Penri Jones, Author of Jabas, Councillor and Welsh language activist has died at the age of 78 years.
A tribute by Liz Saville Roberts:
Penri is well known to generations of Welsh people as the author who created the character Jabas. But there was much more to Penri: Author of a number of novels, a Welsh language teacher and a highly regarded local politician.
I had the privilege of working with Penri when Coleg Meirion Dwyfor opened in 1993. He was amongst a number of teachers who chose to come to the new college to be able to provide Welsh language education of the highest standard.
As well as working as a lead teacher, he represented Llanbedrog Community on Gwynedd Council as a Plaid Cymru councillor where he held the education portfolio for many years and played a key role in developing and implementing the county’s language policy.
Penri was also an union representative for the UCAC teachers’ union. On his request I joined UCAC, becoming the union representative after him, and following his encouragement I stood as a county councillor in 2004. Without his encouragement, I would never have ventured into politics. I have a significant personal debt to him.
Every sympathy to Mair and the family and to Penri’s many friends.