Time to sing it loud and proud!
IS it me or is the early part of 2024 flying by? Today, we are less than a week away from March 1, a month that brings some very big events for us here in Wales. March 1 on Friday is of course our National Day here in Wales and this year I’m quite excited as I will be spending St David’s Day in the great city of St Davids in Pembrokeshire along with a number of Welsh food and drinks suppliers.
Two days later on March 3 I will be returning to one of my great loves and that’s broadcasting on local radio on Swansea Bay Radio with a Sunday morning Breakfast Show which I’m very happy about.
There’s a big sporting date on the March calendar as well!
Now, Welsh rugby must forgive me because whilst our national side have important Six Nations home fixtures against France and Italy, the big one comes on March 21 as
Cymru (football) play Finland in Cardiff.
This is a very important play-off game which Cymru needs to win to qualify for this summer’s European Championships in Germany.
The past 10 years have been very successful for our national side and our 2016 experience in France will never be forgotten!
One of the most memorable features of this period of success has been the support of Cymru from all parts of our country, the Red Wall have won friends the world over.
I will never forget the emotion when at the opening game against Slovenia when Cymru fans sang our National Anthem Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.
Within seconds my eyes welled up with tears and for a moment I was embarrassed – crying at a football match, before it’s even kicked off, there are people here I know!
However, as I looked around I couldn’t help noticing that I wasn’t the only one as many men, women and children wearing red were doing the same, all singing the anthem with tears streaming down their cheeks and hands on their heart just like my dad always did! That’s one of the major secrets of the success of the national side, the Red Wall.
Whenever we walk out of the Cardiff City Stadium following a home game I pass coaches from Bangor, Caernarvon, Ynys Mon, Wrecsam and Bae Colwyn, where we once lived waiting for fans who have a five-hour journey home (at least).
I do remember whilst travelling on the tram to the stadium in Bordeaux rammed with Cymru fans all singing Calon Lan and the anthem.
Amongst them was an older fan, who had maybe had a drink or two but was belting out Mae Hen Wlad
Fy Nhadau with incredible passion!
It was obvious that he loved his country and loved our anthem but there was just one problem!
He didn’t have a clue of the words but it didn’t matter he was a proud Welshman and everyone was proud to sing with him (with the right words!)
However, in fairness to that dear fan on the tram he might have struggled but he knew more than John Redwood did during his attempt to sing the anthem in 1993 when as newly appointed Welsh Secretary he was embarrassingly videotaped opening and closing his mouth when the anthem was played, clearly ignorant of the words but unable to mime convincingly.
I wonder if the writers of this beautiful song ever thought it would become one of the world’s most popular national anthems.
Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau was written in 1856 by a father and son living in Pontypridd,evan and James James, and sing it solo or belt it out with friends our anthem is guaranteed to get the hairs standing on the back of your neck.
So if you have a ticket for the Wales game against Finland sing it loud.
However, if you struggle with the words or get tangled with gwrol rhyfelwyr or gwladgarwyr tra mâd then Saysomethinginwelsh have created a free mini course to help people learn the Welsh National Anthem – just in time for the next Wales match.
So Pob lwc Cymru in those March fixtures, football and rugby!
However you can be sure that when the announcer asks fans to stand and sing the anthem we will all sing it out loud and proud: Mae hen wlad fy nhadau yn annwyl i mi – This land of my fathers is dear to me!
Ymlaen Cymru!