Y Bwletin Gwasg y Nant – Valley Press Mis Gorffenaf 2011 – July 2011 Llywydd / President: Gareth G Jones Editor / Golygydd: Glenson T Jones
www.ottawawelsh.com
Sywddogion Newydd Cymdeithas Cymry Ottawa ! / New Officers for the Ottawa Welsh Society! As elected during the OWS Executive Meeting 21 June ‘11
Officers/Swyddogion 2011-2012
President/Llywydd: Gareth G Jones Gareth.Jones@CeltiConnect.com Vice-President/Is-Lywydd: John Price john.price@sympatico.ca Secretary/Ysgrifennydd: Marilyn Jenkins Marilyn.e.Jenkins@sympatico.ca
New President Message: Dear members and friends of the Ottawa Welsh Society, Welcome to a new year in the life of our Society! I am honoured to have been invited to fulfill the role of President for 2011-12; I promise I will do my utmost to work effectively with our dedicated Board, to listen to the needs of our members and to conduct Society business in a way that will provide value for current and new members alike. Hoffwn gydnabod yr arweinyddiaeth ragorol a ddangoswyd gan ein Llywydd Gorffennol, Dr. Pawl Birt ar Bwrdd. Rwyf yn gwahodd chi i gyd i rannu eich syniadau gyda mi a phob aelod o'r Bwrdd. Rydym yn falch i wasanaethu chi ac edrychaf ymlaen at flwyddyn arall o hwyl a chân i ddathlu diwylliant Cymru, ein iaith a threftadaeth. Hwyl fawr! GGJ
Treasurer/Trysorydd: Alison Lawson Alisonlawson@rogers.com Short bios of our new Officers on page 4. Members at Large: Jean & Tony Howard, Gaye Brittle MERCHED DEWI AND FRIENDS CONCERT What a treat for the Welsh community in Ottawa! Merched Dewi, the Welsh women‟s choir attached to Dewi Sant Welsh United Church in Toronto, and their director, Betty Cullingworth, came to Ottawa at the end of May and delighted a full house at Westminster Presbyterian Church with a wonderfully varied programme of Welsh music. They were joined for the occasion by four Ottawa `friends`, Maureen Carpenter, Jennifer Davies, Myfanwy Davies and Alison Lawson, who had sung with them on previous occasions in Toronto, Kingston and Wales. After being welcomed by our President, Dr Pawl Birt, the choir sang a programme of modern pieces, traditional folk songs, hymns and anthems, entirely in Welsh. It was enough to bring a tear of `hiraeth` to many eyes. As if this wasn`t enough of a treat, the choir was joined by three talented soloists : John Griffiths, well known to Ottawa Welsh Society members for his wonderful singing, Carole Portelance, who sang two lovely songs in impeccable Welsh, and Meriel Simpson of Toronto, who joined John in a Welsh rendition of Panis Angelicus.
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Inside This Issue / Yn y rhifin hwn New Officers New President Message Merched Dewi Anglo Celtic Roots The Canadians opposite Lens A wythoch chi? The Welshiest Woman in Wales Writes Upcoming Events Details New Officers Bios
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Digwyddiadau OWS Events: -
Awst 5ed: Mini-putt(Golf) and Chelsea Pub Sep 16th: Pub Night @ Sir John A Tachwedd 12: Noson Lawen
Y Bwletin
Tudalen 2 MERCHED DEWI AND FRIENDS CONCERT cont’ The audience was also privileged to hear an instrumental trio, Mary Muckle (harp), Kirsten Carlson (flute) and Loyda Lastra (flute) play a beautiful medley of Welsh folk tunes. Alan Thomas accompanied throughout with his usual professional expertise. All in all, it was a very special occasion for the Ottawa Welsh community. Many thanks to all the people who helped make the concert possible including the singers, soloists, Alan, Westminster Presbyterian Church, those responsible for providing the `te bach`, front of house volunteers, publicity people and anyone else I might have left out inadvertently. Please come back to Ottawa soon, Merched! Alison Lawson
“Celebrate Your Anglo-Celtic Roots!” 16-18 September 2011 England, Wales, London and the Home Counties are featured at the 17th Annual Conference of the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO), 16-18 September 2011, at Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington St., in Canada‟s beautiful capital, Ottawa, Ontario. 1 Hear international, national, and local experts in English and Welsh family history and genealogy research sources, methods and software. 2 Attend pre-conference educational seminars on effective searching, maintaining documents, and using civil, census, parish and probate records 3 Access experienced family tree researchers and data bases online and on CDs 4 Browse a marketplace of related products and services, including the exhibit by the Ottawa Welsh Society. Save on registrations postmarked or emailed via the secure online registration form on the website by 12 August 2011. th
The opening ceremonies at 7 p.m., 16 September, are free to the public. You will hear author and Ottawa Citizen columnist, Phil Jenkins, on the topic “The Question of Ancestral Memory: Listening to the Chorus in Your Head”. The Marketplace is also free to the public throughout the conference. For more details on the program, the speakers, the topics and how to register, visit www.bifhsgo.ca/conference, or email conference@bifhsgo.ca, or call 613-234-2520.
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“The Canadians Opposite Lens” by Welshman Augustus John: the latest Canadian War Museum acquisition Will and Kate paid tribute to the nation‟s war veterans with a visit to the Canadian War Museum, where they met with veterans and war brides spanning several generations. The couple was at the museum to help unveil a 40-foot wide painting titled “The Canadians Opposite Lens” (by the Welshman Augustus John) which depicts soldiers on Vimy Ridge against a chaotic backdrop of trucks and bursting shells. “This impressive work of art, with connections to Canada and Great Britain, portrays part of the experience which helped define Canada as a nation during the First World War,” the president of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation Mark O‟Neill said in a statement released ahead of the ceremony. The painting was intended to be the centrepiece for a Canadian war memorial art gallery that was never built. Instead, the piece sat in John‟s studio in London, England where he worked on it sporadically until his death. While moving through the museum, the Duchess of Cambridge continued to impress royal watchers with grace and elegance. Standing in front of an unfinished painting by celebrated Welsh artist Augustus John in Ottawa, Kate demonstrated an ease with officials and regular Canadians at the Canadian War Museum, royal watcher Bonnie Brownlee told CTV News Channel on Saturday. “It‟s almost as if she was born to be living the life that she lives right now,” she said.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_John http://ogov.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/ July2011/02/c2910.html
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Page 3 A wythoch chi? / Did you know:
New North Wales: The historical name for the region of Canada east of Hudson Bay to Labrador, what is currently Nunavik (Northern Quebec). The region was given this name by Captain Luke Foxe in 1631.
Gair o Gymru gan Gwenno Cefais ebost fer yn ddiweddar gan Gareth Gwyn Jones yn fy ngwahodd i sgwennu pwt rheolaidd atoch fel rhan o‟ch bwletin drwy‟r post. Gadewch i mi gyflwyno fy hun yn fras iawn i chi. Gwenno Dafydd yw fy enw ac mae Neil McEvoy, fy nghyd-gyflwynwr ar ein rhaglen radio wythnosol „Mac and Welshy Woman‟ ar Radio Caerdydd yn cyfeirio ataf fel „Gwenno Dafydd – the Welshiest Woman in Wales‟, teitl dwi‟n eitha ffansio rhaid i mi gyfaddef!!
The Welshiest Woman in Wales Writes (a word or two) I recently received an email from Gareth Gwyn Jones inviting me to regularly write a word or two as part of your postal bulletin. Let me introduce myself to you. My name is Gwenno Dafydd and Neil McEvoy, my co-presenter on our weekly radio show „Mac and Welshy Woman‟ on Radio Cardiff introduces me as „Gwenno Dafydd – the Welshiest Woman in Wales‟, a title I rather fancy I must admit!!
Cefais fy ngeni yn Ysbyty Dewi Sant ym Mangor, Gogledd Cymru ond fe symudodd fy rhieni i Sir Benfro pan oeddwn yn 7 oed a cefais fy magu yn ardal Pencaer, tu allan i Abergwaun. Er fy mod yn byw yng Nghaerdydd gyda fy ngwr Pol a‟n merch ni Lowri, mae Sir Benfro wedi cipio fy nghalon a fy enaid ac mae‟r tri ohonom yn dianc yna mor aml ag sydd bosib i‟n carafan yna.
I was born in Saint David‟s Hospital in Bangor North Wales but my parents moved when I was seven years old to Pembrokeshire. I was brought up on the Pencaer Penninsula, close to Fishguard, and even though I live in Cardiff with my husband Pol and our daughter Lowri, Pembrokeshire has stolen my heart and soul and we escape there as often as possible to our caravan.
Felly dyma chi‟n gwbod ychydig o fy hanes. Os hoffech wybod mwy am y math o bethau dwi‟n gwneud, cerwch at www.gwennodafydd.co.uk Fel y gwelwch, dwi‟n berson creadigol sy‟n hoff iawn o amrywiaeth yn fy ngwaith a fy mywyd.
So now you know a little bit about me. If you want to find out more about the sort of things I do then go to: www.gwennodafydd.co.uk As you can see, I‟m a creative person who loves to have huge variety in my work and life.
Wythnos yma cefais y fraint o grwydro fy milltir sgwar gyda dyn tywydd BBC Cymru Derek Brockway ar gyfer ei raglen deledu hynod o boblogaidd – „Weatherman Walking‟. Mwy am y siwrne yma yn: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesnature/2011/07/ all_the_views_without_the_queu_2.html
This week I had the honour of exploring my „square mile‟ with Derek Brockway, BBC Wales‟ Weatherman as part of his extremely popular television „Weatherman Walking‟. If you‟d like to hear more about this journey you can read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesnature/2011/07/ all_the_views_without_the_queu_2.html That‟s enough for now – early to bed tonight to take part in tommorow‟s „Park Run around Cardiff Castle grounds. http://www.parkrun.org.uk/cardiff/home
Dyna ddigon am nawr – gwely cynnar heno er mwyn cymeryd rhan yn „Park Run‟ ym mharc Castell Caerdydd bore fory. http://www.parkrun.org.uk/cardiff/home Ta ta tan toc!
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Newsletter Title
Page 4 Upcoming Events / Digwyddiada Mini-putt(Golf) and Chelsea Pub:
When: Friday 5th August 2011 Where: Dunndersoa Mini Golf: 11 chemin Notch, Chelsea, QC J9B 1G5 (819) 827-8056 www.dunnds.com Details: Please join us for a round of mini golf starting at 5pm at the ticket booth. We‟ll be moving on to the Chelsea Pub afterwards for some refreshments. Those wishing not to play golf can meet the team at Chelsea Pub (238 Chemin Old Chelsea Old Chelsea, QC J9B 1J3 www.chelseapub.ca ) Noson allan mis Medi / September Pub Night Out When: Friday 16th Sep 2011 Where: Sir John A‟s 284 Elgin Street (at MacLaren) Ottawa, ON K2P 1M3 Details: New and long term members of the OWS are invited for a social gathering over a warm ale. Feel free to bring along guest(s). The OWS Officers will reserve an area in the pub for us under ‘Aberdaugleddau’ Autumn Concert: The new officers are looking into this possibility, information and details to follow once secured Noson Lawen To be held in November, the officers are currently working on the details and update will be advised. Currently scheduled for the 12th of November
New 2011 / 12 Officer Bios: President/Llywydd: Gareth Jones Gareth.Jones@CeltiConnect.com Raised in Brynsiencyn, and grew up around Bangor. Since leaving Wales in 1993, he‟s been involved in Welsh organizations in England, the Far East and North America. His background is within large Infrastructure Projects and is currently involved in the Ottawa Light Rail Project. Outside of work he represents the Wales North America Chamber of Commerce, British Canadian Chamber of Trade and Commerce and as the Alumni Ambassador National Capital Region for the University of Liverpool. Gareth currently lives in Aylmer, QC with his wife Marie-Louise and son Caleb Gwyn.
Vice-President/Is-Lywydd: John Price john.price@sympatico.ca Born near Brecon a long, long time ago. Came to Canada in 1968 and lived in Saskatoon and Vancouver as an almost eternal student before entering the real world in Ottawa in 1976. Has done his bit to keep the world safe for bilingualism ever since. Member of OWS Executive Committee for close to 10 years. Purveyor of wine and beer to the Noson Lawen. Understands O-level Welsh and, regrettably, speaks even less.
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Page 5 Treasurer/Trysorydd: Alison Lawson Alisonlawson@rogers.com Alison was born and brought up in Llandudno, North Wales. Welsh was her first language and she attended a Welsh language elementary school. After completing her studies at the University of Wales in Cardiff, she came to Canada in 1967 to study at McMaster University in Hamilton and then settled in Ottawa in 1968. She has been involved in the Ottawa Welsh Society ever since and is very proud of all the work done by the Society to promote the Welsh culture in Ottawa. Secretary/Ysgrifennydd: Marilyn Jenkins Marilyn.e.Jenkins@sympatico.ca After 33 years teaching music in classrooms of Ottawa Carleton, Marilyn is now an independent music professional, most recently involved in the Ottawa Welsh Choral Society as Director. Her specialties include voice - soprano soloist, first soprano choral and as a choral director - SATB and youth choirs. Hobbies include riding her 5-year old Leopard Appaloosa and caring for a 60 pound standard poodle.
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