HUNDREDS TURN OUT TO PAY THEIR RESPECTS TO RHODRI
AT 11AM yesterday Cardiff Bay fell silent to remember a man who will go down in history as one of Wales’ greatest sons.
The funeral of former First Minister Rhodri Morgan was held at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.
Family, friends, political friends and foes, and constituents were among the hundreds who attended.
The Senedd itself was full, with hundreds more gathering outside to listen as the service was broadcast via speakers.
People passing the Senedd also stopped to pay tribute to a man whose contribution to Welsh political life cannot be overstated.
In keeping with the couple’s humanist beliefs, his widow, Julie, said she wanted the service to be a celebration of his life. Songs, poems and music filled the building during the two-hour ceremony.
There were tears of sorrow and tears of laughter as memories of Rhodri were shared.
His coffin, which was draped with a Welsh flag, was carried into the Senedd by members of his family.
His wife of 50 years, Julie, their three children and eight grandchildren were all present.
His coffin reposed at the front of the foyer next to a painting of Rhodri and his beloved dog, Tel.
His grandsons wore rugby and football shirts as a nod to their grandfather’s passion for Welsh sport.
For a man as passionate about Wales being an economic powerhouse of sport, it was more than apt that surrounding the Senedd preparations for the Champions League final continued.
The service was led by humanist celebrant and former AM Lorraine Barrett.
She said the strength of feeling for Rhodri was reflected in the numbers who had attended.
“I think it’s demonstrated how much he was revered and respected by the numbers of people here today.
“When people met him, they never forgot him. They counted him as a friend.”
Ms Barrett described him as “the people’s First Minister”, recounting how he refused the “trappings of state” that being First Minister brought.
She said he wouldn’t have wanted any “heavy mourning or hand-wringing”.
“He had a very pragmatic attitude to life and to death.
“The whole of Wales and beyond has been shocked and saddened at Rhodri’s sudden death, but however sad it may be it cannot compare to the grief and the shock felt by his family. He and Julie were soulmates for 53 years, having met in 1964 during an election campaign.”
Ms Barrett said: “I know that Rhodri was loved and very much treasured by his children and their partners. He was adored by the grandchildren.”
It was as much about Rhodri Morgan the politician and campaigner, as Rhodri Morgan the husband, father, grandfather and brother.
His “adoring” grandchildren – who knew him variously as Dadcu, Grandad, Bampi or Rhod – stood next to their grandmother in the front row.
The couple’s three children all spoke about their father, with Stuart reading a poem written by his son.
Daughters Siani and Mari had the audience sharing tears of laughter as they recounted their favourite childhood tales of growing up in the Morgan household.
Mari told mourners: “He was always glad to share up the knowledge, of course as a family we didn’t always appreciate this.
“There were a number of times that over the dinner table when you thought, ‘Oh God, someone’s mentioned the Cuban Missile Crisis – we’ll be here for hours.’ We would try to employ some sort of diversionary technique to divert the subject to something we knew something about.”
She said that Rhodri would often pick up hitchhikers as the family made their way from South Wales to their holiday caravan in Mwnt, Ceredigion.
“Partially because he had a captive audience there, because we never listened to him and it was an opportunity to share his knowledge about all his favourite places in Wales.
“I mean, quite what these unsuspecting backpackers made of this scruffy man, with wild hair and with a van full of kids because it was never just us, but our friends and other family members, and he would speak to them in German and almost certainly knew something about the region they were from.”
Siani shared a story about her “scruffy” dad.
Her sister had been given a doll by a school friend which had long shiny hair. The two sisters cut all the doll’s hair off, but the next day the friend told Mari she had only lent her the doll and she wanted it back.
“So Mari came home distraught because Mari was never one for breaking the rules, and said, ‘She wants the doll back.’
“And Rhod said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got an idea.’ And he had Julie, my mam, cut some of his curls off and with the Bostik he stuck them on the Pippa doll.
“Mari took this doll back to school the next day with Rhod’s hair stuck on it.”
His brother, Prys, opened the
tributes, telling the mourners his brother first decided he wanted to be a comedian – sending jokes to the Beano and Dandy “to earn a little extra pocket money”.
He said his brother got into politics while very young, despite not being from a political family. He told a tale of his brother confronting Sir Raymond Gower at a public meeting about the constitution of Cyprus – silencing the room.
Political colleagues Kevin Brennan, Paul Murphy, Carwyn Jones and Jane Hutt all paid tribute.
Mr Brennan said: “He saw the real potential of devolution before anyone else. Ironically, words cannot adequately capture this remarkable Welshman, this every man, this sometimes somewhat dishevelled figure with his unruly hair, who treated everyone equally and loved everyone of all races and backgrounds, particularly his Cardiff West constituents, who loved life and his family, particularly his grandchildren. He loved nature, to grow things in the soil, to swim with dolphins in Cardigan Bay. No words can adequately capture him.”
Mr Murphy said it was “no surprise” to him that Rhodri decided to become an Assembly Member. He described his friend of four decades as a “natural leader”.
Mr Jones read Dylan Thomas’ Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.
Carolyn Hitt recounted his love of sport, cousin Nia Powell described Rhodri as her “hero”, while Reverend Canon Aled Edwards OBE also shared stories. In his retirement, he had taken up a number of hobbies, including playing the piano.
His piano teacher, Sally Tarlton, played a tune he had been learning recently – Take the A Train.
Music also came from The Hennesseys, Dave Burns also sang Labour anthem Joe Hill, and Cor Cochion Caerdydd sang anti-Apartheid anthem Nkosi Sikelel.
In emotional moments Efan Morgan, Rhodri’s grandson, sang the opening of Calon Lan unaccompanied before a full rendition from those attending.
Two more of the Morgan grandchildren, Steffan and Johan, read a poem in English and Welsh that Steffan had written and his grandfather had loved.
Cwm Rhondda and – to end the service – Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau were also sung.
The coffin was carried out of the Senedd by members of Rhodri’s family and a warm, long round of applause broke out – lasting until Wales’ first First Minister was driven away from the Senedd for the last time. As his beloved family re-entered the Senedd, applause broke out again.
A service of farewell will be held at Wenallt Chapel, Thornhill Crematorium, today at 2pm.