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FAW using ‘Cymru’ asserts Welsh identity in the world, says language campaigner

25 Jun 2021 2 minute read
Wales celebrate Euro 2016 success. Picture by Jeremy Segrott (CC BY 2.0)

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) using the word ‘Cymru’ to describe the team, asserts Welsh identity to “the world”, according to a language campaigner.

Ffred Ffransis, of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg believes that football is being “increasingly used” in communities in Wales to do so, and highlighted FAW as an example.

Wales’ football governing body uses the @Cymru Twitter handle on one of its accounts and tweets in both Welsh and English. It also has a FAW.Cymru website.

Ffrancis told The Guardian: “Football is increasingly a way in which people and communities in Wales are asserting their identity and place in the world.

Charles Ashburner, who runs Mr Flag in Swansea, said he had noticed a change in what fans were looking for in their flags.

He said that in 2016 he sold a lot of generic flags and Welsh dragon bunting. However, this time people are asking him for customised flags: “There have been many more who want the word ‘independence’ on their flags, or slogans in Welsh rather than English.”

‘Positive platform’ 

Plaid Cymru MS, Rhun ap Iorwerth, said: “The belief in Wales’s ability to succeed on and off is growing, and while there’s always a danger of over-politicising sport, it is a positive platform for many to express our aspirations for our nation – whilst in the more immediate future willing the ball into the back of the net as football fans.”


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Richard Jenkins
Richard Jenkins
3 years ago

I make an effort to always use Cymru. I have been doing so for a few years now. We all need to use our name not the English.

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
3 years ago

Da iawn 😊

Dewi Davies
Dewi Davies
3 years ago

Spot on. 100% correct

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
3 years ago

Syniad gwych, Cymru am byth 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Chris
Chris
3 years ago

Right and proper. Just like the people of Greece used their own name for their country (Hellas) so should we use ours

Vaughan
Vaughan
3 years ago

Pity the WRU aren’t as strong.
There are quite a lot of Welsh-speakers in the rugby fraternity but with some notable exceptions I perceive the sport to be quite weak as regards the language.

Chris
Chris
3 years ago
Reply to  Vaughan

And of course they bear the English “prince’s” feathers

Stephen Owen
Stephen Owen
3 years ago
Reply to  Chris

That needs to be changed for a start, the three feathers and Charles Windsor have nothing to do with Cymru 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Phil
Phil
3 years ago
Reply to  Stephen Owen

Totally agree English have tried since Long Shanks to eradicate our culture and language why should we have an.Austrian baronial emblem to represent out nation with German phrase to top it all it should be an emblem from our own royal house

hdavies15
hdavies15
3 years ago
Reply to  Vaughan

Rugby is weak where anything to do with our identity crops up. It has habitually sucked up to anything remotely to do with royalty without attempting to give such behaviour a Welsh “slant”. It’s all about bending the knee and touching the forelock. Surely they can’t all be competing for an “Honour”.

Chris
Chris
3 years ago
Reply to  hdavies15

Agreed and all the special badges you get from The Queen plc for services to the Norman aristocracy and Eton elites are “Something Something … British Empire”. A poncy anachronistic title for a defunct crime organisation.
Just fancy gilding for corrupted lickspittles.
We should do our own but not with their stupid knights and dames elitist ranking system.
Maybe Advocate (for politics / activism), Bard (for the arts), Companion (for business and charity), Champion (for sport and competition) Guardian (medical, emergency services, military) of the Cymric Nation

Sandy Thomas
Sandy Thomas
3 years ago

Da iawn. Syniad ardderchog. Ond ar hyn o bryd, mewn rhai ardaloedd, mae’n rhaid rhaid i ni’r Cymry symud mas gan fod y tai yn llawer rhy ddrud. Pwy fydd ar ol i ddefnyddio ‘Cymru’.

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