The Cymry or the true history of Britain.

originally posted by: Gallowglaich
Well, try posting about the Scottish, that will get the English panties in a twist even more, particularly if you talk about the claymores used on English necks.

When my mother tired of her Killiecrankie landlady endlessly expounding the superiority of the Highlanders she plucked up the courage to say, "But it was an Englishman who jumped the river at Soldiers Leap." Without missing a beat her landlady replied, "Aye. But it was a BRAW HIGHLANDER WITH A DIRK WHO WAS CHASING HIM!"

That wisecrack was made 60 years ago. Did it make you laugh today?

You've probably heard this one.
Redcoats marching through the glen. Highlander appears above them, lifts kilt and casts insults. English commander says "Two men, up there, kill him." Highlander disappears over ridge followed by two redcoats. Noise of short struggle followed by Highlander re-appearing to cast more insults. "Twenty men, up there, kill him." Same result. "Two hundred men, up there, kill him." This time one redcoat comes running back, wild eyed, clothes in tatters.
"It's a trick sir! There's two of them!"

originally posted by: urbanghost

As for what druids practice now, there are no written accounts of the ancient druid practices that are held as true. They never wrote anything down themselves as they practiced an oral tradition.

They didn't use written records because it weakens the memory. Can't remember where I read that.

a reply to: Kester

Haha, very funny...

That's if it was a joke

a reply to: urbanghost

How was Owain Glyndwr ruler of Wales in the 14th and early 15th century if they have ruled us since the 13th century? I think you need to read up on your history a bit.

Glyn Dwr's rebel statelet in Wales lasted just nine years — 1400 to 1409 — during which time its territory did nothing but shrink, until it vanished. That is what you mean by 'ruled Wales in the 14th and early 15th centuries'. I suppose that's also how a 3,000-foot molehill like Snowdonia comes to be called a mountain.

Glyn Dwr was able to hold out because the English at that time were distracted by the Wars of the Roses, a period when the Crown of England was contested by rival houses and various local barons warred for advantage against each other, constantly changing allegiance from Yorkist to Lancastrian as suited their convenience. In other words, England at that time was a failed state without any real governance. And they still defeated Glyn Dwr and his little lot.

And by the way this Welsh patriot was happy to serve under a number of English masters, such as Richard II, John of Gaunt and Lord Bolingbroke.

There is no mainstream hypothesis that says the genetic differences are because the welsh were found unattractive. That is just made up and slightly offensive.

Can't slip anything by a Welshman, can you?

Don't take my comments any more seriously than I take yours. If it's any consolation, remember that the Tudors were descended from a Welshman, Owen Tudur. That's right: Henry VII, Henry VIII (he of the six wives), 'Bloody' Mary, Edward VI and Elizabeth I: all were of Welsh descent. And the Tudor period was formative for England.

originally posted by: crayzeed
It is a dead language. Example. What is welsh for computer. The only way anyone could come up with another word that is not computer is that a group of people who will not let a language die make up a word.

Having lived in many parts of Wales I cannot agree it's a dead language, but you do have a point about new words. I had to stifle a laugh one day when sitting next to some young welshmen having an animated discussion in their first language. All I heard was "Garble garble garble garble garble... +++king twelve pounds fifty!"

a reply to: Danbones

How embarrassing. I should have read the entire thread before repeating the version I heard. All we need now is someone to tell us a version in which the two are English.

a reply to: stumason

It's a true joke. I did read it somewhere and it certainly seems to make sense.

a reply to: Kester

Had to laugh even though I'm English. In fact when I first read Red Coats I thought of Butlins - shame on my history.

a reply to: Kester
A case of Dic, Sion, Dafydd
Rainbows
Jane

a reply to: stumason

And once again, you're being selective about which evidence you look at. He had a mother too

his mother, with her father being Thomas ap Llewelyn, was descended from Duke Henri of Bar III and Eleanor Plantagenet, those being his Grandparents.

If you read my post properly you will see I mentioned his mother, or did you just ignore that bit? I think you will find this is very wrong. Here is what is known about Owain's supposed maternal grandmother.
"Eleanor of England Countess of Bar was credited with a daughter also called Eleanor, who supposedly married a Welshman named Llywelyn ap Owain. Henry VII, the first Tudor king of England, was recorded as their descendant. Whilst no contemporary evidence for this daughter exists, except several later recorded pedigree by the college of Arms, caution is excised as it is possible Tudor historians may have invented her to give Henry VII additional royal blood on his father’s side."
So there is no evidence that his supposed mother even existed.

In fact, he was so Welsh, he was educated in England and served in the English Army

So that means he is not Welsh? I studied in an English university and joined the British army. Does that makes me less Welsh? That's the most ridiculous comment posted so far on this thread.

have done, proved you wrong...

Just saying it doesn't make it so. Try reading some history books instead of Wikipedia.

There are some stones in Wales that are very different to the usual celtic style. These stones have eight & six spoke wheels and there are a few with spirals.

The pattern designs on this are totally different to any other stone found in Wales. It looks more like a mauri tattoo design than Celtic. No I am not saying it is mauri before anyone jumps on that, it just reminds me of that type of design.

What I want to know is, is there any European significance to this design. I know about the Buddhist use and the wheel of the year used in wicca, but is there any other meaning to it?

a reply to: Astyanax

Glyn Dwr was able to hold out because the English at that time were distracted by the Wars of the Roses

The War of the Roses was between 1455 and 1487. Owain Glyndwr died about 1415.

Glyn Dwr's rebel statelet in Wales lasted just nine years — 1400 to 1409 —

During that time Owain held land from north wales to Cardiff, nearly the whole of Wales. He was only pushed back because the English army had artillery, without this they wouldn't have won.

And they still defeated Glyn Dwr and his little lot.

Owain Glyndwr wasn't defeated, he was never killed or captured. He refused two pardons from the king of England and was never given up by the Welsh, even though there were enormous rewards for doing so. He died of old age.

I suppose that's also how a 3,000-foot molehill like Snowdonia comes to be called a mountain.

Its called a mountain because it is one. 1000 foot is classed as a mountain, so that makes it 3 times the height needed to be called one.

a reply to: urbanghost

What I want to know is, is there any European significance to this design. I know about the Buddhist use and the wheel of the year used in wicca, but is there any other meaning to it?

Sun wheels are common on Babylonian carvings:



And in Celtic art (here on the Gundestrup cauldron):



Norse (Gotland)




Spirals are found all over the Pictish stones:

a reply to: angelchemuel

I don't understand?

originally posted by: Kester
a reply to: angelchemuel

I don't understand?

A Welshman who denies his mother language is called Dic Siôn Dafydd, which means Unloyal Welshman, it is an old poem.

In the poem Jac Glan -y -Gors an ignorant illiterate Welshman travelled from the countryside to the city of London. He became very rich as a clothing merchant. But he hides his roots and pretends that he has completely forgotten he is Welsh. But in the end, he loses his business and returns to Wales poor to suffer the shame of his countrymen, including his mother.

a reply to: urbanghost

Thank you.

Perhaps you can answer this one.

A friends partner was walking at night through fields when a terrible scream tore through the night. Looking up she saw a black leopard on a branch directly above her. She panicked, as most of us would, and ran through the brambles. Arriving back at their bender tent with bleeding legs she told him what she'd seen. He then understood the ominous feelings he'd occasionally had while they were camped in that North Wales field.

A few days later he went to the local pub and told her story. He was told, "We've seen them, or fathers have seen them, our grandfathers have seen them. We call them ........." But he couldn't remember the Welsh word for these cats.

Do you know the Welsh name for the black leopards which roam Albion? I've seen several, in Wales, Devon, Somerset and here in Gloucestershire. I know they're here, but they are very elusive.

a reply to: Kester
Are you thinking of the Cŵn Annwn?

a reply to: urbanghost

In North Wales, we tend to use it to describe, especially children, who are learning both languages at the same time (bi-lingual) who use a mix of both languages.
I remember my sister aged about 6 or 7 coming into the house and asking "Is the cinio barod yet?"

Rainbows
Jane

a reply to: angelchemuel
If I remember right there is also an old pibgorn tune of the same name.

a reply to: Kester

Oh my....now you've freaked me out!!!!
I'll be moving down to Cheltenham 'ish later in the summer. Anyhow, about 14 years ago we I was driving down the Fosse Way. It was very late at night, the kids and the now ex were asleep in the car. As anyone who has driven the Fosse knows, there are some pretty long straight stretches of road which go up and down the hills. It was pitch black except for the headlights. As I was heading down a hill, from the left side appeared a huge...and I mean huge black cat, it paused very briefly in the middle of the road as I hit the anchors, starred straight at me with amazing green eyes and scarpered across the road. I had hit the breaks so hard the family woke up. I have been on safari's I have seen black panthers in captivity. This cat was bigger than any black panther I have ever seen, but it most definitely looked like a panther. Its shoulder was easily the height of the bonnet of the car (a Mondeo).

I had no idea they had been spotted in that area.
Anyway, back on topic. They can't be Cwn Annwn....that's dogs. I know what I saw was very real and not some sort of mythological spectre.

Rainbows
Jane