Banners and Flags for the Cilmeri Commemoration.

The Heraldry of the 1282 Commemoration: Baners and Flags.

ANTUR YSBRYD COFIWN gethin.apgruffydd@ntlworld.com

I cannot write about the heraldry of Cilmeri and our 'Adfywiad Gwladgarol' struggle in general without mentioning Toni Lewis, our Patriotic Herald in Chief. Here is a photo of Toni with a Baner Llywelyn at Castell y Bere in 1982. Below is a photograph of just a few of the many flags Toni made, most of which have been ''borrowed'', ''Liberated'' or stolen, this includes many of the wooden heraldic shields Toni also made. Over the years Toni made 100's of Flags many of which are still seen at any number of events, the least you could do is make one flag that will contribute much.

The photos here, are mostly of the heraldry of the ancient Cymric Princes and Royal tribes, there are great many of these and their full details can be found on the web for those interested in making such. It would be good if patriots made ones that represented their Taliath or Gwledydd, particularly needed are those of the Gwledydd of Gwynedd, Powys, Dehuebarth, Morgannwg and Gwent. You will also see in this photo Cofiwn 'Ivy Leaf' flags we made a great many of these for the 1282 - 1982 commemoration. You will also see in this picture the flag of the Patriotic Front and ceremonial White Eagle flag of the F.W.A.

Here is a flag I shall be making soon, the Red Stag of Gruffydd Gethin of Ynys Tawe, of course not everyone has ''artistic capabilities but making flags is not too difficult. in fact it's ''childs play'' so why not get your young 'Macwyfiad' making them for you? If no children then have a go yourself, designs can be photocopied enlarged to size required and traced on to material, then just make sure you use 'Acrillyc' fabric paint available in any number of shops as Artists suppliers. If the more intricate designs are a problem then at least have a go at making Ivy leaf flags

or the 'Royal' Fleur de Lys

Baner Llywelyn will be more difficult but not impossible, I can send 'Lion Templates' to those who wish to attempt making such

For those with absolutly no talent in the flag making department, I suggest you at least make yourselves a simple Black Flag as symbolic of mourning for 1282. Dozens even 100's of such as well as loads of Ivy Leaf and Fleur de Lys flags will look impressive. Flags symbolically representative 'Y Croes Naid' will be easy to make as examples below show:

This ''Croes Naid'' flag I ''inherited'' following Toni's death, I am not sure what he had in mind when he made this flag. However, it shows a Celtic Cross on the Royal Purple and thus I detirmine that is suitable to symbolically represent Y Croes Naid. An alternative version to make is quite simply that of a Red Celtic Cross on Yellow or Yellow Celtic Cross on Red backgound as shown here in this picture. I have also ''inherited'' a splendid 'Croes Naid' Baner made by Toni as shown in picture below which after being displayed at Aberedw, Rhosferig, Cilmeri and Abaty Cwm Hir I shall donate to the Edgar Pritchard Croes Naid Exhibition and another to Antur Llys Rhosyr.

Large Banners particularly those that are made to be carried on two poles are of course more difficult to make but not impossible, see the Cofiwn 1282 Llywelyn Baner and indeed the 'Balchder Coslett Baner' in earlier posting. You will require a large piece of White Calico about 6' x 4' and of course Acrillyc fabric paint plus time and patience. See ideas below re Four Lions and Cofiwn ivy banner designs.

Further, patriots of course will bring our National flags as Y Draig Goch and 'Baner Glyndwr', as for the ''accepted'' Baner Dewi Sant I find it's near enough contemporary ''Anglican Church roots'' not particularly appealing to me. Thus I have designed my own 'Adfywiadwyr' Baner Dewi Sant as shown in picture, this keeps the Yellow cross with black back ground but whole is on a red back ground, so both the red and yellow of our Banner Llywelyn and Glyndwr are used to make a more patriotic flag.

'Eryr Eryr Gwyn'

THE DREADED SUBJECT OF WHITE EAGLES.

The White Eagle has heraldic associations with Gwynedd and with one other Royal tribe of the Cymru and is usually shown in the form as picture here. The ledgend of the White Eagle arising to warn the Cymru of Invasion inspired the creation of the White Eagle Cross of Welsh Resistance, originating in the great 'Adfywiad Gwladgarol' 1962 - 1969 it became mostly associated with the Free Wales Army. However, since it has been adopted generally as an 'Adfywiad' symbol of continuing Welsh Resistance to English Rule. In recent times it has been adopted by BALCHDER CYMRU and has provoked much contraversy, most notably with their use of this flag on the annual Tartan Centre/Cambria Magazine sponsored St David's Day Parade in Cardiff 2006. This resulted in letter to Western Mail complaining about use of ''Fascist Flags'', yes a bit baffling that must have been a member of the Labour party having a bash. However lately an anonymous posting in the 'welshrepublicanforum' by a ''STIFYN'' made a more serious attack on use of the White Eagle, not least by 'BALCHDER CYMRU' for reasons they can answer. I however found this an out of place and uneccessary attacks on 'Adfywiadwyr' FWA Commandants Cayo Evans and Denis Coslett totally un warrented and I will answer this myself in due course in another posting. To return to use of Eagle Flags, myself would prefer it if 'Heraldic Eagles Flags' were used at Historic commemorations and 'White Eagle Cross' flags at Political events and demonstrations. However, if patriots want to use 'White Eagle Cross Flags' where ever they wish that is up to them and no one as the right to stop them unless of course 'organisers' of an event so chose to ''ban'' their use, as the St David's day parade organisers may want to do so from their platforms as they did with an Embassy Glyndwr banner in 2003 or rather told Embassy Staff to remove themselves from the steps/platform see above complete with white eagle cross flags.

Naughty! Naughty! Naughty! the ''Offending'' White Eagle Cross flag and below my design for an 'ADFYWIAD GWLADGAROL' Eagle flag

So there it is folks! Flags and Baners. Now how about some of you making some, unfortunatly Toni is no longer with us thus if you do not make a little effort to make some then commemorations will be less colourful as will parades. If you want to see how impressive lots of Baners and flags can make a commemorative event and parade, you should see our film footage of the great 'Cofiwn 1282' 700th anniversary of 1282 commemoration and parade in and around Builth Wells in 1982. Hopefully this footage will be available on DVD in 2007.

Note regards next years patriotic rallies and marches, nothing much untill the annual Cardiff St David's Day Parade of ''Tartan Taffs''.HHHhhhmmm!!! what else? not much of a parading country are we. However, in 1282 - 2007, 725th Commemoration which may be possibly held in a number of areas throughout the land. Possibilities to commemorate the Battle of Coed Llathen 1257 or Battle of Dinefwr 1282 and of course Battle of Moel y Don 1282 as potential for Commemorative Rally and Parade. However, to kick off the 1282 - 2007 Commemoration why not an annual Palm Sunday Rally at Castell Caergwle or/and Parade in Hawarden. There was a time when an excellent Patriots Rally and Parade was held in Abergele but families of the Abergele Martyrs requested such not be held. However, far better than having commemorative events up a Eryri as Balchder Cymru has been organising why not an annual 'Anti - English Monarchy/Investiture' Patriots Rally combined with Abergele Martyrs rememberance in guess where? YES! CAERNARFON, NOW WHY NOT? Excellent opportunity for all those ''Welsh Republicans'' to get out of the closet or rather out of their ''safe forum pages'' to organise a Rally at the Cofeb 1282 followed by a march to the gates of Caernarfon Castle. HHHhhhmmm!!! but that would be a bit to ''medieval'' for them really, like Cilmeri is? HHHhhhmmm!!!

Happy flag making, if you require further help just get in touch with myself at

gethinapgruffydd@ntlworld.com

Gethin.