Stori’r Iaith celebrates Welsh identity through the power of sport

S4C’s latest series, Stori’r Iaith, presented by the much‑loved broadcaster Sarra Elgan, offers viewers a fresh and emotive exploration of the Welsh language – its history, and the people who keep it alive.

With powerful storytelling, heartfelt interviews and surprising revelations, the programme invites audiences to rediscover why the Welsh language remains central to the nation’s identity.

For Sarra, the Welsh language is inseparable from her own story. She grew up immersed in both rugby and Welsh, she says:

“I can’t remember life without rugby… it’s in the blood. A lot of people that don’t neccessary understand Welsh connect the enjoyment they get from rugby with the Welsh language.”

Sarra guides the series with warmth and authenticity. Her connection to rugby is rooted in her family history. Her father, Elgan Rees, is a former Neath, Wales and British & Irish Lions player, and she grew up cheering him on throughout his career.

Raised pitch‑side from an early age, she absorbed the passion, pride and community that define Welsh rugby – experiences that shaped both her love of the game and her relationship with the Welsh language.

The programme also explores how sport has strengthened Welsh identity, reaching people who may not even speak the language themselves, yet feel its pulse through rugby, community and culture. As historian Martin Johnes explains:

“Without sport the feeling of Welshness wouldn’t be as strong… It creates confidence. It creates excitement.”

Throughout the twentieth century, sport also played a crucial role in giving the Welsh language a much‑needed lift at a time when it was under significant pressure. At the start of the 1900s the language was on its knees, yet sporting culture became an unexpected but powerful force for its revival.

Rugby clubs, local communities and national teams provided spaces where Welsh could be heard, celebrated and normalised, helping the language survive periods of decline. Over the decades, sport has continued to promote and elevate Welsh, drawing people from all backgrounds towards the language and strengthening its place at the heart of Welsh identity.

Stori’r Iaith reveals how sport continues to connect new audiences with the language.

Former Irish rugby player and coach Simon Easterby and also Sarra Elgan’s husband, brings a generational perspective, speaking proudly about raising Welsh‑speaking children:

“I love the fact that my kids speak Welsh… it’s something that they can continue to do after school and an opportunity to work in as well… To me it means that the Welsh language is thriving and it’s really important I think to continue that for the next generation.”

The programme also touches on the rich broadcasting heritage of Wales, including the pioneering work of Eic Davies, whose inventive Welsh rugby terminology remains in use today, and how S4C helped normalise Welsh.

Sarra chats with Eic Davies’ grandson, Rhodri Llywelyn, who has himself reported on Welsh sport for S4C’s Newyddion / News programme using his grandfather’s terminology, words like llinell fantais (gain line) and ochr agored (open side). Terminology that Sarra is well versed in.

A thread that runs through Stori’r Iaith is the idea that the language is not just a tool but a lifeline, shaping careers, relationships and entire identities. Sarra speaks openly about how Welsh has shaped every part of her life:

“I certainly wouldn’t be doing this as my career without Welsh, and I wouldn’t have met my husband without the language, so I don’t want to think about Wales without Welsh.”

And the stories don’t end there. Jonathan Davies who presents S4C’s series Jonathan alongside Sarra, highlights how the programme encourages others to embrace the language:

“We use natural spoken Welsh on the show and this has attracted people learning Welsh on the series, people like Scott Quinnell and Ruth Jones… We should be able to give people confidence to speak the language.”

Across each episode, Stori’r Iaith celebrates Welsh as a living, evolving language, filled with pride, humour and humanity. As Sarra concludes:

“It is better to speak Welsh using some English words than not being confident to speak it at all.”

Stori’r Iaith: Sarra Elgan airs Wednesday, 18 March at 21.00

On demand: S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer