1969

I remember few things about 1969: I was only 12 years old that year. I do have a vivid recollection of huddling around a black and white television set with my parents and brother watching hazy images of the Apollo 11 astronauts walking on the moon. I can also remember the menacing gangs of skinheads that used to hang out in the Arcades in those days.

But the thing I remember most about 1969 was the earth shattering revelation that an underground army had been fighting for our country, just as the establishment was preparing an unfathomable pantomime at Caernarfon.

I remember worrying that the carnage already underway in Northern Ireland might soon come to Wales, but I also felt exhilaration at seeing pictures of marching men on the BBC evening news. The name of their organisation was inspirational; the Free Wales Army.

I followed the arrest, trial and subsequent imprisonment of the leaders of the FWA via the television but the outcome was very confusing. Was Julian Cayo Evans, the founder of the FWA, a terrorist or a freedom fighter? Did he actually hurt anyone? Did he really do anything wrong apart from putting the wind up the establishment? How, as a normal citizen, as a child even, do you get to the truth through the propaganda? Then the hubbub died down and the FWA was gone.

So I know very little about Cayo, other than what I've managed to dig out of books. Some commentators would have us believe he was a misguided idealist. Others even suggest he was a deluded fantasist. His friends, family and fellow conspirators clearly adored and admired the man and most Welsh commentators respect his patriotism if not his somewhat extreme methodology.

The Daffodil Soldier piece seems to summarise the rather romantic picture I have of Cayo quite well (see Daffodil Soldier). The yellow grenade is just an artistic device to give it context, I've read nothing that connects the man to grenades.

It would be worthwhile if the Daffodil Soldier piece merely helps to perpetuate his memory among people too young to remember the actual events. Right now, Wales needs a hero figure and role model who is more recent than Glyndwr. Other than that, it's not meant to make any kind of political statement or support the views of any group.

Through this collection, I'm trying to say something about Welshness, hopefully from a compassionate, humanist perspective. I don't worry too much about being politically correct but I'm nowhere near being a man of action like Cayo.

Cofio Cayo.