally exist in any other European state), together with the family of the dictator which continues to enjoy the spoils of war, should be entitled to level such serious and unfounded accusations.

We are convinced that this is only conceivable within the political and judicial context that we have seen emerge over recent years, whereby a political and economic elite knows full well that it enjoys the connivance and backing of a judicial system which was not democratised at the end of the dictatorship, with free range to continue unabated with the same ideological bedrock. Many of the legal decisions and sentences seen recently, which clearly fly in the face of the freedom of speech and opinion have made it clear that in the Spanish State, justice is anything but “equal for all” as they would have us believe, nor is it independent and, whenever necessary, will act in line with the interests of the regime.

Our political commitment towards Galiza which prompted us to undertake the symbolic action in Meirás also leads us to denounce this ongoing situation and work to remedy it. As nationalists, we know that the only way to aspire to achieving a truly democratic society and an independent and fair legal system in Galiza is through a democratic break with the Spanish regime born in 1978 and via a constituent process within Galiza to enable us to build a sovereign, fair, equal and free country of our own. But we also believe that it is possible to act in the present in order to begin to turn the situation around in a positive and democratic way.

This is why we wish to take this opportunity to call upon the Spanish government to repeal forthwith the legislation which curtails public rights and freedoms, such as the freedom of speech, of opinion and demonstration, especially the Law on Citizen Security (better known as the Gag Law); to release all of those who have been unfairly tried, sentenced or imprisoned for political reasons; and to put an end to the repression of discrepancy and dissidence. While we are aware that this is insufficient in itself, we nevertheless see it as a first step towards ensuring a modicum of democratic hygiene.

Finally, we once again wish to express our pride for contribution though this action to reactivating the demand in society at large for the return of the Pazo de Meirás by placing it squarely on the political agenda over recent months, as well as our commitment to a struggle which continues to be both just and necessary and which will only ever end once all of the properly plundered has been returned to the Galizan people. The words emblazoned on the banners which we unfurled at Meirás continue to be just as pertinent as ever: “The manor belongs to the Galizan people”, “Return what you have stolen!” and “Francoism, Never Again!”

We appeal for the support of every individual, group or institution who believes as we do that this accusation is both unfair and inadmissible. Not only as a show of solidarity with the 19 people accused, but as a crucial gesture in defence of democracy. We know that anyone who considers themselves a democratic will feel concerned, because it is unacceptable that it is still necessary to combat Francoism in 2018. It is clear that the legal process we will have to face and the final outcome will be indicative of the democratic health of this country. We hope that, in the face of the brash and ingrained Francoism skulking behind the accusation levelled against us, justice and democracy will prevail.

SOURCE: https://19demeiras.wordpress.com/english-joint-declaration-by-the-19-people-accused-by-the-francisco-franco-foundation-and-the-dictators-family/

Thursday 7 June 2018

Neil McEvoy calls first ever short debate in Assembly on Welsh Sovereignty



Yr Aflonyddwch Mawr hopes this is not a one minute wonder in an empty chamber and we thank Neil McEvoy for at least trying to raise the question of Welsh Sovereignty.

We are no fans of the Welsh Assembly because it is an extension of the British State in Wales and Welsh Sovereignty is inimical to its existence -it is a British State top down Institution and not a bottom up creation of the Welsh Nation..

We have proposed a Welsh Republican Congress as a counter power to the Welsh Assembly and the Yr Aflonyddwch Mawr put the Welsh Socialist Republican Congress into existence in  2016 as an organisation which could contribute to a Welsh Republican Congress in future.

We would like to think the speech of Neil McEvoy was the opening of a new era of debate on Welsh Sovereignty but such a debate will only arise when Wales has militant social movements on Land and Water and Banking as outlined at the First Congress of the Welsh Socialist Republican Congress in 2016.

The absence of a Welsh Party of Protest - but one of power sharing with the British State - Plaid Cymru - is the death knell of any real approach to the question of Welsh Sovereignty.

You never get Sovereignty on your knees or granted to you - you have to take it unilaterally just like the people of Catalonia did.


  

Tuesday 5 June 2018

St David of Wales - The Patron Saint of Wales






A Nation has a spiritual history as well as materialist one and of course they dialectically interact  and should not just be seen as opposites but as a totality,

The observation in the video above of Madeleine Gray that the Welsh have inner strength is a good one but it also has a negative side is that spiritual resistance is not enough if you materially want to change Wales and aspire for Welsh Independence - there is no consolation in losing even if we write wonderful poetry about it.

We should ponder on this supposed legacy of St David and wonder if we can ever get beyond it.

Was Owain Glyndwr an aberration ?  can we get beyond spiritual resistance in the 21st Century ?