Mair Williams's blog

The beautiful land of Wales is steeped in legend and mystery. Ancient monuments stand throughout the country, in the case of many, their purpose and method of construction is lost in the mists of time. The air of mystery that surrounds these places is enhanced at this time of year during the damp dark days of Autumn and in particular Halloween. It is a celebration that has become global now, particularly in those countries that experienced an influx of migrants from the Celtic nations, who brought with them their own traditions.

As reported in the Welsh newspaper the Daily Post the tallest mountain in Wales, Snowdon (Welsh: Yr Wyddfa) is getting bigger. The mountain which is located in Snowdonia National Park (Welsh: Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri) in North Wales has now been measured as standing at  3,563 feet (1,086 m) whilst previously it has been measured at 3,560 feet (1,085 m). 

A rally was held today in Pwllheli to protest that the Welsh language should be at the heart of the reform of planning laws about to be presented to the National Assembly. Their concern is to protect Welsh speakers and communities where Welsh is the majority language. The campaign wants councils to be handed power over developments based on their language impact. Local needs should form the basis of the planning system, not housing targets set in Cardiff. 

The Spanish establishment are happy at the moment. They think that they have halted Catalonia's independence movement in its tracks by the use of legal manoeuvres after Spain's Constitutional Court suspended Catalonia's planned independence referendum. It acted on a request from the Spanish central government in Madrid. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told reporters: "Nobody and nothing will be allowed to break up Spain."  He is wrong and Catalonia needs to stand firm against the disgusting actions of the Spanish government.

It is 75 years since the first Welsh-medium school was established. Under the name of Urdd Gobaith Cymru but now called Ysgol Gymraeg Aberystwyth it was founded in 1939 by Syr Ifan ab Owen Edwards under the guidance of Norah Isaac. From those early days education through the medium of the Welsh language has flourished throughout Wales. When Ysgol Gymraeg yr Urdd was opened in 1939 it only had six pupils, but today there are more than 400. 

In the village of Gresford in the north-east of Wales special services are being held today to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Gresford mining disaster. It was on 22 September in 1934 that an explosion in the coal mine caused the death of 261 miners, 3 rescue men and 1 surface worker. Of the men underground at the time only 11 bodies were recovered.

Many may view the result of the independence referendum in Scotland as a great loss. We must not see it that way and none will forget the panic caused amongst the self serving and thoroughly disreputable British establishment as they crawled their way to Scotland and offered all but their souls to keep their imperial Union intact.

The Welsh campaign group supporting Scottish independence Ewch Amdani Alba - Go For It Scotland is holding a rally on Saturday 13th September. It will be held at 2pm outside the Senedd in Cardiff. Ewch Amdani Alba!

Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones writing in the Scottish Daily Record has said he would veto the idea of currency union if Scottish voters vote for independence! Of course you would expect Jones to try and do the dirty work for his UK masters. I’m sure the Westminster (UK) government will give him a nice little pat on the head for his simpering loyalty. But actually playing the strutting little Napoleon in Scotland all seems to have gone to Carwyn Jones head. As made clear by Scottish National Party Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie: 

As reported on WalesOnline all four main political parties in Wales have pledged to adopt Welsh internet domain brands. Plaid Cymru, Welsh Labour, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats will switch their web domains to .cymru.wales when they become available later this year.