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2008 North American Festival of Wales The biggest Welsh cultural festival in the US

2008 North American Festival of Wales

The largest Welsh cultural festival in the US, the North American Festival of Wales (NAFOW), will be held this year in Chicago, Illinois, 28 August 2008 to 31 August 2008.

This year's NAFOW will include the Eisteddfod competition, Cinema Wales, a presentation of Welsh folk dance, the 77th National Gymanfa Ganu, a folk concert with Fflur Dafydd, the WNGGA & NWAF Grand Banquet featuring tenor Aled Wyn Davies, the marketplace and tearoom and, of course, a pub.

See the Welsh National Gymanfa Ganu Assocation's site for registration, travel information and precise schedule of events. web site: http://www.wngga.org/NAFOW/nafow_hm.html

Posted by: Janice Gattis

2008-05-21 05:18:34 GMTComments: 0 |Permanent Link

Prince Madoc plaque Update, 5/20/08

I thank all A.W.A. members and supporters of Prince Madoc Plaque restoration, who rallied around magnificently and carried out a sustained effort to ensure every single legislator in the Alabama Legislature learned about Prince Madoc plaque resolution. (HJR#679)

However, we were failed by the Alabama Senate. I listened to some of the Senate legislature session yesterday. They spent the entire session bickering, and trying to score political points instead of doing the job we pay them to do. An entire legislative session wasted instead of dealing with the legislative issues that were before them.

Needless to say, they did not bring the Prince Madoc Resolution to the table, therefore, it was never voted on. The Legislative session for this year ended yesterday so this means we have to wait until January 2009, and we'll have to start over with the House of Representatives.

We will continue to collect signatures on the petition, so please keep promoting it. We've decided to start a Prince Madog "Fund" which will be used for a NEW memorial for Prince Madog ap Owain Gwynedd. What kind will be determined by the funds we're able to collect. Where will it be displayed is still in the works.

Thank each of you for all your support and we kindly ask for your help to continue until we reach our goal. Our goal is to properly honor Prince Madog as was the wish of the 1953 Virginia Cavalier Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and Zella Armstrong of Chattanooga, Tennessee, a historian, writer, and archaeologist.

Help us by donating today!

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=alabamawelsh%40...

Cymru am byth!

Janice Price Gattis

President - Alabama Welsh Association

2008-05-21 05:05:53 GMTComments: 0 |Permanent Link

Entry for May 20, 2008

We had a lovely time at the 2nd Annual Gathering this year. There was so much food to eat! We all spent the morning socializing, listening to a variety of Welsh music, and relaxing. Then we all enjoyed lunch while learning a few words in Welsh. Afterwards, some participated in a little picture quiz of Welsh people, places & things. We had a drawing for a Red Dragon magnet which was donated by our dear friends Gethin & Beryl from South Wales. Later in the afternoon, some hiked up to see the Welsh caves, while others took a leisurely nature walk. We all discussed having a Pub night. Also, donated to us by the Chicago Welsh Tafia were a few Welsh movies so we discussed having a Movie night. All in all we had a wonderfully interesting, and fun day. I wish all of you could have joined us! I've posted a few of the pictures on our web site under "Events".

2008-05-21 04:47:55 GMTComments: 0 |Permanent Link

Entry for April 30, 2008

Dear A.W.A. Members, & Guests,

We had a very good meeting last night, and wish you all could have been there. Introduction of two new members, Peyton & Randolph Evans of Birmingham, and Guest, Rebecca Harpole from Huntsville, of the Prince Madoc Quest Society (P.M.Q.S.) and, Honored Guests, Beryl Richards & Gethin Williams from South Wales, of Madoc International Research Assoc. (M.I.R.A.). We gave both our guest from Wales a Alabama Welsh Association hoodie in appreciation of their visit to our State, and meeting. Gethin Williams honored us by singing a lovely Welsh song.

We reviewed the status of our Madoc plaque issue. However, left out was the following information, once I know the Resolution number, it is imperative that each of you contact your local Alabama Rep, and Senator. If you don’t know that information let me know and I’ll send it to you.

Jeff Gower picked up the application for Oxfordfest, which Marla Gehman will submit for us.

I confirmed the Gathering for next month, May 17^th, 2008, from 10 A.M until ?? We’ve paid the fee for the largest covered picnic pavilion. We decided on having hotdogs, hamburgers, and chicken which will be cooked there on a large pit grill. Please email me what you are planning to bring so I can make a list. Also, if you want to make a Welsh dish that would be welcomed! It can be dessert or a side dish.

I announced a proposed Madoc Tour which would be provided by P.M.Q.S. The tour is for October and would include visits to several places that are in relation to Prince Madoc, and the meeting of author Michael Senior who wrote, “Did Prince Madog discover America?” plus I believe 3 days in London. It would be an 8 day trip. I am attaching the flyer, so please seriously look it over and let me know if your interested in being a part of this lifetime trip. If you have any questions regarding the trip please let me know or go to the website listed.
www.British-Ancestor-Travel.com. Sheila is a very nice lady and will help you anyway she can.

In conclusion of the meeting everybody participated in a Prince Madoc quiz. I was impressed as all members did pretty well with it! However, we did have a four way tie, and each of the four were given a small prize for their knowledge of Prince Madoc. I will add that some disagreed with a few of the quiz answers, to them I respond, it was just for fun! LOL

Enclosing I would like to welcome to our group the following new members that were not able to attend the meeting this time.

Dean Flewwellin of Houma, LA

Tom & Jane Barr of Huntsville

I look forward to seeing you all next month at the Gathering in DeSoto Falls Park. Make sure you plan your trip to the FALLS park near Ft. Payne, NOT the DeSoto Caverns near Childersburg! If you need directions let me know. Thanks!

Janice Gattis

President

2008-04-30 17:33:02 GMT Comments: 0 |Permanent Link

Welcome to new members from south of England

Bore da Janice,

Sut mae'r tywydd? it is blowing a gale here on the South Coast of England, very mild for the time of year but wet.

Thank you for the T Shirts, they arrived yesterday. Babs and I were very pleased with them.

Any Swansea Jacks in your Association - people born in Swansea/Abertawe. Swansea Jack was a dog who saved a few people from drowing and they know have a bust of his head on a plinth opposite St Helens rugby ground it was there when I was a boy - but people still talk of the dog as if it was yesterday.

Well Hwyl nawr(Bye now), with the festive season upon us Babs and I would like to wish all Memeber of the Alabama Welsh Association a Nadolig LLawen ac Blyddyn Newydd Dda.

Babs and Steve Davies