Visitors and residents to Caerphilly town may have noticed a difference to Caerphilly Castle recently – the black and white flag of Brittany flying.
The Gwenn-ha-du – which means white and black – was raised on Friday by the Caerphilly and District Twinning Association ahead of a visit by our friends from Britanny.
Around 50 people from Lannion and Ploubezre spent four days in the town as part of the annual exchanges with the twinning association.
It is the first time the Breton flag has flown above Caerphilly Castle and members of the association marked the occasion with a rendition of the Breton anthem, which has the same tune as the Welsh national anthem.
John Reardon, chair of the Caerphilly and District Twinning Association, said: “It is a momentous occasion and I know our friends from from Brittany will be over the moon when they see the flag.
“I’d like to thank councillor Colin Mann – this wouldn’t have happened without him.”
Councillor Colin Mann, a member of the twinning association, said: “We are delighted that Cadw has agreed that the Breton flag can be flown from the castle to mark the visit by our friends from Brittany and I would like to thank officials in Cadw for their cooperation.
“This is the 21st year of the exchanges between our two regions. Links are very strong and just last week a junior football team from Llanbradach returned from playing matches in Brittany, the senior team winning the trophy on penalties.”
Only a set number of flags are allowed to fly from the castle’s masts, as Tony Payne, head custodian at Caerphilly Castle, explained.
He said: “It’s very unusual for other flags to be flown on the monument. Usually it is the Welsh flag, the Union flag, the flag of the European Union and the Owain Glyndwr flag on Owain Glyndwr Day on September 16.
“More recently we’ve had the Olympic flag and the Prince of Wales Standard when Prince Charles visited.
“It’s a great way to show the links between the two towns.”
Nice gesture for the visitors but a little more info on how this twinning benefits the borough would have been nice.
Hi Helen,
You can find out more about the association at http://www.caerphillytwinning.org.uk/
Nationalism the last refuge of a rouge , why doesn’t Ray just join the Nats? He believes in an independent Wales, and is a member of a welsh republican group.
You're the best ! Thanks a lot, Michel
A fine view and a great moment for our twinning and brotherhood.
Congratulations on everybody for creating this event, which will surely be followed by many other achievememnts.
I wanted to write "congratulations to everybody", of course.
Sorrey fort being absent minded
Thanks for the link, looks like an interesting site.
Congratulations from Brittany and thanks a lot for the Breton national anthem sung in breton ! Gourc'hemennoù.
PBGmZ ( Breton national Anthem Committee )
Our blog : http://pbgmz.wordpress.com
Our website: http://www.brogozhmazadou.com
Thank you for this support.
The britons of Brittany needs all the support of the britons of Britain as the french state refuses us any official status other than the french one's, in total violation of the European Fondamental Human Rights.
The Welsh dont have many rights as Welsh, being constantly told we are British, or even English,having our language and idnetity mocked and insulted by people like Lindsey, who said, incoherently, and as I see out of context regarding the Breton Flag;-
Nationalism the last refuge of a rouge , why doesn’t Ray just join the Nats? He believes in an independent Wales, and is a member of a welsh republican group.
Perhaps this is a bilingual political pun, since a rouge, is a colour, meaning red, which, if the Ray, in question is Ray Davies is appropriate, however if he meant rogue, which is defined as an unprincpled person, he cant be talking about Ray Davies, since he is one of the principled people in Caerphilly.
So Lindsey whats wrong in believing in an independent Wales, it could be better than the staus quo, and since when was it illegal to be a member of a Welsh Republican group, some of them compare themselves as the equivalent of the French Resistance, stuggling against the Iron Heel of the Invader, but I suppose its better than being a colonial lickspittle, who cant spell.