Black Boy, Caernarfon Straeon Tafarn


Black Boy, Caernarfon

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-Hello and welcome

-to Straeon Tafarn...

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-..with me, leading Welsh

-pub historian, Dewi Pws Morris.

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-I'm touring Wales

-in this faithful van...

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-..with the band Radwm.

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-I like arriving early to chat

-to locals and learn about the area.

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-This time, I'm in a very Welsh town

-that has royal connections.

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-Prince Charles has been here,

-and Mother as well!

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-I'm in the north.

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-They speak Welsh in this area,

-but the dialect often makes no sense!

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-Yes, I'm in Caernarfon.

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-I'm visiting the Black Boy,

-which also hosts our gig tonight.

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-I asked John, the landlord,

-a question that's been on my mind.

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-Where did the name come from?

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-The Black Boy

-boasts a wealth of stories...

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-..about its ghosts and its name.

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-They range from the black boy

-who came here to work...

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-..and is buried at Cricieth...

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-..to the buoys

-that float on the strait.

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-Is that the true meaning?

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-I wouldn't like

-to put my head on the block...

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-..but Americans love the name.

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-They can't believe that we still

-have a place called the Black Boy.

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-It isn't considered PC,

-but that's just its name.

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-The best story is of a black boy

-passing by on the street...

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-..and he said "I've never had

-a pub named after me before!"

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-I think it depends

-on the attitude of the person.

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-John has two possible meanings.

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-According to the locals,

-T Meirion Hughes has the answer.

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-He took me back

-to Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads...

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-..and the Cavaliers

-who supported King Charles II...

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-..who was in exile

-in France at the time.

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-This was some 400 years ago.

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-At that time, the people

-of Caernarfon were avid royalists...

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-..and they would meet in this pub.

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-They would drink a toast

-and that toast was...

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-..to the black boy, or the black boy

-from over the water.

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-Meirion wasn't referring

-to Anglesey, but France.

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-Charles II's mother fled there

-when he was a child...

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-..to escape from Cromwell's armies.

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-There was something special

-about the boy.

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-He was black...

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-..or had a dark pigment to his skin.

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-In English, they used the phrase...

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-.."a swarthy complexion

-with black eyes".

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-She had a pet name

-that she called him.

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-My beautiful black boy.

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-As far as I'm concerned,

-that's the true story.

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-A royalist toast is responsible

-for the name of this pub.

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-I suppose it's quite apt.

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-Next, a man who has raised

-many a glass...

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-..the Samson of stories,

-Dr John Bwlchllan.

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-This was the main Roman centre

-in north-west Wales.

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-When Roman power dwindles,

-legends are spawned.

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-The story of Magnus Maximus...

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-..begins with the king playing chess

-in his court at Caernarfon.

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-It's a stronghold of Welsh mythology

-from a very early period.

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-Edward I was aware of this

-when he built his castle...

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-..as a move to quash Welsh tradition

-and create English imperialism.

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-The irony is that the very site...

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-..that was created

-as an English stronghold...

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-..now epitomizes the Welsh identity.

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-It's wonderful to tread the streets

-of Caernarfon...

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-..and hear people swearing in Welsh!

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-Nothing beats a Welsh swear word!

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-It's impossible to ignore

-Caernarfon's maritime heritage.

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-Emrys Jones is an expert

-in its history.

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-I met him near the pub,

-in a place that's like a Tardis.

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-It's the town's maritime museum.

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-Caernarfon and the sea...

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-..have gone hand in hand

-for centuries.

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-They started importing goods

-into Caernarfon in the 18th century.

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-There was wood from Canada,

-stone from Penmaenmawr and Trefor...

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-..and wool from Ireland,

-despite the wealth of sheep here!

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-We exported slate and copper

-from the Britannia Mine on Snowdon.

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-Anglesey ochre was exported

-to the Indies and America.

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-The young men of the town

-wanted to go to sea.

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-They wanted to learn the art

-of navigation and tracing the stars.

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-They couldn't earn

-a captaincy licence in Caernarfon.

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-They had to travel

-to Liverpool or Dublin.

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-The locals decided to establish

-a navigation school in Caernarfon.

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-Ellen Francis from Amlwch

-came to live in the town.

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-She was the daughter

-of Captain Thomas Francis...

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-..who was shipwrecked

-and drowned at Conwy.

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-She married Thomas Edwards

-from Caernarfon...

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-..and they started

-a navigation school in New Street.

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-She taught at the school

-for 60 years.

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-She taught a thousand young men.

-Women weren't educated back then.

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-Many of these men

-became the celebs of their day...

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-Men such as Henry James,

-who were commodores, not captains.

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-What is a commodore?

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-A commodore has a higher rank

-than a captain.

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-I'm not a sailor - I get sick

-on the ferry to Ireland!

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-Hugh Thomas had a four-masted ship

-that was built at Caernarfon.

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-Only a few of these ships

-were built here.

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-There was also the Lewis Hamilton

-of his day, namely Robert Thomas.

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-He broke the Liverpool to Melbourne

-record twice.

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-When he walked around Caernarfon,

-all the young women said hello!

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-Just like Bryn Fon.

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-He was more handsome than Bryn Fon

-and a better singer!

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-Captain John Pritchard is one

-of Caernarfon's most famous captains.

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-He went to sea as a cabin boy

-at the age of 13.

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-He was enthusiastic,

-conscientious and ambitious.

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-Aged 30, he became the captain

-of the biggest ship in the world...

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-..the Mauretania.

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-He was at the helm when the ship

-made its maiden voyage...

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-..across the Atlantic to New York.

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-The world's press was waiting,

-and one journalist yelled...

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-.."Captain John Pritchard

-from Caernarfon, North Wales.

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-"The people of America

-want to hear a word from you."

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-"You can tell them that I've worked

-for Cunard for over 30 years...

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-"..and the hat I wore

-when I started still fits today."

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-He spent a lifetime at sea

-but had both feet on the ground.

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-That could reflect

-the town's character.

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-It's amazing how things change.

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-Once, large ships and international

-business dominated the docks.

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-These days, there's less business

-and a lot of pleasure boats...

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-..but the tide still ebbs and flows.

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-.

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-It's great to tour Wales with Radwm

-and learn so many new things.

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-I didn't want to be seen

-on the street by the Black Boy...

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-..after Emrys explained

-its Welsh name.

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-The respectable folk of Caernarfon

-might disagree with me...

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-..why the Welsh name for Northgate

-Street is 'four and six street'.

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-A bed for the night was fourpence,

-or sixpence with female company!

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-However, I'm unable

-to validate this fact.

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-Pardon? Let's move on.

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-The people of Caernarfon

-are known as Cofis.

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-Luckily, local boy Dewi Humps

-explained all.

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-He looks mean, but his heart

-is in the right place.

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-In the novels

-of Charles Dickens...

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-..some of the characters say

-"Here, covey"...

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-..or "Come with me, covey"

-to refer to a friend.

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-The town had a harbour and welcomed

-people from across the world...

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-..including Londoners and Cockneys.

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-Cockneys are quite in-your-face

-and probably said "Alright, covey."

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-This may have been adopted

-by locals.

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-They also use specific terminology.

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-Dewi says that 'giaman'

-means a cat.

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-As he's so tight,

-I asked him about money.

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-Money is called 'mags'.

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-'Sei' is a shilling

-and a 'hog' is a sixpence.

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-These are dying out, as sixpences

-and crowns are no longer in use.

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-We ask one another for a 'sgrin'.

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-We ask one another for a 'sgrin'.

-

-That's a pound.

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-'Niwc' is another one

-and it refers to a penny.

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-It's the reverse of the Welsh word

-for a queen.

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-Can you explain the nature

-of the Cofi?

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-A Cofi is never moved by anything

-and doesn't get excited.

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-I remember a specific event

-that happened one Sunday afternoon.

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-I thought it would be fun

-to have an exciting night...

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-..as opposed to just sitting

-with our heads in our pints.

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-I asked them to imagine that I came

-into the pub one day and said...

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-.."Elvis is alive

-and he's doing a gig on the Maes."

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-What would you do?

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-"We'd have a pint

-and think about it!"

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-The resurrection of Elvis

-may not excite the Cofis...

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-..but one event in the late 1960s

-shook the whole of Wales.

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-Prince Charles' investiture

-took place in this castle.

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-Bobby Haines told me

-of another prince...

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-..who was invested in this castle.

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-My grandmother's generation

-remembered the day in 1911.

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-The investiture of Edward VIII

-was a massive event.

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-The man who was to become

-Prime Minister, Lloyd George...

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-..was responsible for the event.

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-Welshman Lloyd George

-organized the party in 1911.

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-Believe it or not,

-I don't remember it.

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-But I do remember the investiture

-of Prince Charles in 1969.

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-Bobby Haines

-played an integral role.

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-Who was the mayor at the time?

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-It was none other than

-Ifor Bowen Griffith or IB Griffith.

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-The story goes that Charles visited

-the castle a few months beforehand.

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-He wanted to oversee

-the preparations...

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-..and that he met IB

-on the steps of the Eagle Tower.

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-He introduced himself

-as IB Griffith.

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-The Prince responded by saying

-"I be Charles."

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-What was your role?

-Were you in the castle?

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-I was in the castle and had hired

-a special suit for the event.

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-I was on duty at the entrance

-and welcomed all of the guests.

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-I had to check their details.

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-If they said John Jones,

-they needed John Jones's ticket.

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-However, one man approached me

-and I wasn't happy with his ticket.

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-A Metropolitan Police officer

-was at my side.

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-Dennis took hold of the ticket

-and studied it.

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-He asked the man, "Is this you?"

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-"Yes," he replied.

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-Before I knew it...

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-..another Metropolitan Police

-officer had appeared...

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-..and escorted the man

-into the office near the entrance.

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-I never saw him again.

-Perhaps he was sent to the tower!

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-He had forged the ticket

-It belonged to someone else.

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-He altered the ticket

-to include his own name.

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-What about this photograph?

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-It shows Caernarfon's councillors

-passing me on the day.

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-That was when

-I shaved in the morning!

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-Is that the expensive suit?

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-Is that the expensive suit?

-

-Yes, it is.

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-I could only afford two meals a day

-after that.

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-Bobby had fond memories

-of the big day...

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-..but this enthusiasm

-wasn't shared by everyone.

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-Chaired poet Gerallt Lloyd Owen

-remembered the period.

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-What emotions were running

-through Wales at the time?

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-There was real conflict

-and it divided the nation.

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-One of the aims of the investiture

-was to divide the nation.

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-In the 1960s, especially after

-the 1966 Carmarthen election...

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-..when Gwynfor Evans won his seat...

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-..there was a real excitement

-and a rise in nationalism.

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-I, Charles, Prince of Wales,

-do become your liege man...

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-The investiture was a topic

-of anger and pain for Gerallt.

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-It inspired him to write

-the notable Welsh poem, Fy Ngwlad.

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-The divide in the nation

-caused by the investiture...

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-..was witnessed

-at the Aberystwyth Urdd Eisteddfod.

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-Gerallt won the chair for a series

-of poems that included Fy Ngwlad.

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-The Eisteddfod glitterati

-invited Charles as a special guest.

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-I'd like to state

-that I haven't come here today...

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-..unprepared in Welsh literature.

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-I have followed some advice

-and read Dafydd ap Gwilym.

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-LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE

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-I read Dafydd ap Gwilym

-in bed every night.

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-Congratulations to everyone

-who took part in the Eisteddfod...

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-..especially those

-who won individual awards.

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-Gerallt has mixed emotions

-about winning the chair in 1969.

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-I have one very strong memory

-of the Eisteddfod.

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-The Saturday night, when Dafydd Iwan

-sang at the Noson Lawen.

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-Before Dafydd started singing...

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-..some of his classic tracks,

-such as Carlo...

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-..he started to recite Fy Ngwlad.

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-I've never seen such a response

-from an audience.

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-The front half of the audience,

-the older generation...

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-..were clapping, jeering, whistling

-and trying to silence him.

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-Conversely, the younger generation

-at the back were delighted.

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-It really hurt me.

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-Dafydd Iwan himself has admitted...

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-..that he's never seen

-such a response from any audience.

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-I had to leave

-as I was terribly disappointed.

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-They had made a fuss when I won

-the chair two days earlier...

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-..and yet,

-they didn't want to hear the words.

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-"Llywelyn,

-tears of blood you'd weep

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-"If you see this from your sleep

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-"Our heart in a foreigner's hand

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-"Our ancient throne

-in a conqueror's land

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-"A nation where the meek abound

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-"Where once were men

-who stood their ground

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-"We smile beneath the Royalty,

-peasants are peasants, never free

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-"We'll carry on our slavish way,

-content and happy come what may

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-"Lost of roots, nothing to save,

-without a care but to behave

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-"We shall not be deceived for long

-by fables and historic song

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-"For we, who now just count to ten,

-are Wales's Rule-Britannia men

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-"We are the patriots who lack fire,

-the headstrong international choir

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-"In honour of your name, my land

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-"I'll ride

-with reddened sword in hand

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-"And nothing more

-than this is true

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-"How I could spill

-this blood for you."

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-I could listen

-to Gerallt all night.

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-As dusk approached, the pub filled

-and the band arrived.

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-Only one song could be sung.

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-In the shadow of the castle, we sang

-Dafydd Iwan's classic, Carlo.

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-# I have a little friend

-who lives in Buckingham Palace

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-# And Carlo Windsor is his name

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-# The last time I went

-to knock on the door of his house

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-# His mother came to the door

-and she said to me

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-# Carlo, Carlo,

-Carlo's playing polo today

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-# Today

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-# Carlo, Carlo, Carlo's playing polo

-with Daddy, Daddy

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-# Join us in the song

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-# Serfs great and small

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-# At last, we have a Prince

-in the Land of Song

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-# He was educated in Australia

-and in Scotland

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-# And then he went to Aberystwyth

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-# A pillar of Welsh culture

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-# A contributor to Tafod y Ddraig

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-# A member of the Urdd

-and a camper since I can remember

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-# Oh, Carlo, Carlo

-Carlo's playing polo today

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-# Today

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-# Carlo, Carlo, Carlo's playing polo

-with Daddy, Daddy

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-# Join us in the song

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-# Serfs great and small

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-# At last, we have a Prince

-in the Land of Song

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-# Every week,

-he reads Y Cymro and Y Faner

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-# He reads Dafydd ap Gwilym

-in his bed every night

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-# The future of the country

-and language is close to his heart

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-# They say he's a member of the FWA

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-# Carlo, Carlo

-Carlo's playing polo today

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-# Today

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-# Carlo, Carlo, Carlo's playing polo

-with Daddy, with Daddy

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-# Join us in the song

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-# Serfs great and small

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-# At last, we have a Prince

-in the Land of Song

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-# Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

0:22:310:22:33

-# Carlo, Carlo,

-Carlo's playing polo today

0:22:330:22:37

-# Today

0:22:380:22:39

-# Carlo, Carlo,

-Carlo's playing polo with Daddy

0:22:400:22:44

-# With Daddy

0:22:440:22:46

-# Join us in the song

0:22:470:22:49

-# Serfs great and small

0:22:500:22:52

-# At last, we have a Prince

-in the Land of Song #

0:22:530:22:58

-Thank you very much.

0:23:000:23:03

-Oh, I enjoyed that gig.

0:23:070:23:09

-"The camper is in heaven

-where there's Welsh 24/7

0:23:100:23:14

-"I stopped for a jar

-at the Black Boy bar

0:23:150:23:17

-"And stayed with the Cofis

-past eleven."

0:23:180:23:21

-Goodnight.

0:23:220:23:23

-All together...

0:23:240:23:25

-# Lleucu Llwyd, you are beautiful

0:23:260:23:30

-# Lleucu Llwyd,

-you're worth the world to me

0:23:310:23:35

-# Lleucu Llwyd, you're an angel

0:23:360:23:40

-# Lleucu Llwyd,

-I love you, you, you #

0:23:410:23:47

-S4C subtitles by Tinopolis

0:23:540:23:56

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0:23:570:23:57

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