$8 Advance Donation

Call 425-745-5611 for information

May 13th Concert: One Not to Miss
--Alan Upshall

On Wednesday May 13th your society will sponsor an outstanding Welsh music concert, the details of which are elsewhere in this issue. The three main performers, Elinor Bennet, Mari Morgan and Eluned Jones, are on their way to be the entertainment on a special Alaska Cruise, and we were fortunate enough to be able to convince them to stop off in Seattle on the way and give us a concert. Not to be put too much in the shadows, the three entertainers from Wales will be joined by our own Cor Cymraeg Seattle.

Some of you may remember the spectacular concert that celebrated St. David's Day in 1997. That concert featured Mari Morgan and Eluned Jones, who sang solos and duets and kept us enthralled for over an hour. For the upcoming concert on May 13, Mari and Eluned will be joined by Elinor Bennet.

Elinor is a professional stage performer and a very famous Welsh harpist/soprano and it would take at least two pages to present her accomplishments to you. She has given concerts and recitals all over the world and has recorded over 12 albums featuring harp music and both folk and traditional Welsh folk songs. Elinor is recognized as one of the finest exponents of the harp in Britain today. She was the main soloist at the Gymanfa Ganu concert in Milwaukee last year.

Mari Morgan, soprano, has contributed much to our society not only following last year's concert but also as the adjudicator of the Eisteddfod competition held at our Welsh festival in Bellevue in 1994. Since she took up residence in America three years ago, she has performed all across the country and was a featured soloist at the grand concert at last year's Annual Welsh Gymanfa Ganu in Milwaukee. Mari has recently founded the North American Welsh Choir, which brings people together from all over the country into one large choir. This choir will sing at the annual Gymanfa Ganu in Minneapolis/St. Paul, next year. Many of Cor Cymraeg Seattle members are also in the North American Choir.

Eluned Jones was the winner of the ladies solo competition at our Eisteddfod in 1994. Eluned has been resident in North America for many years and teamed up with Mari after the Eisteddfod in 1994.

Of course the flourishing Seattle Welsh Choir needs no introduction. This year the choir has grown in strength and the repertoire has expanded with many new and previously unheard Welsh songs.

It is not often that we are able to bring together three outstanding Welsh musicians to entertain us with a concert of this anticipated quality. Come on out and support the society and at the same time enjoy yourself at the best Welsh concert to hit the Northwest since 1994.

This Month In Wales
--Brian Parry

The fourth month, Mis Ebrill.
• On the 1st 1401, Conway Castle surrendered to Owain Glyndwr.
• on this day in 1974, eight new counties replaced the former 13 in a major local government reorganization, (they has since reorganized again).
• On the 5th in 1891, the first language census showed that the number of Welsh-speaking people in Wales over the age of three was 1,685,614.
• On the same day in 1926, Portmeirion village first opened to the public.
• On the 6th in 1884, J. G. Parry Thomas (racing driver) was born at Wrexham.
• On 7th 1930, Cliff Morgan, perhaps best known as a rugby player but also later as a TV presenter (with the likes of Huw Weldon) was born at Trebanog, Rhondda.
• On the 9th 1959, the distinguished Welsh-American architect Frank Lloyd Wright died.
• The 11th had numerous notable events:
  • On that day in 1240, Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (the Great) died at Aberconwy.
  • In 1268, Gilbert de Clare began construction of Caerphilly Castle.
  • In 1862, Charles Evans Hughes, son of a Tredegar immigrant, who was narrowly beaten in the 1916 presidential election by Woodrow Wilson was born. (Wilson sounds like he was descended from Irish immigrants?).
  • As mentioned earlier, on 14th Gerald of Wales finished his journey.
  • Also on this day in 1536, the Act of Union between England and Wales was given the Royal Assent by Henry VIII, or was he a Royal Ass, sent by somebody else?
• On the 16th 1938, Sir William Price, the founder of United Dairies, died.
• On 21st 1509, Henry Tudor (Henry VII) died at Windsor Castle.
• On 23rd 1927, Cardiff City became the first Welsh team to win the FA Cup, by defeating Arsenal 1-0. This was also the first time that the Cup Final had ever been broadcast.
• On 27th 1867, Sir Benjamin Hall died. That may not be significant until it is noted that perhaps his biggest claim to fame, apart from being an MP for Monmouth, is that Big Ben in Westminster is named after him. I think that's right, but it may have been the Festival Hall in Westminster that is named after him.
• On 28th 1926, the previously mentioned J. G. Parry Thomas set a world land speed record of 171.02 mph at Pendine. Apparently, the next day he set a new record while driving a car.
• Finally, on 30th 1959, the Eisteddfod Act was passed, allowing local councils to make financial contributions to the National Eisteddfod wherever it was being held in Wales.

It's Back!
--Carolyn Bell

Because of the remodeling at Northgate Mall last year, Worldfest was not held in 1997. But the remodeling is finished and Worldfest is back! It's always a great opportunity for us to be visible to the community, to recruit members and to acquaint people with the lesser known (but not lesser) part of Great Britain.

This year Worldfest will be held April 24 through 26. If you have never worked a few hours in our booth selling and/or talking to people, it's an interesting experience. We need two people in the booth at all times and a third during peak periods. So volunteers are welcomed.

Band Y Ddraig Goch Schedule
--Jackie Cedarholm

Sunday, April 26 - Worldfest, Northgate Mall
Thursday, April 30 - Island Park Elementary School, 7-7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 2 - Seattle Children's Museum,11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.

Carolyn Bell Art Show
--Jackie Cedarholm

Carolyn will show her paintings during the whole month of May at the Ala Famiglia Restaurant at 12250 Greenwood Avenue N., 206-363-1778, which serves delicious soup, sandwiches, bakery goodies and specialty dishes. Hours are Monday, 5:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Tuesday-Friday, 5:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Get a group together for breakfast, brunch or lunch and enjoy Carolyn's beautiful paintings.

Welsh Women's Club Meeting
--Rosemary Moore

The next meeting of the Welsh Women's Club will be at the Ram Cafe & Sports Bar, 4730 University Village, Friday, April 17 starting at 11:30 a.m.

Everyone is always invited and welcome to attend. The Women's Club generally holds their monthly meeting on the third Friday of the month at the Ram. However, it's always wise to check.

If you plan to be at the meeting, or would like more information, please call Rosemary Moore at 425-747-7355.

How the Welsh Gained the Throne of England
--Or Too Many Henrys
--Benton Williams

A handsome Welshman arrived on the scene sometime around 1400 and later as a young man claimed he was a descendant of the ancient Welsh King, Cadwaladr. His name was Owen Tudor, sometimes spelled Tudur or Twdwr. He became a squire for Henry V and was probably with him at the battle of Agincourt. Henry V died, leaving a wife, Catherine of Valois, and a son who was to become Henry VI. Catherine and Owen fell in love. A couple of stories of their romance survive, probably as folk tales. This was in 1429 and the War of the Roses was waiting in the wings. The romance of Owen Tudor and Catherine of Valois was frowned upon of course because England had gotten a belly full of Welsh mischief after the demise of Owain Glyndwr.

Owen and Catherine had five children. The first two are of importance: Edmund and Jasper. The Tudors followed the Red Rose of Lancaster as the battles see-sawed back and forth with the White Rose of York. Owen literally lost his head in the battle of Mortimer's Cross, defeated by Edward IV, the son of Richard, Duke of York. The young son of Catherine reached his majority, becoming Henry VI and married Margaret of Anjou in 1445.

Now we turn to Edmund, who became Earl of Richmond, and who married a girl named Margaret Beaufort. They will carry on the Tudor line by bringing forth a son who becomes Henry VII. The other son, Jasper, became Earl of Pembroke, and hurled himself into the thorny Rose Garden and its pesticides in full fury, winning battles here and there, and eventually escaping into Snowdonia, as his predecessors, Owain Glyndwr and Llewelyn had done before him.

At the battle of St. Albans, the Yorkists gained control, which opened the door for that scoundrel Richard III, who had his two youthful competitors murdered in the Tower of London. You may recall that he offered his kingdom for a horse and lost the battle of Bosworth to Henry VII, who was also know as Henry Tudor. I'm not making all this up, you know.

Now we come to the good part. Henry Tudor married Elizabeth (No not Elizabeth I) a daughter of King Edward IV in 1485, and this united both houses, bringing the war to an end. You will recall the story: they had two sons, Arthur and Henry. They made a deal with Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, and Arthur married Catherine of Aragon, who was abandoned in financial poverty, and the feckless Arthur, shall we say, proved to be incapable as a husband. He preferred to play cricket with the boys. As tempus fugit and many peccadilloes between England and Spain took place, Arthur passed out of the picture mysteriously and Catherine of Aragon married Henry, who became Henry VIII. Now we are back on track. After many a litigation and Shakespeare play to prove Catherine barren, Henry VIII married Anne Boleyn. From this union came Queen Elizabeth I.