Cymru Heddiw a Ddoe • Wales Today and Yesterday

Launched in November of 1982 after a significant political struggle to bring it about, S4C is the premiere Welsh-medium television station in Wales. It broadcasts bilingual programming in analog and Welsh-only programming in digital, with peak programming in Welsh.

The station commissions independent works, many of which have gone on to win prestigious awards and be nominated for many more, such as "Hedd Wyn" and "Solomon a Gaenor." For learners or anyone enthusiastic about Wales, the station is a marvel, with many programs available online at their website for streaming. The broadcasting is expanding constantly, an excellent harbinger for the future health of Wales, including culture, language, and economy.

[ S4C ]

The BBC's Welsh language news site on the web. Mostly domestic news unfortunately, as I would adore getting a BBC-quality perspective on international events in Welsh. But this site is as reliable and fascinating as the English-language BBC Online, albeit domestically focused, and together with the Geirfa/Vocab facility, it's an excellent way of getting a handle on the current events of modern Wales.

[ BBC Arlein ]

An excellent first-pass site for anyone interested in learning about the modern nation of Wales or visiting. Filled with lots of information for tourists and learners alike, as well as people interested in researching their Welsh ancestry.

[ About Wales ]

With such distinguished contributors as John Davies, author of the amazing "Hanes Cymru/A History of Wales," this site sparkles. The history of the Roman state of Cambria, principality of Wales, and then member of the island nation of Great Britain is laid out in all its fascinating detail. You'll get lost in this site.

[ History of Wales ]

This is another site that will suck a few hours away from you. The history of Wales is laid out in broad-stroke emphasis augmented with just enough details to give a newcomer to Welsh history a good grounding. Covering the basics from the Stone Age to the establishment of the new Welsh Assembly Government, this site is a fabulous general course in Welsh history. Poke around a bit too; there are timelines for other parts of the United Kingdom as well.

[ BBC Welsh Timeline ]

You'll find all sorts of information about political and social campaigning in the 20th century in Wales, including information about both world wars, labor movements, women in Wales, water rights, language rights, and the recent devolution and creation of the Welsh Assembly Government. In Welsh, English, and Spanish.

[ Ymgyrchu! ]

There is no understanding Wales without understanding the week-long Eisteddfod Genedlaethol. The word eisteddfod means "meeting," "gathering," or "being seated," and has been used to describe the various meetings of poets, bards, and other performers that have taken place in Wales since the dawn of time. The first official Eisteddfod was called in 1176 by Lord Rhys at his castle in Aberteifi. Rhys sent out a call for the most talented bards to come and compete for prizes.

Today's Eisteddfod Genedlaethol combines the old and new, "chairing" or awarding top prizes to the country's finest artisans and strict-meter poets as well as welcoming modern rock music and honoring well-known Welsh-speaking stars such as Bryn Terfel, Ioan Gruffudd, and other actors, singers, and sports stars.

There are arts and crafts, competitions for language learners, and a general celebration of the ever-evolving Welsh culture. The Eisteddfod (also called Y Brifwyl, something like "Chief Festival") is also a celebration of the Welsh language and is Welsh-only. Other smaller eisteddfodau have been established that are bilingual, but the biggest and most prestigious one of all is the Eisteddfod Genedlaethol. The poetry prizes hold a considerable cachet, and the performing arts competitions attract talent scouts from all over the world.

It is not held in the same place every year but alternates between sites in the north and south.

[ Yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol ]

This is the main Welsh-language radio station in Wales, and thanks to the Internet, anyone can listen in. Unfortunately, I can't find their live feed on their website anymore, but if you right-click here and download the small ram file to your computer, you can click on it and get their live feed anytime. English is spoken between midnight and about 0600 GMT or thereabouts, so you may miss out in North America if you tune in in the evenings.

If anything can convince a skeptic that Welsh is a vibrant, living language used by people every day, one half-hour of listening to Radio Cymru can do it. Most of the music is alternative, pop, dance music, and some country and western -- in other words, what can be considered "young people's music." There seems to be a concentration on alternative rock on Radio Cymru, granted it's a bit of a grab bag. But I've got to say that I've developed a definite taste for Welsh modern rock thanks to this station.

[ Radio Cymru ]

I'm less familiar with Radio Acen, but many people adore it. It is another Welsh language radio station with an online feed but geared specifically toward learners, and I heartily encourage you to check it out.

[ Radio Acen ]