Plaque Installed on Trefechan Bridge

This week, a plaque was installed on Pont Trefechan to commemorate Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (Welsh Lanuage Society)’s first major protest in 1963. As a Councillor, I took the matter to the Aberystwyth Town Council, arranged the plaque and I’m very pleased that the plaque is now on the bridge.

History of the Protest

The first protests in 1963 were a turning point in the history of the Welsh language, and also a turning point in Welsh history. After holding a protest to try to get leaflets and so on in Welsh in Aberystwyth Post Office, tens of people blocked the traffic on the bridge, earning national attention.

(picture: Casgliad Y Werin)

Since then, the bridge has come to symbolise the struggle for rights for Welsh speakers, a struggle which has borne fruit in several areas such as road signs, radio, TV, Welsh language services and leaflets from public bodies, Welsh medium education and so on (although there are still many things yet to be won!)

Because of this, the bridge has become a national icon and many attempts have been made to remember the original protest. For instance a large number of people recreated the protest twice in 2013, once as a genuine protest and once as part of the street drama Y Bont.

(picture: nativehq.com)

Plaques

The first plaque was installed on the bridge by Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg in the 1980s, but it came down – it is not known exactly how but many fear that hatred was behind this. The second plaque was placed by Aberystwyth Town Council in 2004.

Unfortunately, I was made aware on the night of 31 August 2015 that the plaque had come down from the bridge wall and had smashed on the ground. A member of the public had already informed the Police, and I went to see the site at around midnight

The next day, I had to collect the plaque from the Police Station in a suitcase!! The Police said that they were of the view that it was accidental, that the screws had rusted through, the plaque had fallen, someone had tried to glue the plac back into place and it had fallen again and smashed. Unfortunately, I came to the conclusion that it couldn’t be fixed.

The Third Plaque

I put a motion to the Council for us to buy a new plaque of the same type and hold an unveiling event. I said that the plaque would need to have 6 screws, of a material that would not rust, rather than 2, in order to ensure that the plaque would stay in place. The motion was passed: Hooray!! After ordering the plaque, I had a site meeting on Friday with Paul James of James Memorials, Llandre and by Wednesday the plaque was up!!

I feel that this has added a lot to the town. Plaques are a great focus for remembering and for informing people about how much history there is in the town. They are also very good for visitors and tourists, and they look very smart. It’s very appropriate to note something so crucial and important that happened here in Aberystwyth

Gosod Plac ar Bont Trefechan

Yr wythnos hon, gosodwyd plac ar Bont Trefechan i goffáu protest mawr gyntaf Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg ym 1963. Fel Cynghorydd, des i â’r pwnc i’r Cyngor Tref, trefnais y plac ac rwy’n falch iawn bod y plac bellach ar y Bont.

Hanes y Protest

Roedd y protestiadau cyntaf ym 1963 yn trobwynt yn hanes yr Iaith Gymraeg, ac yn wir, trobwynt yn hanes Cymru. Ar ôl cynnal protest i drio cael taflenni ac ati yn Gymraeg yn Swyddfa Post Aberystwyth, bu degoedd o bobl yn blocio’r traffig ar y bont, gan ennyn sylw genedlaethol.

(llun: casgliad y werin)

Ers hynny, mae’r Bont wedi dod i symboleiddio’r brwydr dros hawliau i siaradwyr Cymraeg, brwydr sydd wedi dwyn ffrwyth mewn sawl maes megis arwyddion ffyrdd, radio, teledu, gwasnaethau a thaflenni Cymraeg gan gyrff cyhoeddus, addysg cyfrwng Cymraeg ac ati (er mae dal llawer o bethau eto i ennill!)

Gan hynny, mae’r Bont wedi dod yn eicon genedlaethol ac mae llawer o ymdrechion i gofio’r protest gwreiddiol. Er enghraifft bu nifer fawr o bobl yn ail-greu’r protest dwywaith yn 2013, unwaith fel protest go iawn ac unwaith fel rhan o ddrama Y Bont.

(llun: nativehq.com

Placiau

Gosodwyd y plac gyntaf ar y Bont gan Gymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg yn yr 1980au, ond mi ddaeth i lawr – ni wyddys yn union sut ond mae sawl un yn pryderu mae casineb oedd tu ôl i hyn. Gosodwyd yr ail blac gan Gyngor Tref Aberystwyth yn 2004.

Yn anffodus, cefais wybod ar noson 31 Awst 2015 bod y plac wedi dod i lawr o wal y Bont ac wedi chwalu ar y llawr. Roedd aelod o’r cyhoedd eisoes wedi rhoi gwybod i’r Heddlu, ac es i weld y safle tua canol nos.

Y diwrnod nesaf, bu rhaid i mi gasglu’r plac o’r Gorsaf Heddlu mewn siwtcês!! Dywedodd yr Heddlu eu bod o’r barn bod e’n damweiniol; bod y sgriwiau wedi rhwdni trwy, roedd y plac wedi disgyn, roedd rhywun wedi trio cludo’r plac yn ôl ac buodd yn disgyn eto a chwalu. Yn anffodus, des i’r casgliad nid oedd modd ei drwsio.

Y Trydydd Plac

Rhoes i cynnig gerbron y Cyngor i ni prynu plac newydd o’r un fath a chynnal digwyddiad dadorchuddio. Dywedais bydd rhaid i’r plac cael 6 sgriw, o ddeunydd na fydd yn rhwdni, yn hytrach na 2, er mwyn sicrhau bydd y plac yn aros yn ei le. Pasiwyd y cynnig: hwrê!! Ar ôl archebu’r plac, cefais cyfarfod safle dydd Gwener gyda Paul James o James Memorials, Llandre ac erbyn dydd Mercher yma roedd y plac fyny yn ei le!!

Dwi’n teimlo bod hyn wedi ychwanegu llawer at y dref. Mae placiau yn hwb mawr i gofio ac yn rhoi gwybod i bobl am faint o hanes sydd yn y dref. Mae nhw hefyd yn da iawn ar gyfer ymwelwyr a thwristiaid, ac maent yn edrych yn smart iawn. Mae’n hollol priodol dylid nodi rhywbeth mor tyngedfennol a phwysig sydd wedi digwydd fan hyn yn Aberystwyth.