Cymry'r Cant

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-Growing old is a privilege,

-not a right.

-This is the story of three ladies...

-..who were born before the start

-of The First World War.

-There we are, Lilian.

-Thank you, my love.

-I don't drink.

-I don't smoke.

-I don't wear glasses.

-I don't wear hearing aids either.

-But I do swear a bit

-from time to time!

-Medwen comes here

-to do my hair every week.

-When I celebrated

-my 100th birthday...

-..I received 1,500

-instead of birthday presents.

-I gave the money to the chapel.

-Isn't that great?

-Isn't that great?

-

-I should be safe!

-I can face the world,

-as long as my hair is right.

-It's true, isn't it?

-Yes. Absolutely.

-Are you happy here, Lilian?

-Are you happy here, Lilian?

-

-Yes, I'm completely happy.

-I've never been miserable.

-Never.

-No, I'm completely happy.

-All done, Lilian.

-When I don't think about

-the fact I'm 104, I'm OK.

-When I do think about being 104...

-..I think, "Oh! I must be careful."

-You know?

-I like to forget about being 104!

-He's bringing you something to eat.

-Something sweet.

-Margaret is very kind.

-She looks after me.

-She's my sister's daughter.

-I have nobody else, you see.

-Nobody else.

-Mam had one boy

-and then she had six girls.

-I was the middle daughter.

-I'm the only one left.

-Yes.

-Yes, I'm the only one left.

-My youngest sister

-died a fortnight ago.

-In Bangor.

-She lived in Penrhosgarnedd.

-She was 100.

-Anyway.

-Yes.

-We're fond of clothes!

-We always buy a jumper or something.

-I bought this today.

-That's just the way I am.

-Mam was very particular, you see.

-I take after Mam.

-I like to dress well.

-This is nice.

-I still buy clothes

-as though I'm going to live forever!

-I'm still buying clothes,

-even though I'm 104!

-Isn't that ridiculous?

-Oh, well!

-I was born in Dylife vicarage,

-Montgomeryshire.

-Everyone there spoke Welsh

-at that time.

-Nobody was worried.

-I've been back there many times...

-..but it's changed completely.

-Is being Welsh important to you?

-Yes, it's important to me

-because I feel it's part of me.

-I can be nothing else.

-Mam and I share the potatoes.

-She has one and I have the rest!

-What sort of son

-has Rolant been to you?

-He's terribly good.

-He was involved with football

-and he was a writer.

-He gave all that up for me.

-He did it so he can look after me.

-Oh, he's good to me.

-I wish I could let him know...

-..just how proud of him I am.

-He's so good to me.

-You're great friends.

-Yes. He gave everything up for me.

-Oh, dear.

-Mari, how does it feel

-to reach your 100th birthday?

-You're 101 now, of course.

-I don't think about it.

-I've lived naturally.

-I've taken it all naturally.

-There's nothing remarkable about me.

-Mari, what's the secret

-to living to such a ripe old age?

-Is there a secret

-to living for so long?

-Don't drink

-too much intoxicating liquor.

-I'm sure that helps.

-Moderation.

-Behave yourself.

-Be a good girl!

-Yes.

-Well, just keep going.

-Don't sit around doing nothing.

-Keep going.

-I mean, it doesn't do to sit.

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-This is the story of three ladies

-who are centenarians.

-One of whom

-is the author, Mari Ellis.

-When you look back

-down the years, Mari...

-..what made you proudest of all?

-The fact

-I still speak Welsh, I suppose.

-But I don't think about it

-like that.

-I take it for granted.

-It's part of my life.

-My mother went to the county school.

-The county schools in those days

-anglicized everyone.

-That was their job, almost.

-She was educated to believe

-that English was superior...

-..but she was naturally Welsh.

-She was always

-between the two worlds.

-The Welsh language...

-..was terribly downtrodden.

-It's wonderful for you

-to see Rolant and Marged.

-Of course, Marged has raised

-her children to speak Welsh.

-Oh dear me, yes.

-I remember my husband saying

-he would hang his head in shame...

-..if his children

-didn't speak Welsh.

-He'd be so ashamed.

-But he knew people from

-the same generation as himself...

-..who were like that.

-During her entire century -

-a brilliant bridge

-A persistent person, who diligently

-Brought to life ancient times

-Through her immaculate research.

-Do you remember your party, Mam?

-Do you remember your party, Mam?

-

-Yes - perfectly.

-Do you remember this card?

-It's from the Queen.

-Yes - it's from the Queen.

-We didn't know it at the time,

-but you can get Welsh ones.

-I went to chapel every Sunday

-when I was young.

-I was a goody-goody,

-but I also swore!

-Sometimes, if things weren't right!

-Dad was an elder

-at Llaneilian Baptist Chapel.

-He was the chapel treasurer too.

-I was christened there.

-I was the first one of the six of us

-to be was christened as a Baptist.

-The minister who christened me

-had the same name as me...

-..Lilian Mary Valentine!

-Anna, Gwilym and Tomos

-don't recognize these people.

-This was taken on January 1st, 1940.

-How did you meet Richie?

-I knew Willie Bryn Y Neuadd,

-Llanfairfechan...

-..and he was with

-a man from the chapel.

-I was introduced to him.

-I saw Richie in Woolworth later

-and he asked me to go out with him.

-I told him I had a date but I'd go

-out with him the following Saturday.

-That's how it started!

-The happiest time of my life.

-Yes.

-Oh, yes.

-We didn't always see eye-to-eye...

-..but I was always in the wrong,

-not him.

-Richie went out to inspect

-the septic tanks in the field...

-..with a plumber.

-He said to the plumber...

-.."You're going at it

-too hard for me."

-He died on the field.

-Massive heart attack.

-Anyway.

-There's a photo of Richie there.

-He died when he was 60.

-It happened in 1962.

-I was 52.

-It happened 52 years ago.

-Isn't that strange?

-I was 52

-and it's 52 years since he died.

-So...

-I go to Y Felinheli

-to stay with Margaret.

-We have fun.

-A lot of people call by.

-She has a lot of friends.

-She puts a record on the television.

-We dance and have fun.

-We have a drink too.

-I have a sherry.

-I don't like anything else.

-Everyone dances and has fun...

-..until the early hours

-of the morning sometimes.

-It went on

-until three o'clock last week.

-Three o'clock in the morning!

-That's when her friends left.

-Oh!

-I've had a good life...

-..to tell you the truth.

-When you lie in bed at night,

-do you dwell on things?

-No. I go to sleep.

-I don't think about things.

-Nothing troubles me.

-Nothing.

-I'm grateful every single day

-that I'm in such good health.

-I can see.

-I can hear.

-That's a lot, isn't it?

-I enjoy my life.

-I do.

-Do you like getting old,

-Aunty Maria?

-No, I don't like it.

-No.

-When I'm lying in bed...

-..I plan what I'm going to do.

-Oh, I'm going to do wonders!

-But when the time comes,

-I can't do it.

-You know?

-Has the time flown by, Mari?

-Has time flown by?

-Yes.

-Yes, it has flown...

-..and yet, I would like to have

-some of that time back.

-Are you worried about going?

-Are you frightened

-of leaving this world?

-No, I'm not

-the least bit frightened.

-Two or three times

-during the past week...

-..I have been wondering

-if this is the first stage of death.

-There was something wrong.

-I can't remember what it was.

-I felt I was probably dying.

-That's what I thought.

-I didn't want to mention it.

-It's morbid to talk about it.

-There we are.

-When it comes, it will come.

-I don't think about it,

-to be honest.

-I don't think like that.

-No.

-No. I don't think about death.

-Very strange.

-No.

-We shouldn't think about death.

-No.

-I don't think about death.

-No, I don't.

-I say my prayer every morning

-and every night.

-I have an unshakeable faith in God.

-He watches over me.

-I'm absolutely certain of that.

-Absolutely certain.

-Yes, I am.

-Dear Jesus, hear my prayer.

-In you, there is mercy.

-To whom should we turn

-to share our woes?

-You died to save us.

-Remember everyone who's unwell

-and those in mourning.

-"Comfort my people," says our God.

-"Comfort them!"

-Thank You very much.

-Thank You very much.

-S4C subtitles by Eirlys A Jones

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