Sunday 31 July 2016

There was no Snub of Football Heroes . Just a attempt to attack Cymraeg.

On Thursday the Wasting Mule  and Wales Online  treated us to the headlines


Wales' Euro 2016 football heroes snubbed for Eisteddfod honour because not enough speak Welsh

"Wales' Euro 2016 heroes have been snubbed for an award at the National Eisteddfod - because some of the players don't speak Welsh.
After their unforgettable surge to the semi-finals of the tournament this summer, there were calls for them to be honoured by the Gorsedd y Beirdd (people who have made distinguished contributions to Welsh life) at the annual festival.
But there will be no recognition after Archdruid Geraint Lloyd Owen rejected the idea.
 "If they can't speak Welsh I don't see how we can welcome them in, because Welsh is the biggest, strongest weapon we have as a nation and without, we have nothing," he is quoted as saying on the BBC."I'm not an inflammatory sort of person, and I don't thrive on controversy."I'm just going to take the role of being Archdruid as it comes. I'll try to be myself, but you'll never please everyone."


Mr Owen pointed out that he could think of no non-Welsh speaker other than the Queen to have received the honour.'

Though I am not sure George Thomas was anything like fluent and he was inducted and it can't even be said he contruibuted to the Welsh Language.

This led to a swarm of reaction even among the supporters of the Language



Anghytuno gyda'r penderfyniad yma. Roedd hwn yn gyfle euraidd i'r steddfod ehangu apel i Gymry di-Gymraeg. https://twitter.com/marcwebber/status/758995226216116224 …1:44 PM - 29 Jul 2016
1515 Retweets 2222 likes


Labour's Ann Jones added:

FollowAnn Jones AM @ann_jonesam

So wrong of Archdruid not to honour the Welsh football team at national eisteddfod. #poorjudgement3:30 PM - 29 Jul 2016
1010 Retweets 99 likes




WalesOnline
✔@WalesOnline

Wales' football heroes snubbed for Eisteddfod honour because not enough of them speak Welsh http://bit.ly/2aBkT3z


FollowTony Hicks @keysersoze_01

@WalesOnline @delmeparfitt lost opportunity to raise profile and expand use of the language #insular12:54 PM - 29 Jul 2016
Retweets 33 likes





FollowJonnyValleyBoy @JonnyValleyBoy

As a Dysgwr Cymraeg I find the decision made by Y Gorsedd to exclude the #Welsh football team recognition is a bit short sighted, tbh like..



It was not till Friday that the Media clarified that

"No member of the Wales Euro 2016 football team was nominated for a Gorsedd honour, t because the Nomination closed in February".


A statement from the Eisteddfod, released on Friday night, said: “We are very proud of the success of the team and they were invited to come along to the Monmouthshire and District Eisteddfod.
“The Eisteddfod plays no role in the nominating and honouring of individuals or in any decision made by the Gorsedd Board
“Like everyone and everything else the Gorsedd has its rules and only Gorsedd members have the right to nominate or second individuals to be honoured and, of course, it is essential that the person nominated speaks Welsh.
“The process for this year’s nominations closed at the end of February and, in accordance with Gorsedd rules, it is not possible to re-open nominations once the deadline has passed.
“No member of the Welsh football team were nominated for the Gorsedd and no member of the team was refused the honour.”

It is disgraceful  that the Welsh Media have misled the Welsh Public in such a way.
  • Firstly by announcing that the Gorsedd  had "Snubbed" the Welsh side gives the impression they should somehow include the whole side in the ceremony. To my mind there has been no inclusion of a team or organisation inducted into the Gorsedd . It is for individuals only.
  • Secondly since a number of the Welsh side including Aaron Ramsay   Ben Davies and Joe Allen are among the fluent Welsh speakers in Coleman's team there is no bar for Individual members to be inducted into the Gorseedd  just as other have in the past .
  • Thirdly by concentrating on the "If they can't speak Welsh I don't see how we can welcome them in, " claim they seem to be deliberately ignoring the very nature of the Gorsedd in that it is A Welsh Language Institution   and  you may as well claim that the Welsh side were snubbed by the Women's Institute  because they are men.
Once a gain the Welsh Media have manufactured a  story designed to show those committed to preserving the Welsh Language in a bad light .

Can there be any connection by the apparent rise in support  for Welsh Independence ?

Once again a controversy has been manufactured by the Wasting Mule and its

media allies with a totally non story .

Judging by the public reaction even among my fellow monoglot English speakers they have succeed in their aim and damaged the Eisteddfod and the cause of the Language.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The episode proves how divisive the welsh language remains, but you could also see the attack in another light, as the Welsh rugby establishment hitting back at both football and the welsh language after being hammered at least on social media for failing to promote and use welsh.

That's in contrast with the FAW who did during Wales’s successful qualifying and EURO16 campaign to much praise. The FAW’s use is credited in some circles with big EURO 16 sponsors, Adidas, Coca Cola, Budweiser etc using Welsh in their advertising.

Don’t forget Delme Parfitt is a rugby journalist and someone with history of belittling welsh football. He also complained about Joe Allen speaking welsh at the home coming parade. Perhaps he’s the go to man when the WRU are in need of a distraction from rugby’s problems, perfect to take the FAW and welsh football down a peg or two and what better way to do that than link them with the Eisteddfod which Trinity Mirror’s welsh rag called a ‘festival of hate and fear’ no so long ago.