Welsh nationalism

Welsh nationalism () emphasises the distinctiveness of Welsh language, culture, and history, and calls for more self-determination for Wales, which may include more Devolved powers for the Welsh Assembly or full independence from the United Kingdom.

Conquest

Through most of its history before the Anglo-Norman Conquest, Wales was divided into several kingdoms. From time to time, rulers such as Hywel Dda and Rhodri the Great managed to unify many of the kingdoms, but their lands were divided on their deaths. Incursions from the English and Normans also amplified divisions between the kingdoms. In the 12th century, Norman king Henry II of England exploited differences between the three most powerful Welsh kingdoms, Gwynedd, Powys, and Deheubarth, allowing him to make great gains in Wales. He defeated and then allied with Madog ap Maredudd of Powys in 1157, and used this alliance to overwhelm Owain Gwynedd. He then turned on Rhys ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth, who finally submitted to him in 1171, effectively subjugating much of Wales to Henry's Angevin Empire.

The Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan renewed his call, in 2009, for the National Assembly to be granted full law-making powers, calling for a 'greater degree of self-determination' for Wales.

Plaid Cymru

Plaid Cymru was founded in the 1920s by Saunders Lewis and existing organisations Byddin Ymreolwyr Cymru and Y Mudiad Cymreig. Plaid Cymru returned its first Member of Parliament, Gwynfor Evans, in 1966 in the Carmarthen by-election, and today has three such representatives, along with fifteen Members of the 60 strong Welsh Assembly. Traditionally, support for the party is concentrated in rural Welsh-speaking areas of north and west Wales, whence all its MPs hail. In the late 1960s and 1990s the party enjoyed brief surges in support.

Other nationalist parties and movements

Cymru Goch ("Red Wales" or "Welsh Socialists"). Cymru Goch was founded in 1987 to fight for a free and socialist Wales. It published the monthly magazine Y Faner Goch (The Red Flag). In 2003, it became part of Forward Wales.

Cymru Annibynnol (Independent Wales). A political party founded in 2000 by some former members of Plaid Cymru under the leadership of John Humphries, a former journalist and editor of the Western Mail. The party fought the 2003 National Assembly elections by putting up candidates for the regional seats. Shortly after the election they dissolved. The main reason for its existence was unhappiness with the level of Plaid Cymru's commitment to independence.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society). Established in 1962 by members of Plaid Cymru, it is a pressure group campaigning for Welsh language rights. It uses non-violent direct action in its campaigning, and sees itself as part of the global resistance movement.

Cymuned (Community). A pressure group campaigning for Welsh language rights established in 2001, it mainly concentrates its efforts in the western parts of Wales where Welsh is the main community language. Also sees itself as part of global movements for the rights of indigenous peoples.

Cymdeithas Cyfamod y Cymry Rhydd (The Society of the Covenant of the Free Welsh). Established in 1987, again because of unhappiness with the level of Plaid Cymru's commitment to independence. They achieved publicity by producing their own Welsh passports.

Mudiad Adfer was a splinter group of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the Welsh language Society) in the 1970s. Taking its Welsh-only philosophy from the works and teachings of Owain Owain and Emyr Llewelyn, it believed in the creation of "Y Fro Gymraeg" - a monoglot region based on the existing Welsh language heartlands in the west of Wales. Adfer slowly disappeared from the scene in the late 1980s.

Mudiad Rhyddhad Cymru (Cymru Liberation Movement): A meeting took place in Flintshire on 10 January 2004 between representatives of Balchder Cymru, Cymru 1400, Medi 16, and the RDM. It was agreed during the meeting that all four organisations should amalgamate to form a stronger nationalist / republican movement. It is believed that such a move will strengthen the struggle for an independent Welsh republic. The new movement has been named 'Mudiad Rhyddhad Cymru' (MRC). Aims: a. To campaign for an independent Welsh republic; b. To defend Cymru, its language and culture.

Violent nationalism

Though mainstream nationalism in Wales has been constitutional, there have been violent movements associated with it. In 1952 a small republican movement, Y Gweriniaethwyr (The Republicans), were the first to use violence when they made an unsuccessful attempt to blow up a pipeline leading from the Claerwen dam in mid Wales to Birmingham.

In the 1960s two movements were established in protest against the drowning of the Tryweryn valley and the 1969 investiture of Charles, Prince of Wales: Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru ('Movement for the Defence of Wales', also known as MAC) and the "Free Wales Army" (also known as FWA, in Welsh Byddin Rhyddid Cymru). MAC were responsible for numerous bombing attacks on water pipelines and power lines across Wales. On the eve of the investiture two members of MAC, Alwyn Jones and George Taylor, died as the bomb they were planting on the railway line to be used by the Royal Train exploded.

The late 1970s and the 1980s saw an organisation calling itself Meibion Glyndŵr (the sons of Glyndŵr) responsible for a spate of arson attacks against holiday homes throughout Wales. In the 1970s, a Welsh Socialist Republican Army arose, whose initials in Welsh spelt out the English word "DAWN".

See also

Meibion Glyndŵr

Irish nationalism and independence

Scottish independence

Irish republicanism

Ulster nationalism

Cornish self-government movement

English nationalism

Breton nationalism (Brittany)

Pan-Celticism

Modern Celts

Celtic Congress

Celtic League (political organisation)

List of active autonomist and secessionist movements

Gethin ap Gruffydd

References

Sources/bibliography

Clewes, Roy (1980), To dream of freedom: the struggle of M.A.C. and the Free Wales Army. Talybont: Y Lolfa. ISBN 0-904864-95-2.

Davies, John (Ed.) (1981), Cymru'n deffro: hanes y Blaid Genedlaethol, 1925-75. Talybont: Y Lolfa. ISBN 0-86243-011-9. A series of essays on the history of the first fifty years of Plaid Cymru.

Davies, R. R (1997) The Revolt of Owain Glyn Dwr. Oxford, OUP, ISBN 0-19-285336-8.

Morgan, K. O. (1971), 'Radicalism and nationalism'. In A. J. Roderick (Ed.), Wales through the ages. Vol II: Modern Wales, pp. 193–200. Llandybïe: Christopher Davies (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN 0-7154-0292-7.

Williams, G. A, When Was Wales?: A History of the Welsh. London. Black Raven Press, ISBN 0-85159-003-9

Humphries, John, "Freedom Fighters: Wales' forgotten war, 1963-1993," Cardiff, University of Wales Press, ISBN 978-0-7083-2177-5.

External links

Category:Secession in the United Kingdom Category:Celtic nationalism Category:Nationalism by country or region