Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol remembers Gwynfor Evans 20 years after his death

Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol will remember Gwynfor Evans with a special episode, 20 years after his death.

In the first episode of Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol, which airs on Sunday 21 September at 19.00 on S4C, we will hear from members of his family and someone who worked closely with the politician.

Gwynfor Evans made history when he was elected as Plaid Cymru’s first Member of Parliament in the Carmarthen by-election in 1966.

He led the party for over 30 years between 1945 and 1981, and his hunger strike campaign for a Welsh-language television channel led to the establishment of S4C.

But beyond his political beliefs, Gwynfor’s Christian faith was important to him—values that had an influence on his family.

His son, the Reverend Guto Prys ap Gwynfor said: “His influence is there daily. He was a Sunday School teacher. In class, he would discuss what was happening in the world—the news of the day but from a Christian perspective, seeing how it aligned with the thinking of Jesus and revelation in Jesus.

“My father was also an internationalist. He often said he was an internationalist before he was a nationalist. He saw his nationalism as part of a global pattern.”

Anti-imperialist

The Reverend ap Gwynfor, one of Gwynfor’s seven children, added: “He believed there were broadly two types of nationalism.

“One is the kind that believes every nation has the right to live its life fully without interference from other nations. The other kind is the belief that our nation is better than others and has the right to rule over other nations. That’s imperialism.

“And he would tell us in Sunday school that the Bible is the most anti-imperialist book that exists.”

According to Meinir Ffransis, Gwynfor’s daughter: “We were raised in Welsh traditions—not just nationalism but pacifism too. And he said himself that he was a pacifist before becoming a nationalist.”

Battle

Heledd ap Gwynfor, Gwynfor’s granddaughter, who now works for S4C, was a young girl during the campaign to establish a Welsh-language television channel.

Heledd said: “I was very young when that battle was happening. So, although my memories are faint, the photos bring that history to life for me too, and there are many pictures of me and my brother in the pushchair going to rallies and protests.

“And later, of course, we continued the tradition of protesting and attending rallies with Tadcu (grandfather). What stays in my memory is that I was aware Tadcu was an important and influential man, but more than that, many, many people were very fond of him and admired him.”

Peter Hughes-Griffiths worked closely with Gwynfor over the years. He said: “Many people will know, of course, about his sacrifice regarding the Welsh-language channel. But looking back at his life—a long, active life. People and historians now accept that Gwynfor changed the nature of politics in Wales and got people to perhaps think differently politically.”

As part of programming to remember Gwynfor, the BAFTA Cymru award-winning film Y Sŵn (The Noise), which follows the battle to establish S4C, will be repeated on 20 September at 22.30 on S4C and available on catch-up.