Memories of the Valleys boy who hit the Bullseye on TV
IAN Moses will be fondly remembered in Abercynon for his sport, his singing, his family and promoting his hometown before a nationwide audience of millions as a communal fount of knowledge.
On top of all that and his job and voluntary work for the community, Ian found time to compete in a starring role on Bullseye, the highly popular ITV game-show which ran for 25 years from 1981.
He didn’t just take part, he and his friend Ian Robinson walked off with the top prize, a brand new Mini.
Pairs of contestants took part, one to throw the darts, the other to answer questions on general knowledge. Robinson took aim at the board, Moses came up with the answers to a series of questions on a wide range of topics.
Once every rival had been seen off, they took delivery of the car, sold it and split the proceeds. Abercynon basked in the reflected glory of two local lads taking on the rest of Britain and coming out on top.
‘’The boys put Abercynon on the map,’’ Moses’ close friend, Phil Howells, said.
‘’One of the best nights we ever had in Abercynon was when they showed Bullseye in the Spy.’’
Ian Moses died suddenly at the age of 59.
‘’People were always coming up to him and saying: ‘Saw you on Bullseye,’ ‘’
Howells said in his eulogy. ‘’It made him somewhat of a celebrity and that lasted over the years to this day. He always had a passion for knowledge.’’
That took him to Lampeter University to study geology in what proved to be one of the shortest careers in higher education.
Friends tell of how Ian spent ten days there and seven of those because he was waiting for a game of football.
He spent 20 years as caretaker at Coleg y Cymoedd in Ystrad Mynach. ‘’Ian would say: ’It was never a chore, always a pleasure,’ ‘’ Howells told mourners at Moses’ funeral. ‘’He always had a kind word and a smile for everyone he met.
‘’While he was never afraid of hard work, Ian thought there were many more things in life, like family, friends, community and a good social life. And, of course, he was right.
In the 1990’s he sang lead vocals in a local group, The Score alongside Matthew and Tim Leek, Ian Dennett, Steve Gibbs and Richard Parfitt.
Ian was also a dedicated member of Cor Meibon, Abercyonon. He loved all music and had a tenor voice to do it justice.
Moses devoted a lifetime to sport. He played football for Carnetown, Abercynon and Rhigos, started playing for Abercynon Cricket Club at the age of 14.
He was still there, still stumping batsmen and making centuries for the Second XI more than 40 years later until a hip replacement forced him to hang up his wicket-keeping gloves.
‘’Ian was Abercynon through and through,’’ Howells said. ‘’He was often heard to say: ‘Why would anybody leave Abercynon when we have all this?’
‘’He loved the people, he loved the mountains and he loved the history of our town. We will always remember his smile and how content he was with life, a gentleman without a tie.
‘’We were all the better for having known him. He was the best of us.”
Ian Moses, born May 28, 1962, is survived by his wife, Sally, son Sean and daughter Roisin.