They Fear To Speak of ’69, why? I had of course been aware of much being said about that oh so grand but rather empty gesture of Plaid/CyIG with their pre Investiture Rally at Cilmeri in 1969. I was told later that the police had been in touch with certain leaders of ‘Cultural Nationalism’, that they were warned that Plaid Cymru would be politically finished if there was any ‘’trouble’’ in Caernarfon on ‘I – day’. As ever with Plaid Cymru ‘’Political Expediency’ ever comes first, all they got to do then is conn patriots that it’s in best interest of Wales and the nationalist struggle. If anyone still believes this with now the ‘Coalition Conspiracy’ unravelling and looking as if any Referendum is pretty much not on the cards despite continued Plaid’s worthless sound bites from Ieuan ‘I can fake sincerity’ Jones, Adam ‘’Socialist’’ Price (prepared to make coalition deals with the Tories) et al. Although the Lord Protector Dafydd Ellis Thomas as often as not cannot help himself and lets the ‘Cat Out Of The Bag’, hinting he would rather there was no referendum, I think the man is speaking a truth for a change?
So what is the truth about the events of Summer’69?. Perhaps we will never know the completed truth but in the newly published book: FREEDOM FIGHTERS Wales’s Forgotten War, 1963 – 1993. by John Humphries. University of Wales Press. I suggest you read pages 127 & 132 of the book regards Plaid/CIG Rally at Cilmeri held shortly before the Investiture, you should guess what is the sub text between the lines. Suffice to say, that partly because of such treachery much that the Patriotic Front and Anti – Investiture Campaign Committee had been working for, that is total Caernarfon ‘I – Day’ Chaos was undermined. Not least it seems by Wales’s chief Minstrel, none other than Dafydd Iwan. Yes of course Dafydd Iwan, the singer of those songs ‘Carlo’ and ‘Yma o Hyd’. All of which reminds me of those 1000 Welsh Minstrels who went to Overton to sing for their supper before theirhence fourth King Edward I recent Conqueror of Cymru.
In 1969, he, Dafydd Iwan then both leading Plaidite and CIG man with other leading figures of these then, at least, largely ‘Cultural Nationalist’ movements betrayed the Anti – Investiture Campaign at the 11th hour. How? By holding a Rally at Cilmeri a week before the Investiture and basically making sure there was less chance of any of their members turning up to protest against Carlo and the domination of the English Crown over Cymru. But I digress, I shall write more on this soon, in this my AWNM&S Archive blog, which this year over coming months will see a number of posts going up with information on the 1969 struggle against another Investiture of another Englishman as Prince of Wales. No time for petitions then as ACTION WOULD SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS!!!
Of course imprisoning and jailing main radical anti – Investiture campaign leaders, intimidating others, even Owen Williams fled to Ireland shortly before ‘I – Day’, on that day itself throughout Wales 100’s of Police and Secret Service for want of a better word put dozens of Patriotic activists under house arrest. However, all this was no excuse for as many ‘’true’’ nationalists not trying at least to get into Caernarfon and do something to show some courage of conviction. I had in course of the campaign been arrested twice, once for disturbing the peace and another time, for lobbing a smoke bomb at Carlo. Finally, I was taken out of the radical equation and put away, kicked into touch so to speak and so rendered out of action and thus of no danger to the Investiture.
On Investiture day itself, in Caernarfon it was pretty pathetic that no one apart from John Jenkins turned up not needs be to lay a bomb, as other Mac Resistance Fighters did elsewhere. As we know sadly two Mac men were killed at Abergele and two FWA members, and myself of the Patriotic Front were sentenced on ‘I-Day’ to terms of Imprisonment. Other than that in Caernarfon, one fella got arrested for throwing a banana skin and two young lads were done for giving Carlo, the ‘V’. Of course any number of incidents may have been left out of press reporting, but I have my doubts. I know of one well known ‘’Welsh Republican’ who tells everyone he got into Caernarfon that day, but what did he do? I guess he went for a pint?
Meic Stephens formerly of the Arts Council of Wales recently reviewing a book said, that ‘I-Day’ was a farce, I do not know if he was having a ‘pop’ at the FWA Trial or what? as is the norm for these establishment figures do, other than but grab grant ‘Cultural Nats’ are always keen to distract from truth of their own gutless failings in ’69. The truth of the matter is that ‘I-Day’ was a national tragedy to say the least, as a day of the courage of conviction shown by the Resistance Fighters of Mac, and Patriotic Front and other activists who engaged in Anti – Investiture Actions and Activities around Caernarfon on night preceding ‘I-Day’ and in the days that followed as Carlo imitated Edward I in a Royal Progress of Wales. Which note this year 2009, along with a visit to Caernarfon Castle by Carlo and William Wales just to show the World that the Taffs are not so tough really! So be observant but as to whether or not you make a protest demonstration or not at Caernarfon or anywhere else in Wales where these English Pretenders might turn up – is up to you? Me! At this age and having been there thrice and bought the T-Shirt, I will leave it this time around to the ‘Cambrianista Petitioners’ and ‘Balchderiaid Poseurs’. Guess, I will take a leave of absence and go and lay on the beach or more likely flee to Occitainia for Cathar Crusade Commemorations. As for juggling ideas in the air? Why not! Indeed!!!
.
So what is the truth about the events of Summer’69?. Perhaps we will never know the completed truth but in the newly published book: FREEDOM FIGHTERS Wales’s Forgotten War, 1963 – 1993. by John Humphries. University of Wales Press. I suggest you read pages 127 & 132 of the book regards Plaid/CIG Rally at Cilmeri held shortly before the Investiture, you should guess what is the sub text between the lines. Suffice to say, that partly because of such treachery much that the Patriotic Front and Anti – Investiture Campaign Committee had been working for, that is total Caernarfon ‘I – Day’ Chaos was undermined. Not least it seems by Wales’s chief Minstrel, none other than Dafydd Iwan. Yes of course Dafydd Iwan, the singer of those songs ‘Carlo’ and ‘Yma o Hyd’. All of which reminds me of those 1000 Welsh Minstrels who went to Overton to sing for their supper before theirhence fourth King Edward I recent Conqueror of Cymru.
In 1969, he, Dafydd Iwan then both leading Plaidite and CIG man with other leading figures of these then, at least, largely ‘Cultural Nationalist’ movements betrayed the Anti – Investiture Campaign at the 11th hour. How? By holding a Rally at Cilmeri a week before the Investiture and basically making sure there was less chance of any of their members turning up to protest against Carlo and the domination of the English Crown over Cymru. But I digress, I shall write more on this soon, in this my AWNM&S Archive blog, which this year over coming months will see a number of posts going up with information on the 1969 struggle against another Investiture of another Englishman as Prince of Wales. No time for petitions then as ACTION WOULD SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS!!!
Of course imprisoning and jailing main radical anti – Investiture campaign leaders, intimidating others, even Owen Williams fled to Ireland shortly before ‘I – Day’, on that day itself throughout Wales 100’s of Police and Secret Service for want of a better word put dozens of Patriotic activists under house arrest. However, all this was no excuse for as many ‘’true’’ nationalists not trying at least to get into Caernarfon and do something to show some courage of conviction. I had in course of the campaign been arrested twice, once for disturbing the peace and another time, for lobbing a smoke bomb at Carlo. Finally, I was taken out of the radical equation and put away, kicked into touch so to speak and so rendered out of action and thus of no danger to the Investiture.
On Investiture day itself, in Caernarfon it was pretty pathetic that no one apart from John Jenkins turned up not needs be to lay a bomb, as other Mac Resistance Fighters did elsewhere. As we know sadly two Mac men were killed at Abergele and two FWA members, and myself of the Patriotic Front were sentenced on ‘I-Day’ to terms of Imprisonment. Other than that in Caernarfon, one fella got arrested for throwing a banana skin and two young lads were done for giving Carlo, the ‘V’. Of course any number of incidents may have been left out of press reporting, but I have my doubts. I know of one well known ‘’Welsh Republican’ who tells everyone he got into Caernarfon that day, but what did he do? I guess he went for a pint?
Meic Stephens formerly of the Arts Council of Wales recently reviewing a book said, that ‘I-Day’ was a farce, I do not know if he was having a ‘pop’ at the FWA Trial or what? as is the norm for these establishment figures do, other than but grab grant ‘Cultural Nats’ are always keen to distract from truth of their own gutless failings in ’69. The truth of the matter is that ‘I-Day’ was a national tragedy to say the least, as a day of the courage of conviction shown by the Resistance Fighters of Mac, and Patriotic Front and other activists who engaged in Anti – Investiture Actions and Activities around Caernarfon on night preceding ‘I-Day’ and in the days that followed as Carlo imitated Edward I in a Royal Progress of Wales. Which note this year 2009, along with a visit to Caernarfon Castle by Carlo and William Wales just to show the World that the Taffs are not so tough really! So be observant but as to whether or not you make a protest demonstration or not at Caernarfon or anywhere else in Wales where these English Pretenders might turn up – is up to you? Me! At this age and having been there thrice and bought the T-Shirt, I will leave it this time around to the ‘Cambrianista Petitioners’ and ‘Balchderiaid Poseurs’. Guess, I will take a leave of absence and go and lay on the beach or more likely flee to Occitainia for Cathar Crusade Commemorations. As for juggling ideas in the air? Why not! Indeed!!!
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Gethin ap Gruffydd. AWNM&S Blog Archivist.
