Rally to mark 60th anniversary of Saunders Lewis’ ‘Tynged yr Iaith’ lecture

Language campaigners are planning to hold a rally on the 60th anniversary of the broadcasting of the ‘Tynged yr Iaith’ lecture by Saunders Lewis.

The lecture, titled Fate of the Language, in English, was a seminal moment in the founding of Cymdeithas yr Iaith and the Welsh language rights movement.

On the 19th of February former chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith, who lives in Talgarreg, Heledd Gwyndaf, will start the Nid yw Cymru ar Werth (Wales is not for Sale) rally on Trefechan bridge, where Cymdeithas’ first protest was held in 1963.

Campaigners will then march to the Welsh Government offices where Mabli Siriol, current chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith; Bryn Fôn; Mared Edwards, President of UMCA (Aberystwyth Welsh students union), and Gwenno Morris, who is looking for a home in the Llandysul area, will address the crowd.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith has recently welcomed the measures to tackle holiday homes in the agreement between Labour and Plaid Cymru.

However, it stresses that the problem is wider than holiday homes and that a Property Act that would provide a home for everyone is needed.

Measures in the agreement between both political parties include a pilot scheme to test measures to reduce the number of second homes in Dwyfor and a consultation on submitting a planning application to change the use class of a house from a holiday home.

‘Recent pressure’ 

One of the orgainsers of the rally, Osian Jones, said: “It has been clear that recent pressure by the people of Wales for justice in the housing market and for measures to secure the right to live locally has had a significant impact on the government.

“It has recently announced steps to introduce new planning rules and a possible new tax to prevent excessive loss of our housing stock to the second homes and AirBnB market.

“At the start of a year of celebrating the 60th anniversary of Cymdeithas yr Iaith, we have the opportunity to remind ourselves that campaigning is reaping rewards today as much as ever so we need to keep pressuring.

“We will continue to press to ensure that the government does not compromise, but will prioritise communities over capitalism. And we’ll continue to press for a commitment to pass a Property Act that considers housing as social assets to provide homes, not as commercial, profit making assets. This would ensure justice and continuity for our communities at last.

“Today marks 60 days before the 60th anniversary rally. We will be counting down the days to the rally by announcing more details every day.”