Plaid Cymru History

  • Remembering Phil Williams (1939 – 2003) in the Cardiff Eisteddfod

    At the Cardiff Eisteddfod at 11:45, Thursday, 9 August a meeting will be held to remember Phil Williams, Caerffili.

    The meeting is organised by Plaid Cymru History Society at the Societies 3 room in the Senedd, Cardiff Bay.

    Phil Williams inspired a whole generation to realise what Wales could achieve – only for us to have the right to govern our own lives.

    Dafydd Williams and Cynog Dafis will be recording his contribution to Wales, 50 years after the famous Caerphilly by-election.

    Translation facilities to English will be available.

     

    More 16/07/2018

  • Elwyn Roberts Lectures

    Elwyn Roberts, the anchor man of Plaid Cymru throughout much of the twentieth century, was the topic of the Plaid history society’s 2017 annual Eisteddfod lecture.  For all his apparent solid background in bank management, Elwyn Roberts was a committed and determined nationalist who put love of Wales before his professional career.

    His work for Wales was described by former Plaid leader Dafydd Wigley, historian Gwynn Matthews and Elwyn’s successor as party general secretary Dafydd Williams.  You can read the full text of their lectures and listen to a recording the session in the Societies’ tent in the 2017 National Eisteddfod in Ynys Môn.

     

    Memories of Elwyn Roberts

    Translation of the Address by Dafydd Wigley to the Plaid Cymru History Society,

    Eisteddfod Ynys Môn; August, 2017

    It is a pleasure to open this meeting to commemorate Elwyn Roberts, one of Plaid Cymru’s stalwarts, and appropriate ...

    More 14/01/2018

  • Tributes to Plaid Cymru ‘Anchor Man’

    Tributes have been paid at this year’s National Eisteddfod in Ynys Môn 2017 to Elwyn Roberts – one of the key figures in the development of Plaid Cymru during the 20th century.

    In a session arranged by the Plaid Cymru History Society the party’s Honorary President Dafydd Wigley said that Elwyn Roberts was an inspiration to a new generation.

    “He was a wholly practical nationalist who believed that success would be based on a sound political foundation”, he said.

    More 14/08/2017

  • John Osmond’s New Novel

    The years when Wales became a political nation: how 1979 turned into 1997

    Here you can listen to a recording of Plaid History chairman Dafydd Williams in conversation with John Osmond about his newly  published documentary novel Ten Million Stars Are Burning in Plaid Cymru’s Spring Conference in the Pavilion, Llangollen on Friday 23 March 2018. 

    The book is the first of a trilogy by the well-known writer and commentator John Osmond.  It traces the big changes in Wales between the two devolution referendums of 1979 and 1997 through the eyes of two fictional characters – and a host of real-life players!

    While the two principal characters are fictional, the novel presents a detailed factual account of the decade leading up to the first devolution referendum of 1979 by an author who played an active central role in the key events.  It is essential reading for all ...

    More 20/04/2018

  • Jim Criddle 1947 – 2017

    A Gentle Giant

    Helen Mary Jones pays tribute to Jim Criddle

    It was my privilege at Conference last month to present a posthumous long service award to the family of the late Jim Criddle, longstanding Plaid activist and councillor from Pontllanfraith.

    I’m told that Jim was at one time a Labour Party member, but it didn’t take him long to see the light. He was convinced by his old friend Malcolm Parker to stand for Plaid in a local council election in the early 70’s, and so began a lifetime of commitment to Plaid and a total of over 30 years’ service as a councillor.

    At the same time Jim set out to learn Welsh, which he did. Through these studies he met his wife, Rhian Heulyn, and the two raised a Welsh speaking family, Betsan, Geraint and Branwen. Working for Plaid became a family ...

    More 09/01/2018

  • Gordon Wilson, SNP – a tribute by Dafydd Wigley

    The former leader of the Scottish National Party Gordon Wilson died recently, aged 79. Gordon was a great friend of Wales. Plaid Cymru extends its sympathy to his widow Edith and the family, and to our friends in Scotland and beyond who will mourn his passing. His friend and former fellow MP Dafydd Wigley has made this special tribute.

    Gordon Wilson, SNP – a tribute by Dafydd Wigley

    Gordon was a great friend of Wales and a totally committed nationalist. We had met in the 1965 Plaid Cymru summer school in Machynlleth when he was National Secretary of the SNP, and he visited Wales on many occasions. We were both elected to Westminster in February 1974 and were colleagues during the fraught days of the 1978 Devolution Acts and the 1979 Referenda when the iniquitous 40% rule prevented Scotland from getting their ...

    More 29/06/2017