The Welsh-Language Media

• NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES
• RADIO
• TELEVISION
• FILMS
• INTERNET
• Internet Radio

Newspapers and Magazines

Golwg (‘A Look’) is a young, lively magazine based firmly in the colloquial language. It comes out every Thursday and currently costs £1.25 in the shops. Mynd (‘Go’), Prentis (‘Apprentice’) and from the Golwg team, the bi-monthly Lingo Newydd (‘New Lingo’) are designed specifically for Welsh learners. Selected material from Golwg, Mynd and Prentis is available on CD-ROM for £25 (+VAT) from MEU Cymru. The Welsh learners’ organisation Cyngor y Dysgwyr (CYD) publishes Cadwyn (‘Chain’), ‘the magazine for Welsh speakers and learners’, three times a year. It’s free.

The Welsh-language youth organisation Urdd Gobaith Cymru publishes the following monthly magazines: Cip (for first-language Welsh primary-school pupils); Bore Da (for primary-school Welsh learners); and IAW! (for secondary-school Welsh learners, Keystage 3–4). They cost a pound or less per copy, and can be bought in Welsh bookshops, or by subscription from the Urdd. The subscription year starts in September and runs for 10 months. [Diolch Tony]

Ninnau (‘Ourselves’), aimed at the Welshfolk of North America, incorporates Y Monitor Cymreig (‘The Welsh Monitor’). In autumn 2003 it merged with Y Drych (‘The Mirror’), which now exists as a section within Ninnau and Y Drych [Diolch i Arturo Roberts]. Yr Enfys (‘The Rainbow’) aims “to forge close and abiding worldwide links between Wales and the people of Welsh descent and friends of the language, culture and traditions of Wales”. Some information about the history of Yr Enfys can be found at http://www.egy.com/landmarks/95-05-27.shtml. Both these papers contain some Welsh, though how much exactly I’m not sure.

Wales is well-supplied with papurau bro, Welsh-language community newspapers with a very local circulation. For example, Y Dinesydd (‘The Citizen’) will keep you in touch with what’s on in Cardiff. There is also a website at http://www.dinesydd.uklinux.net, though it may not be currently maintained. You can find a list of papurau bro at the Cymru-Catalunya website: http://www.estelnet.com/catalunyacymru/catala/newyddion_papurau_bro_1c.htm, and another provided by Y Lolfa: http://www.ylolfa.com/cyfeiriadur/papurau.shtml.

Those with a reasonable level of Welsh may be interested in Barn (‘Opinion’) and Y Cymro (‘The Welshman’), which also has an online news service, not to mention Taliesin, a literary review published quarterly by the Academi Gymreig (Welsh Academy), which also publishes A470 every two months, and Lol (‘Nonsense’), a rather more scurrilous publication. The famous Welsh newspaper Y Faner (Baner ac Amserau Cymru, ‘The Banner and Times of Wales’) is no more, but a new publication called Y Faner Newydd (‘The New Baner’) now exists.

Radio

You can often receive these stations outside Wales, if you’re within reach of the relevant transmitters. But the good news for the rest of us is that you can now listen to Radio Cymru on the internet, or in the UK by satellite, if you have Sky Digital (channel EPG channel 904 apparently).

Believe it or not there is even a Welsh-language programme on SBS Radio Sydney in Australia: http://www.sbs.com.au/radio/welsh/welsh.html. “SBS Radio is an independent source of Welsh news and current affairs and also entertainment for all Australians interested in the language and culture of Wales.” To hear the output, a weekly hour-long programme in RealAudio, mostly music with some talk, go to http://www.sbs.com.au/radio_new, choose “streaming radio on demand” and pick Welsh from the languages available.

Wales Radio International (http://wri.cymru.net), based in Crymych, Pembrokeshire, broadcasts a weekly half-hour programme in English called Celtic Notes on short wave and satellite, and has recorded material available on the internet. Details at http://wri.cymru.net/celtic/notes/notidx.htm. You can download the last few programmes in mp3 format. The files are big of course, several megabytes in size.

See also Internet Radio below.

Television

But help is now at hand for those out of reach of terrestrial Welsh-language television: S4C is now available via satellite (Sky Digital) anywhere in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland. If you have Sky Digital it’s free for the asking: call 08705 663363, quoting the number on your viewing card. The Welsh version of BBC2, which has the occasional Welsh-language programme, is yours already on Channel 965. Alternatively, contact the S4C viewers’ hotline, Gwifren Gwylwyr S4C, on 0870 600 4141, or mail gwifren@s4c.co.uk.

S4C also has a sort of moderated chatroom-cum-bulletin-board called Siop Siarad (‘Talking-shop’), where you can discuss S4C programmes and ask questions about S4C.

The Welsh learning materials company, Acen, publishes a free magazine for Welsh learners three times a year, available by post or through Welsh for Adults classes. [Diolch i Laura Ketteridge]

Films

• Hedd Wyn (a.k.a. ‘The Armageddon Poet’)
• Gadael Lenin (a.k.a. ‘Leaving Lenin’)
• Ymadawiad Arthur (a.k.a. ‘Arthur’s Departure’)
• Cwm Hyfryd (a.k.a. ‘The Beautiful Valley’)
• Un Nos Ola Leuad (a.k.a. ‘One Full Moon’)
• Rhosyn a Rhith (a.k.a. ‘Coming Up Roses’)
• Solomon a Gaenor (a.k.a. ‘Solomon and Gaenor’; produced in two versions, one mainly in Welsh and one mainly in English)
• Pum Cynnig i Gymro (a.k.a. ‘Bride of War’)

You can find plot synopses of many Welsh films at http://www.s4c.co.uk/festivals/ or the International Movie Database, http://us.imdb.com. Mark Woods’ website about Welsh film, Sinema Cymru (Cinema Wales), is at at http://www.MarkLeslieWoods.Com. Cadi Llwyd, http://www.cadi-llwyd.com, is one place you can buy videos on the Internet if you can’t get them in the shops near you (see WHERE TO BUY THINGS).

Internet

The BBC’s online Welsh-language news service Cymry’r Byd (‘Welshfolk of the World’) – billed as “the world’s first daily Welsh-language newspaper” – carries Welsh, UK and international news, sport and features, and has a searchable news archive and an e-mail newsletter (see below). The BBC also has a news service aimed specifically at learners called Dyma’r Newyddion (‘Here Is The News’) at http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/catchphrase/dymarnewyddion/.

Y Cymro has a news website at http://www.y-cymro.co.uk (ycymro.co.uk is now defunct). Yet more Welsh news can be found at http://www.north-wales.com/wnews/index.htm, courtesy of North Wales Online.

Bob Evans’ e-zine for learners, Y Wennol (‘The Swallow’) can be found at http://wennol.co.uk (e-mail bobwennol@aol.com). It sadly ceased to be produced in January 2002, but back numbers are still worth a read. Old issues (1995–97) of Tafod Tafwys (‘Thames Tongue’), a newsletter for the London Welsh, can be found at http://www.aboi92.ukgateway.net/tafodtafwys.html.

Finally, the BBC has two e-mail newsletters. Cymru’r Byd ‘has links to the best of the week’s stories on the BBC Cymru’r Byd website’. To join, mail Majordomo@lists.bbc.co.uk with the the command subscribe cymru in the body of the message. Catchphrase, the BBC radio/online Welsh course for beginners, has its own English-language newsletter (not a forum for discussion) with a wide variety of news for Welsh learners whether or not they are following the course: Welsh history, culture and current affairs as well as language matters. To join, mail Majordomo@lists.bbc.co.uk with the the command subscribe catchphrase in the body of the message, or visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/catchphrase/catchphrase2000/mail.shtml. Highly recommended.

Internet Radio

Details of how and when BBC Wales/Cymru stations can be heard online are at http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/programmes/audiovideo.shtml.

See also E-MAIL LISTS for e-mail lists, message boards, newsgroups and chatrooms.

Contact Details

NOTE: This sort of information soon goes out of date. Corrections and updates are very welcome, either at .

Golwg

Lingo Newydd

Cadwyn

Cip, Bore Da and IAW!

Ninnau

Yr Enfys

Barn

Y Dinesydd

Barn

Lol

Taliesin

A470

Y Faner Newydd

Acen