Plaid Cymru History

A New Novel by John Osmond was launched at a fringe meeting of the Plaid Cymru Conference at Llandudno on 3 October 2026.

This documentary novel, the second of two Volumes, tells the story of the political and cultural events that unfolded between 1979 and the knife edge referendum in 1997.

John Osmond discussed the novel with Marc Phillips at the fringe meeting

 

 

 

John Owen was born at Tŷ’n Coed, Tregaian on Anglesey in August 1940. Indeed, many still knew him as ‘John Tŷ’n Coed’, and the farm and its surrounding areas in the shadow of Mynydd Bodafon were very important to him throughout his life. He went to Capel Coch School and received a solid foundation at Tŷ Mawr chapel in the village. His father and brother were prominent figures there, and his nephew Trystan is now a deacon there. 

After his secondary education at Llangefni School he went on to study Welsh at Aberystwyth University. But it was subsequently, after going to study theology in Bangor, that one of the turning points of his life came, as it was there that he met Mam, Ann Ellis from Aberdaron. 

It was in Bangor too that his ...

Tribute to Phyllis Ellis

by Siân Gwenllian M.S.

During the Senedd election count, as it became increasingly clear that Plaid Cymru was on course to become the largest party in the Senedd for the first time in our history, I and candidates across Wales felt a profound sense of responsibility.

But alongside the intensity of that moment, there was also reflection. Many of us found ourselves thinking about those who had built the movement over decades, long before government felt within reach.

Some of those people were not there to see the result. One of them was Phyllis Ellis of Penisarwaun.

It is deeply poignant that Phyllis died on 18 April 2026, just over a fortnight before she might have seen Plaid Cymru form a government.

That timing was felt strongly by those of us who knew her and knew ...