Campaign group restores defaced Tryweryn memorial

Stephen Price

A grassroots Welsh independence youth group has restored a defaced tribute to the original Tryweryn memorial, which they say was defaced by ‘cowardly British nationalists’.

Welsh independence advocacy group Yes Cymru created their replica of the iconic Cofiwch Dryweryn (Remember Tryweryn) mural located on a mountain pass named ‘The Bwlch’, near Treorci.

The original Cofiwch Tryweryn mural is near Llanrhystud, Ceredigion, and serves as a powerful symbol of Welsh nationalism and a protest against the 1965 flooding of the Welsh-speaking village of Capel Celyn to create a reservoir for Liverpool.

The event is a significant historical grievance, highlighting the lack of Welsh political agency at the time, and a number of replica images have appeared across Wales throughout the 2020s following repeated vandalism targeted towards the original.

The group wrote on Instagram: This evening, Mudiad Eryr Wen activists have restored the Cofiwch Dryweryn mural on the Bwlch to its original state.

“The mural, painted by YesCymru, was recently vandalised by cowardly British nationalists skulking about in the shadows. Our activists have cleaned up mess on the Bwlch once before, and they will happily do so again.

“Cofiwch Dryweryn!”

Mudiad Eryr Wen has made headlines recently after painting over a number of English place names across Ceredigion, with the inclusion of the emblem of the Free Wales Army – a Welsh nationalist paramilitary organisation formed in Lampeter in Ceredigion (formerly Cardiganshire) by Julian Cayo-Evans in 1963.

The group has also raised awareness of over-tourism on Welsh speaking heartlands, with a recent protest titled, ‘A nation, not a hotel’.

Mudiad Eryr Wen describe themselves as a brand new and energetic approach to defending our nation and campaigning for our eventual independence. They say they are “a movement and community created by the youth, for the youth”.

According to the group: “Our nation stands upon a precipice. Westminster is growing increasingly heavy-handed towards devolution and nationalism in both Cymru and in Scotland, second home ownership and a failing education system is endangering our language, the reckless pursuit of growth and unfettered capitalism is destroying our environment…”

Their mission is to “rally the youth of Cymru as one united front, stood firmly in opposition to the destruction of our self-determination, language, identity and environment.”

They say: “In the face of impending Anglicisation and climate collapse, other organisations have failed to grasp the severity of the situation we face”.

Autonomy

The movement has ten key principles:

1.  Wales is a nation defined by its geographical boundaries, people (Cymry), culture and language.

2. Wales is an ancient Celtic nation with a right to self-determination and independence from the United Kingdom.

3. Cymraeg is the native language of the Welsh and must be protected and promoted with the aim of restoring it as the majority language.

4. Power should be devolved to local communities and systems of direct and participatory democracy should be established.

5. Holiday lets and second homes, belonging to either Welsh or outsider, should be rendered economically untenable.

6. Wales is not subject to House of Windsor or the illegitimate ‘Prince of Wales’ and should strive to abolish the institution of monarchy.

7. Wales’ resources belong to the Welsh people and England should be required to pay for the resources that it extracts.

8. The Welsh economy should not be predicated on limitless growth, but rather, should aim to improve living standards and economic equality.

9. Wales should foster close ties with fellow Celtic nations and aid them in their struggle for autonomy, in addition to other small nations.

10. Wales should make every effort to end its reliance on fossil fuels and create a green economy in harmony with nature.

Find out more about Mudiad Eryr Wen here.