Dafydd Iwan Jones (born 24 August 1943) is a Welsh singer and nationalist politician who rose to fame writing and performing folk music in the Welsh language.[1] From 2003 to 2010, Iwan was the president of Plaid Cymru, a political party which advocates for Welsh independence from the UK.
Iwan's earliest material was Welsh translations of songs by American folk/protest singers (Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan) until he began to write his first ballads. The most prominent of these were political, including the satirical song, "Carlo" ("Charles"). This was written for the investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1969.[4] Iwan has also written love ballads and variations on traditional Welsh folk tunes.[citation needed]
By the late 1960s, he was receiving television coverage both for his music and for his political activities as a member of Cymdeithas yr Iaith. He was imprisoned in 1970 for his refusal to pay fines for defacing English-language road signs as part of the fight for Welsh-language rights, serving three weeks of a three-month sentence. This event was commemorated in his song "Pam fod eira'n wyn?" ("Why is snow white?").[5] His song "Peintio'r byd yn wyrdd" ("Painting the World Green") was regarded as a "battle hymn" of the road signs campaign.[3]
"Yma O Hyd" ("Still Here") was released in 1981 to “raise the spirits, to remind people we still speak Welsh against all odds. To show we are still here". Since then, the song has become an unofficial Welsh anthem as well as an unofficial anthem for the Wales national football team.[6]
In January 2020, the song reached number one in the UK iTunes chart, spurred on by purchases by supporters of Welsh independence group YesCymru. The campaign mirrored the success of the Wolfe Tones song "Come Out, Ye Black and Tans" earlier that month.[7]
The song was also sung live by Dafydd Iwan before Wales' last two games of their first successful FIFA World Cup qualification since 1958. Gareth Bale, the Welsh captain also led the Welsh team singing along with Dafydd Iwan after the final match.[8][9] The performance and Wales's qualification led to the song returning to number one in the UK iTunes chart.[10]
Using his architecture studies, in 1971 Iwan was one of the founders of Cymdeithas Tai Gwynedd (Gwynedd Housing Association) and was involved in other projects to provide homes for the local population in north-west Wales.[11][12]
Dafydd Iwan was one of the founders of Recordiau Sain Cyf (Sain Records Ltd), one of the main Welsh music labels.[13]
As part of his campaign seeking re-election as President of Plaid Cymru, Iwan launched a campaign blog Dafydd 4 President in July 2008.[17]
On 22 October 2011, Dafydd and his wife Bethan came to watch the Welsh derby, Wrexham A.F.C.vsNewport County A.F.C. Dafydd sang his hit song "Yma O Hyd" in front of a crowd of 4,000 before the teams came out. He was invited to sing by the new Wrexham FC Supporters Group, who chose their name "Yma O Hyd" after his song.
In July 2023, Iwan was awarded an honorary degree from Bangor University, in Bangor, Gwynedd, for his "contribution to Welsh Culture, Language, Music and the Arts."[18]
C. Fowler, 'Representations of nationalism in the music of Dafydd Iwan', 'Folklore and Identity' Celtic Folk Studies Conference, Cardiff University School of Welsh, 22 July 2005.
Llion Iwan (ed.), 'Dafydd Iwan : bywyd mewn lluniau : a life in pictures'. Llandysul, Ceredigion, Cymru : Gomer Press, 2005. ISBN1-84323-488-2. (Welsh and English)
Cymraeg – a startling revival, Dafydd Iwan and Arfon Gwilym interviewed by Rob Gibson, in Burnett, Ray (ed.), Calgacus 3, Spring 1976, pp. 18 – 21, ISSN0307-2029
