Dafydd Elis-Thomas remembered in poignant documentary this weekend

First Minister Eluned Morgan has joined other prominent figures across Wales to pay tribute to Dafydd Elis-Thomas, who died on 7 February aged 78 following a short illness, in a documentary on S4C.

In a poignant programme Cofio Dafydd Elis-Thomas that will be broadcast this Sunday at 8:30pm the First Minister praises Dafydd’s role in pioneering Wales’ political evolution.

She says: “(Dafydd was) a man who was passionate about his country, passionate towards the language and culture.

“Without Dafydd I don’t think we would live in the Wales we live in now.”

Dedication

Dafydd Elis-Thomas’ career was defined by a strong dedication for his country and the preservation of the Welsh language.

He was a key figure in the campaign for a Welsh language TV channel and, most notably, the push for Welsh devolution.

Also in Cofio Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Rhodri Williams, a close friend and ex-chair of Welsh language campaign organisation Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, reflects on a defining moment in his career:

“Dafydd had been campaigning for this (Welsh Assembly) all his adult life. It was the culmination of his political work. He brought all his experience of the House of Commons and the House of Lords to the Assembly – no one else would have been able to.”

Push back

With contributions from several Welsh prominent politicians, including Dafydd Wigley, Rhun ap Iorwerth, colleagues and friends, the programme shares a reflective look at his remarkable career in Westminster, the House of Lords, and the National Assembly for Wales (now known as the Senedd).

Speaking of his tenure as the first Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales, Professor Laura McAllister, a friend and political academic, said: “Dafydd understood that the role of the Presiding Officer was very new.

“He used the role of the Presiding Officer to push back against the establishment and to try to create some kind of space for a different kind of politics.”

The programme also shares anecdotes of the person behind the political victories: a passionate, intellectual, and unapologetically bold figure whose influence continues to shape Welsh politics today.

Cofio Dafydd Elis-Thomas airs on Sunday 16 March at 20.30, and will also be available to stream on demand on S4C Clic & iPlayer