Saturday, February 21, 2004
Who is our Welsh hero?
I confess that I have not really paid that much attention to Culture Net Cymru's online poll of 100 Welsh Heroes. However, one politician has got a bee in his bonnett about the process and has started to throw accusations around of an underhand campaign to deprive Nye Bevan of the title. Given that Nye Bevan was just implementing policy recommendations from the Liberal, Ernest Beveridge, I can't say I am excited about whether he wins it or not. The alternative however, seems to be Owain Glyndwr, a fifteenth century of member of the landed gentry, who having been on the losing side in the Wars of the Roses, took his toys home and declared himself Prince of Wales. Whether his subsequent tactics could be classed as terrorism or guerilla warfare really depends on which freedom movement you want to compare him to. Either way he has become a Nationalist icon and I suspect that is Leighton Andrew's problem with him. This is one spat I do not want to get involved in so I am voting for Tom Jones. I urge you all to follow suit. You have until midnight on Monday 23 February to register your preference.
