Note: this is the history I would pass to my children if I had any, in lieu of that I pass it on to my nephews and to you my readers--Karl

THIS IS OUR HISTORY!

To be Welsh it is not solely enough to hang out a flag, celebrate St. David's Day with sending Grandmother daffodils, and to have several recordings of choirs or folk tunes.  To be Welsh means a pride in your heritage, it means knowing your language (at least a little of it), it means knowing your history with your own heroes, it means knowing your literature and your music, it means knowing your faith (and the importance it played in keeping the light of THE FAITH alive), it means embracing the very essence of what it is to be a child of CYMRU.  

I shall embark on a journey to pass on to you that essence of CYMRU that I hope will lead you on a path of healthy pride in who you are; and, in time, that you will also be able to pass that same essence on to your followers.

CYMRU is the nation on the west coast of Britain,  and it is one of the seven Celtic nations (Ireland, Scotland, Mann, Cornwalls, Brittany, Galacia, and Wales).  We are the original people who settled Britain.  We were dispossessed of our lands and forced west by the invading Saxons. Our right to our own nation has been opposed by the Romans, the Saxons, the Normans, and now the British; but as a people we have survived and have flourished in many ways.

To reach a timetable of our earliest history; push this button

To read a very good history of our nation; push this button

To learn about (and see) castles  in our nation's history; push this button

Welsh National Anthem

Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi,

The land of my fathers is dear unto me,

Gwlad beirdd a chantorion, enwogion o fri;

Old land where the minstrels are honoured and free:

Ei gwrol ryfelwyr, gwladgarwyr tra mad,

Its warring defenders, so gallant and brave,

Tros ryddid collasant eu gwaed.

For freedom their life's blood they gave.

Gwlad, gwlad, pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad,

Country (Wales), Country (Wales), true am I to my Country (Wales),

Tra mor yn fur i'r bur hoffbau,

While seas secure this land so pure,

O bydded i'r heniaith barhau.

O may our old language endure

We have a language; it is a language that is distinct, ancient and living!  Our Language is a Celtic one, and scholars say that it is one of (if not the) oldest languages spoken in Europe.  It is a language of bards and scholars,  of poets and preachers, of ancient manuscripts and modern TV; it is a language that links us back into the depths of history and leads us into the future.  

To learn the history and status of Welsh as a language; push this button

Push this button to find an On-Line course to learn how to speak Welsh.

For helpful phrases in Welsh and help with Welsh grammar; push this button

Push this button to hear a short excerpt of the spoken Welsh language. (Press "stop" button on the Crescendo pad to stop the music before listening to this link.)

Idioms add flavor to the spoken tongue; push this button

CYMRU has blessed its people and the world with a seemingly unending supply of poets and writers of prose; from the bards of the Dark and Middle Ages on through to writers of today.  Experience them to their fullest.

To read excerpts from some of our greatest authors (in Welsh); push this button

Push this button to read from a wide selection of the Poetry of  CYMRU

To enjoy Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales; push this button

Push this button for a fine article on R.S. Thomas.

To visit  Cfarwydd, the storyteller; push this button

Push this button to visit the National Library of Wales

If you are to truely feel the essence of CYMRU; you must also explore and discover the culture of our people--our art, our music, our theatre, and our festivals.  Our contributions to the cultural world is much more than Richard Burton and Tom Jones.  We are known for our Choirs, enjoy them but also listen to  and appreciate the other forms of music that we have contributed to.  Visit our museums and experience them. And more than any other place, the Eisteddfod will give you the very essence of Welsh Culture.

Push this button to read an excellent article on our Cultural Traditions

Push this button to visit the 1997 Eisteddfod.

Push this button to  explore the National Museum and Galleries of Wales.

Push this button to view the Oriel-Cambria Virtual Gallery of Welsh art.

Push this button to experience what is happening in Popular Music in CYMRU.

Push this button to find out about contemporary Traditional music.

Push this button to go to one of our many Choirs.

Push this button to find a collection of  traditional recipes from CYMRU

Credo'r Apostolion

Credaf yn Nuw, y Tad hollalluog, creawdwr nefoedd adaear.

Credaf yn Iesu Grist, ei unig Fab, ein Harglwydd. Fe'i

cenhedlwyd trwy nerth yr Ysbryd Glân a'i eni o'r Forwyn

Fair. Dioddefodd dan Pontius Pilat, fe'i croeshoeliwyd, bu

farw, ac fe'i cladddwyd. Disgynnodd i blith y meirw. Ar y

trydydd dydd fe atgyfododd. Fe esgynnodd i'r nefoedd ac y

mae'n eistedd ar ddeheulaw'r Tad. Fe ddaw drachefn i

farnu'r byw a'r meirw.

Credaf yn yr Ysbryd Glân, yr Eglwys sanctaidd gatholig,

cymundeb y saint, maddeuant pechodau, atgyfodiad y

corff a'r bywyd tragwyddol. Amen.

The Church and the Faith of our people has been an important aspect of who we are as as children of Cymru.  Over the centuries it has helped mold us as a people, provide us with an identity, and helped (in many ways) to preserve our language.  It is important to recognize the importance of our Faith, and its role both personally and collectively in our lives and in life of our beloved CYMRU.

To explore the ancient CELTIC CHURCH, push this button

Push this button to read quotes from the great saints of the CELTIC
CHURCH and its timeline

For one Parish's history from ancient days up to our present time, push this button.

Push this button to read a  good history of the Church in Cymru from a
Roman Catholic perspective.

As I stated at the top of this page; this is an attempt to pass on a history, a pride  in one's lineage, to others.  I  have included the aspects that seemed most important to me and I hope that they are helpful for my nephews Matthew, Ryan , and Zachery.  If, in the mean time, they prove helpful to others all the better.

This is by no means a complete list of all there is to know about CYMRU or a fraction of the links to Welsh sites on the WWW.

Push this button for an extensive list of links dealing with CYMRU.

For a searchable index of CYMRU, push this button

Push this button for a GREAT TOURISM site.

For the National Welsh-American Foundation, push this button

I wish to thank all the people who have created the wonderful sites that I have linked to on this page; and the artists who have created the artwork that  graces this page.  A special thank you goes to Wales-Direct; as it was through their site that I first began discovering how much information on and about CYMRU was available on the Web.

I would greatly appreciate finding out what others feel about what I have done on this page; if  you know of other links that should be included--please let me know.  

--KARL WELSHER

Push this button to find out more about KARL.

To find out what CYMRU means to him personally; push this button.

Push this button to send e mailto Karl.

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