This week Dewi goes to Llangadog in the county of Carmarthenshire. The local pub is called the ‘Llew Coch’ – The Red Lion.
Dewi talks to Guto ap Gwynfor about a hill called the ‘Garn Goch’ (Red Cairn). The name goes back to the time of the Celts. There is bracken growing on the hill and in spring the bracken turns red; it is the red bracken that gives the name ‘Garn Goch’ (Red Cairn).
Guto talks about a place called ‘Llys Brychan’ by the Garn Goch. Llys Brychan was the home of Brychan Brycheiniog. Brychan was a father to 24 children. Cadog – the saint that gives his name to Llangadog – was a son to Gwladus, Brychan Brycheiniog’s daughter.
Dewi talks about Watcyn Wyn. Watcyn came from Brynamman. Watkin came to Llangadog as a teacher to boys that wanted to become ministers. When Watkin left Llangadog the prospective ministers went too and the people of Llangadog were not happy at all.
Guto also talks about ‘Merched Beca’ (Rebecca Riots). ‘Merched Beca’ protested against the tollgates on the roads around 1843. They wore women’s clothing and painted their faces black. At night ‘Merched Beca’ went out to burn the tollgates.
Dewi talks to Alun Lenny about the farmers protest against Europe’s Milk Quotas in 1984. The farmers gave the milk that was surplus to the coal miners that were on strike.
Dewi talks to Win that runs the Post Office at Llangadog. She talks about Den the shoemaker. Win remembers Den’s shop. One of the benches from Den’s shop is at the National History Museum at St Fagans today.
Peter Hughes Griffiths talks about Gwynfor Evans (1912-2005). Gwynfor Evans ran a business called ‘Tai Gerddi’ and he was famous for growing tomatoes. Gwynfor Evans was Plaid Cymru’s (The Party of Wales) first Member of Parliament.
Guto is Gwynfor’s son and he talks about his father. Gwynfor Evans wanted to see a Welsh television channel. Margaret Thatcher’s government was going to give a Welsh channel for Wales, but they said ‘No’. Gwynfor Evans said that he would fast until the government gave Wales a Welsh television channel.
After hearing the stories, Dewi and his band Radwm sing the song ‘Ie, Ie, ‘Na Fe’ in the bar.
