‘Stop using my song!’ legendary Welsh singer Dafydd Iwan blasts hate groups

Emily Price

Legendary singer Dafydd Iwan has warned organisers of a “hate driven campaign” to stop using his anthemic song Yma o Hyd.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, to voice his anger on Monday (January 26), Iwan wrote: “Whoever is organising the right-wing protest next Saturday in Wrecsam STOP USING MY SONG!!!!! I do not want to be linked to your hate-driven campaign.”

The post has been viewed over 100,000 times.

Iwan was referring to a march set to take place in Wrexham at the weekend as part of a campaign opposing two proposed hostels for asylum seekers near the city.

The protest has been organise by several far-right groups including Voice of Wales and Patriotic Alternative.

Advertisements promoting the march have also been shared by the anti-asylum seeker community Facebook group, Wrexham Unite.

On Sunday (January 24), the group published a video to their page with the slogan, “Wrexham says NO to illegal migrants”.

The video’s sound used Dafydd Iwan’s Welsh patriotic folk song Yma o Hyd without his permission.

The defiant anthem of resilience celebrates the survival of the Welsh language, culture, and people against historical, political, and social odds.

Iwan – a former president of Plaid Cymru – and the folk band Ar Log recorded the song of hope during the early 1980’s during a period of political turmoil when decisions taken by the Thatcher government, like the closure of coal mines, had a devastating impact on Wales’ economy.

In recent years Yma o Hyd has almost become a second Welsh national anthem because of its exposure to a wider audience at football and rugby matches.

It’s has also been sung at several marches for Welsh independence.

It’s not the first time Iwan has expressed anger at his song being used by right-wing and far-right groups to promote anti asylum seeker rhetoric.

In August last year, Iwan was furious when notorious far-right group Voice of Wales used Yma o Hyd in a promotional video.

Speaking to Nation.Cymru at the time, the proud nationalist said he was “anxious” to put a stop to the misuse of his song.

He said: “I doubt whether redress is possible, because technically anyone can misuse songs if they wish.

“But I must make it obvious that it is against my wishes, and that could help me get the message across if they persist.”

Iwan went on to post social media graphics which stated, in Welsh and English: “Yma o Hyd is a song of hope for everyone who calls Wales home. No one has my permission to use it to promote hatred.

“It was written against Thatcher then, and it’s against Farage now – we must reject these charlatans.

“Join Plaid Cymru and Yes Cymru for a better Wales.”

Nation.Cymru recently reported how far-right group Voice of Wales had “hyjacked” the protest set to take place in Wrexham on January 31st.

The group is led by convicted fraudster Dan Morgan and failed UKIP candidate Stan Robinson.

In 2023, Morgan was handed a suspended sentence for his role in a large-scale scam that stole millions from vulnerable elderly people who believed they were applying for compensation for mis-sold PPI.

In recent days, he has been using Voice of Wales’ social media channels to persuade people in Wrexham to take part in the Wrexham march in opposition to plans that would see two former care homes converted into houses of multiple occupancy (HMO) for asylum seekers.

Dan Morgan posted a video to Facebook defending his group’s right to take part in the protest and compared the potential asylum seeker residents to members of “grooming gangs” intent on raping children.

Morgan also criticised Wrexham Independent councillor Paul Pemberton, who has been working with local opponents of the proposals, for stating that he doesn’t want to engage with Voice of Wales.

He claimed that groups like his should be involved in campaigns against asylum accommodation in all parts of Wales.

In 2023, Voice of Wales fuelled community tensions when they piggy-backed on a local group that opposed a plan for Llanelli’s Strayed Park Hotel to be used to house asylum seekers.

Far-right activists from far afield descended on the area setting up a camp outside the hotel and welcoming anti-Islam activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – aka Tommy Robinson.

Counter protests led by anti-fascism groups have also been organised in Wrexham for January 31.