Being Welsh

[Vindec]

There used to be a sign on Ely bridge stating "Never forget you're Welsh". That was about beer I think but that slogan sums up my feelings perfectly. As I live in England I feel very proud to say I'm Welsh and when I now visit the City I can't help feeling that many of the residents take the place for granted. Cardiff is a great place to live and work and hopefully one day I shall return.

[Tuerto]

There used to be a sign on Ely bridge stating "Never forget you're Welsh". That was about beer I think but that slogan sums up my feelings perfectly. As I live in England I feel very proud to say I'm Welsh and when I now visit the City I can't help feeling that many of the residents take the place for granted. Cardiff is a great place to live and work and hopefully one day I shall return.

Fair point. Cardiff is a great little City, everything a person needs. Sadly, that can't be said for plenty of other parts of Wales that have been neglected.

[Trigger]

I'd agree to a degree. I don't think being proud of where you're from is a bad thing but I do find a lot of the media representation of it cringey and stereotypical and that filters through to some of the population.

It's the little things that annoy me, and I can accept they shouldn't.

From the ridiculous put on accents from some in the media to the need to insert a Welsh word wherever it fits, through to screaming women in daffodil hats who are watching their first rugby match of the year.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Up at Anfield

Banner reads ....LFC MERTHYR REDS

That's welsh patriotism for you

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

You've posted some absolute dross on this message board, but this is right up there with the worst of it. Slowly morphing into full on WUM.

I think I am spot on

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

That's not finding being Welsh embarrassing.

That's finding WalesOnline embarrassing.

The six nations beer festival ? That's not sponsored by wales online is it ?

[Harry Paget Flashman]

The six nations beer festival ? That's not sponsored by wales online is it ?

Of course not so you don't like people drinking to excess during the 6 Nations, rugby and Walesonline.

There's more to Wales than that.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Of course not so you don't like people drinking to excess during the 6 Nations, rugby and Walesonline.

There's more to Wales than that.

Yes we have the world famous comedian max Boyce

Well , hes famous in wales anyway

I enjoy rugby quite a lot as it happens

[dembethewarrior]

You've posted some absolute dross on this message board, but this is right up there with the worst of it. Slowly morphing into full on WUM.

Slowly morphing? He's been I see the radar for years pal. But he's been here 20 years so it's just sludgy, that's how sludgy is mun.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Der is more to oireland dan dis

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Slowly morphing? He's been I see the radar for years pal. But he's been here 20 years so it's just sludgy, that's how sludgy is mun.

And I am a paedo yeah ?

Let's hear more about that from you , I have a solicitor who is very interested in your ispn number

[Der Kaiser]

I think I am spot on

I can empathise with rugby aspect of what you are stating, however that's about it and the general message is an absolute load of rubbish mate.

Wales is home to the UK's second best city, some of the best natural landscapes in the world, an absolute horde of superstars in a number of fields which other countries far bigger than us would love to hold claim too, a super world leading education establishment and fantastic history. If there's a few people who like rugby or support clubs from other countries, whatever. It doesn't detract from the ability to be proud of the country we live in/call home.

[splott parker]

Patriotism is a bit of a dodgy thing if it’s over emphasised. I think I’m more patriotic when it concerns the Welsh football team. There are times, say, on holiday or in England for some reason that the stereotypical portrayal of us from this side of the border comes to the fore. This sometimes makes me more ‘Welsh’ when after speaking in my strong Cardiff accent I’m told that ‘We know you’re from Cardiff but where are you from originally?’. Non Welsh people who’ve only ever heard a Welsh person speak in a tv show seem convinced that we all speak in a Valleys accent. They can’t get their head around the fact that there are many different accents in Wales. When I said ‘more Welsh’ above I didn’t mean that I start speaking like Talfryn Thomas, I tend to go more Caaaaardiff

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I can empathise with rugby aspect of what you are stating, however that's about it and the general message is an absolute load of rubbish mate.

Wales is home to the UK's second best city, some of the best natural landscapes in the world, an absolute horde of superstars in a number of fields which other countries far bigger than us would love to hold claim too, a super world leading education establishment and fantastic history. If there's a few people who like rugby or support clubs from other countries, whatever. It doesn't detract from the ability to be proud of the country we live in/call home.

I think bristol , manchester , Edinburgh, etc will quite understandably challenge that

Some of the best natural landscapes in the world ? Come on , the planet is huge yet you are saying wales is up there

World leading educational establishment ? You mean like havard

Every country has history , your script sounds like something from the welsh tourist board

[Tuerto]

I think bristol , manchester , Edinburgh, etc will quite understandably challenge that

Some of the best natural landscapes in the world ? Come on , the planet is huge yet you are saying wales is up there

World leading educational establishment ? You mean like havard

Every country has history , your script sounds like something from the welsh tourist board

Cardiff is a ranked as one of the best 150 universities in the world. It's research centre is world class. It's probably not world leading although it's pretty good. The rest i agree with.

[Baloo]

I find the line about Wales being a nation of poets and musicians a curious one. It's total nonsense, of course. Wales was historically never any more of a musical nation than any other part of the UK. A Welsh massed choir won a prestigious choral competition, one that the best singers from around South Wales were selected. No other choirs took part, but it didn't stop the media suggesting Wales was a land of song. Wales, a country going through huge changes, cashed in on this and male voice choirs became popular. Early rugby popularity started in a similar way. Wales got much of its late 19th century identity from the English media. There's an irony.

Is there a historical Anglo Saxon equivalent of The Eisteddfod?

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I find the line about Wales being a nation of poets and musicians a curious one. It's total nonsense, of course. Wales was historically never any more of a musical nation than any other part of the UK. A Welsh massed choir won a prestigious choral competition, one that the best singers from around South Wales were selected. No other choirs took part, but it didn't stop the media suggesting Wales was a land of song. Wales, a country going through huge changes, cashed in on this and male voice choirs became popular. Early rugby popularity started in a similar way. Wales got much of its late 19th century identity from the English media. There's an irony.

Many things about nationalism are selective, based on myth and look back at a snapshot in time when some wealthy owner of armies raised a flag that the average Joe had little to do with. Armies sweep back and forth and the average farm labourer of blacksmith probably didn't give a fig about which overlord he was paying taxes or tithes to. I think that those people steeped in the Welsh Language have a unique perspective on Welsh culture (and all cultures morph in time as they are a moving feast) but most facets of nationalism in most countries swallow stereotypes and myth whole.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I think bristol , manchester , Edinburgh, etc will quite understandably challenge that

Some of the best natural landscapes in the world ? Come on , the planet is huge yet you are saying wales is up there

World leading educational establishment ? You mean like havard

Every country has history , your script sounds like something from the welsh tourist board

I know cardiff is quite pretty and has a nice castle and stadium in the city centre but it's got a lot of hidden poverty , a dreadful transport system that is often gridlocked and a terrible live music scene compared to manchester , leeds etc

The parks are quite nice , apart from the possibility of getting mugged at night in the castle grounds but the eating culture is generally accepted to be poor for a city of its size

It also has a tiny railway station compared to bristol , leeds , glasgow , manchester , birmingham

Loads of famous rock bands , sports celebrities etc come from birmingham , manchester

We celebrate the culture of Wales's if it is a united country ...that's nonsense .....cardiff and industrial south east wales owe their culture to immigration and industrialisation , mid wales is mostly sheep and north wales looks to manchester and liverpool

[dembethewarrior]

And I am a paedo yeah ?

Let's hear more about that from you , I have a solicitor who is very interested in your ispn number

Off subject again? I recall replying to Der Kaiser.

[Der Kaiser]

I think bristol , manchester , Edinburgh, etc will quite understandably challenge that - I'm sure they will, fair play to them.

Some of the best natural landscapes in the world ? Come on , the planet is huge yet you are saying wales is up there, - Yeah I am, or does that statement just apply to everywhere that claims to have something special? Bit of a cop out of a statement.

World leading educational establishment ? You mean like havard - Yeah, Cardiff University is world leading, how many thousands of universities are there? Look up the rankings boyo.

Every country has history , your script sounds like something from the welsh tourist board

Are you always this hard on absolutely everything in life?

[Taunton Blue Genie]

I know cardiff is quite pretty and has a nice castle and stadium in the city centre but it's got a lot of hidden poverty , a dreadful transport system that is often gridlocked and a terrible live music scene compared to manchester , leeds etc

The parks are quite nice , apart from the possibility of getting mugged at night in the castle grounds but the eating culture is generally accepted to be poor for a city of its size

It also has a tiny railway station compared to bristol , leeds , glasgow , manchester , birmingham

Loads of famous rock bands , sports celebrities etc come from birmingham , manchester

We celebrate the culture of Wales's if it is a united country ...that's nonsense .....cardiff and industrial south east wales owe their culture to immigration and industrialisation , mid wales is mostly sheep and north wales looks to manchester and liverpool

Some people think that a red line drawn on a piece of vellum centuries ago means that everyone on one side of it are as one and share common values.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Cardiff is a ranked as one of the best 150 universities in the world. It's research centre is world class. It's probably not world leading although it's pretty good. The rest i agree with.

Well its mental health research centre is good but well funded

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Some people think that a red line drawn on a piece of vellum centuries ago means that everyone on one side of it are as one and share common values.

Well that's certainly not the case in wales

Cardiff has more in common with bristol than Bangor

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Off subject again? I recall replying to Der Kaiser.

Still waiting for that accusation on a public forum to be looked into

When you are ready

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Are you always this hard on absolutely everything in life?

I despair at the embarrassing fake patriotism of the place I was born