History UsefulNotes / LandOfMyFathersAndTheirSheep

South Wales is more industrialised than the rest, due to immense coal deposits, though Wrexham in the North East is as industrialised also due to coal. A lot of Welsh cultural identity stems from the 19th-century mining industry, when "the Valleys" as the area was known, saw religious revivals, the enthusiastic adoption of the game of Rugby, and a great tradition of choral singing.

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/125px-Flag_of_Wales_2.svg.png Wales, the land of the Welsh Dragon, Tom Jones, ''{{Torchwood}}'' and the rest of the BBC Sci-fi/fantasy TV programmes.

* Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones and Rhys Williams, ''Torchwood''

* Catherine Jenkins, who like Charlotte Church really CAN sing, and unlike Charlotte Church has wisely decided to stay with what she knows best

* Arthur Machen, an author whose ''TheGreatGodPan'' and other stories were a major influence on HPLovecraft.

* {{Lostprophets}}

* ''IvorTheEngine''.
* Several characters from Channel 4's classic sketch show ''Absolutely'', particularly DIY 'expert' Denzil and his equally repulsive wife, Gwyneth (played by Welsh comedy actor John Sparks and MorwennaBanks).

* Dylan Thomas, poet, DoNotGoGentleIntoThatGoodNight. See SoulMusic for TerryPratchett's take on this.

* Gavin Henson, rugby player and noted sun-bed user, sometimes referred to as TangoMan for this reason.

In [[AncientRome Roman times]], the part of Great Britain now called England (the words "England" and "English" refer specifically to the Germanic invaders you're about to meet) was inhabited by a Celtic population, culturally and linguistically related to the Scots and Irish. During the [[DarkAgeEurope Dark Ages]], the Germanic [[AngloSaxons Anglo-Saxons]] invaded and pushed them into the little corner of the island we now call Wales. Wales was conquered by the English in TheMiddleAges, and became legally a part of the Kingdom of England -- which is why there's no "Welsh Bit" of the Union Jack, which was formed from the flags of the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and, later, Ireland. Being conquered and repressed has given Wales both a strong sense of identity and the mother of all chips on shoulders. [[BerserkButton Do not call a Welshman English]]. It will cause immediate and lasting discomfort (The Scottish are often portrayed as having similar tendencies).

-->-- '''The first verse and chorus of "Land of My Fathers", the traditional Welsh National Anthem.'''

* LosCampesinos!

In Roman times, the part of Great Britain now called England (the words "England" and "English" refer specifically to the Germanic invaders you're about to meet) was inhabited by a Celtic population, culturally and linguistically related to the Scots and Irish. During the Dark Ages, the Germanic Anglo-Saxons invaded and pushed them into the little corner of the island we now call Wales. Wales was conquered by the English in TheMiddleAges, and became legally a part of the Kingdom of England -- which is why there's no "Welsh Bit" of the Union Jack, which was formed from the flags of the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and, later, Ireland. Being conquered and repressed has given Wales both a strong sense of identity and the mother of all chips on shoulders. [[BerserkButton Do not call a Welshman English]]. It will cause immediate and lasting discomfort (The Scottish are often portrayed as having similar tendencies).

Wales was conquered by the English in TheMiddleAges, and became legally a part of the Kingdom of England -- which is why there's no "Welsh Bit" of the Union Jack, which was formed from the flags of the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and, later, Ireland. Being conquered and repressed has given Wales both a strong sense of identity and the mother of all chips on shoulders. [[BerserkButton Do not call a Welshman English]]. It will cause immediate and lasting discomfort (The Scottish are often portrayed as having similar tendencies).

Wales was conquered by the English in TheMiddleAges, and became legally a part of the Kingdom of England -- which is why there's no "Welsh Bit" of the Union Jack, which was formed from the flags of the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and, later, Ireland. Being conquered and repressed has given Wales both a strong sense of identity and the mother of all chips on shoulders. [[BerserkButton Do not call a Welshman English]]. [[{{Understatement}} It will cause immediate and lasting inconvenience]] (The Scottish are often portrayed as having similar tendencies).

There is also [[NotMakingThisUpDisclaimer a community of Welsh-speakers in Argentina, dating back to the 19th century]], and Welsh is spoken in Patagonia, albeit with a Spanish accent.

* Tom Jones -- world famous singer, with a reputation for women throwing their knickers at him.
* Aimee Ann '''Duffy''' -- a UK famous singer, who hasn't had any pants or knickers thrown at her yet.
* Catherine Zeta-Jones -- world famous actress. Oh, and singer sort of in ''{{Chicago}}''

* Anthony Hopkins. You know, AGlassOfChianti...

* Dylan Thomas, poet, DoNotGoGentleIntoThatGoodNight
** see SoulMusic for TerryPratchett's take on this
* John Cale, musician and former member of TheVelvetUnderground
* MiltonJones, comic

* ''Hornblower'' actor Ioan Gruffudd, also Cymraeg -- but Welsh-Speaker from South Wales (Glamorgan).

There is also a community of Welsh-speakers in Argentina, dating back to the 19th century, and Welsh is spoken in Patagonia, albeit with a Spanish accent.

The Welsh language was suppressed with varying degrees of viciousness by the English from the middle ages right up until the 1960s, but since then it has become one of the best-subsidised minority languages in the world, and nowadays around 20% of Welsh people can speak some Welsh, with 14% claiming to use it on a daily basis. Northern and Southern versions differ in details, and 'gogs' ( as North Welsh are referred to in the South ) are sometimes said to sound like Russian porn stars. Welsh is accorded equal status with English within Wales, so all roadsigns and official notices have to be in both. The language is the butt of many jokes in England, usually along the lines of "Welsh is very difficult to speak unless you have either a lifetime's study, or a serious throat infection". Welsh spellings are also the subject of English humour, sometimes being attributed either to anagrams of breakfast cereal names or escapees from J P Lovecraft's less well-known works.

* Funeral for a Friend

* Lostprophets

The Welsh language is a Celtic tongue that pre-dates the Roman conquest. It is related to Scots Gaelic, spoken in parts of Scotland, to Irish, the native language of Ireland, and Manx, spoken on the Isle of Man, though not so closely that speakers of Welsh and those languages can understand each other. Welsh is more closely related to Breton and Cornish (spoken in northwestern France and Cornwall, respectively)... but good luck with actually finding a Cornish speaker in Cornwall, or anywhere else.

The Welsh language is a Celtic tongue that pre-dates the Roman conquest. It is related to Scots Gaelic, spoken in parts of Scotland, to Irish, the native language of Ireland, and Manx, spoken on the Isle of Man, though not so closely that speakers of Welsh and those languages can understand each other. Welsh is more closely related to Breton and Cornish (spoken in northwestern France and Cornwall, respectively).

The Welsh language was suppressed with varying degrees of viciousness by the English from the middle ages right up until the 1960s, but since then it has become one of the best-subsidised minority languages in the world, and nowadays around 20% of Welsh people can speak some Welsh, with 14% claiming to use it on a daily basis. Northern and Southern versions differ in details, and 'gogs' ( as North Welsh are referred to in the South ) are sometimes said to sound like Russian porn stars. Welsh is accorded equal status with English within Wales, so all roadsigns and official notices have to be in both. The language is the butt of many jokes in England, usually along the lines of "Welsh is very difficult to speak unless you have either a lifetime's study, or a serious throat infection".

The Welsh language was suppressed with varying degrees of viciousness by the English from the middle ages right up until the 1960s, but since then it has become one of the best-subsidised minority languages in the world, and nowadays around 20% of Welsh people can speak some Welsh, with 14% claiming to use it on a daily basis. Welsh is accorded equal status with English within Wales, so all roadsigns and official notices have to be in both. The language is the butt of many jokes in England, usually along the lines of "Welsh is very difficult to speak unless you have either a lifetime's study, or a serious throat infection".

*** Debatable. While many of the earliest stories about Arthur and his knights are from Welsh sources, the man himself and those who followed him would almost certainly have been "Brythonic". And while Wales (along with Cornwall) is one of the last remaining regions rooted in Brythonic culture, that doesn't really make Arthur Welsh. It's more accurate to say that ''some'' of Arthur's people eventually ''became'' the Welsh.

Dros ryddid collasant eu gwaed.

O bydded i'r hen iaith barhau.

** But JKR explicitly states in Deathly Hallows that Godric's Hollow is in the West Country, England, as was she.

* ''Notting Hill'' actor Rhys Ifans, a first language Welsh-speaker and main example of a 'Gog' accent (from North Wales)

* ChristianBale, born in Pembrokeshire but raised in Southern England from early childhood. (Incidentally, he voiced [[HowlsMovingCastle Howl]] in the film's English dub.)

* Wizard Howl, of ''[[HowlsMovingCastle Moving Castle]]'' fame.

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* [[{{QI}} Alan Davies]].

Wales was conquered by the English in TheMiddleAges, and became legally a part of the Kingdom of England -- which is why there's no "Welsh Bit" of the Union Jack, which was formed from the flags of the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and, later, Ireland. Being conquered and repressed has given Wales both a strong sense of identity and the mother of all chips on shoulders. [[BeserkButton Do not call a Welshman English]]. [[Understatement It will cause immediate and lasting inconvenience]] (The Scottish are often portrayed as having similar tendencies).