Bred of Heaven (39 page)

I can never adequately express my gratitude to Pendyrus Male Choir for keeping a welcome in the Rhondda Fach. My particular thanks go to conductor Stewart Roberts, chairman Creighton Lewis, joint secretaries Graham Clarke and John Lewis and the committee, as well as the second tenor section, who were wonderfully tolerant of my incursions. Most of all I would like to thank Malcolm Long for his unfailing hospitality on my many visits to Penrhiwceibr.

The Pugh family of Blaencywarch were extraordinarily kind and patient as I learned the rudiments of sheep farming: to Hedd and his wife Sian and their sons Dewi, Owain and Carwyn, and to Hedd's mother Margaret, I am deeply indebted. My thanks also to Helen Davies of the National Sheep Assocation, Wales Region.

Early on in my week at the National Language School in Nant Gwrtheyrn it became clear to my fellow students in
Cwrs Uwch
that they may well find themselves wandering into these pages. I would like to express my thanks to Roisin Willmott, Helen Davies, Richard Fairhead, David Smith and John Richards for their tolerance and understanding but most of all for their conversation. I would also like to thank our teachers Pegi Talfryn and Eleri Llewelyn Morris.

Various Welsh luminaries allowed themselves to be grilled by me. My particular thanks go to Bernard Thomas, Bryn Terfel, Dafydd Iwan, Alun Ffred Jones, my rugby uncle Elgan Rees and the minister Towyn Jones of Capel Yr Annibynwyr in Lammas Street.

Thanks also are due to Gareth John, press officer at the Welsh Assembly Government, Ceri Jones and Beverley Jenkins of Visit Wales for helping with accommodation on the Offa's Dyke Path, as well as former ODP Officer Jim Saunders for his indispensable advice.

I would also like to thank the following: Gareth Rees (probably no relation), Catrin Griffiths, Monty Griffiths, Giles Smith, Hattie Longfield, Ian Warrell of the Tate and Martin Fowler of the Coracle Museum.

James Gill of United Agents took a diligent interest in Welsh matters, despite playing for another Celtic team. I am grateful to him and to Andrew Franklin of Profile Books. It has been a pleasure to work with my editor Lisa Owens, with whose wisdom (try as I might) I have found it impossible to disagree. And I am going to thank my father a second time for scoping the manuscript for errors of fact and –
rhaid cyfadde
(= it must be admitted) – judgement.

Finally, my lasting thanks to
fy nghariad
Emily (née Thomas) for travelling with me into Wales, towards Welshness.

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