Trip to Cardiff

http://metro.co.uk/2018/01/11/prince-harry-meghan-markle-going-trip-cardiff-7222080/

This bad poetry to be read out in broad Cardiffian

Meghan Markle and her sparkle

will be visiting Cardiff Castle

Princely Harry dressed as a Nazi but shouting Invictus and Help for Working Class Heroes who die for the crown will be dining at the
🐐 Goat Major 🐐

surrounded by sycophants of a Royalist Nature.

They won't be eating pâté de foie gras

but smarties and mars bars and clarks pies

and singing hark hark the lark 

before being told that the Cardiff Arms Park is no more

and that it is now the Principality in their honour.

The fact that these bum lickers are Welsh is neither here nor there for they are drumming up support for their nuptials amongst the common herd at Windsor.

It wont be a pauper's wedding on May 19th because they will have been swept off the streets by "Conservative Cleansing" an offshoot of Carillion

Princess Michael of Dungeoness and her blackamoor broach and Prince Phillip with his slitty eyes will be watching on.

One blessing for the happy couple is that the potty mouthed POTUS wont be in attendance because he said that the place they had chosen to tie the knot was a shit hole.

God Save the Queen and the Fascist Regime  

Right to Reply

The National Newspaper of South East Wales have been at it again and given top billing to this piece of wordsmithery from Dennis Coughlin of Cardiff. I have replied but knowing them, knowing me, they wont publish it but I demand my right to reply.

Tesco silent on Welsh language decision

As a regular to the Tesco Extra store on Western Avenue, Cardiff, I could not help but notice the aisle signage throughout the store. I am aware that the English and Welsh language should have equal status but not in Tesco, apparently.The Welsh language not only gets top billing but the font is twice the size of the English and is bold. I have no doubt that at any given time only a handful of Welsh speakers would be in the store and, based on most of the Welsh speakers I’ve met, they wouldn’t give a monkey’s which language the signage is in.So why does Tesco choose to make English less clear to the vast majority of their confused, poor- sighted, and elderly customers? It’s to be expected in the public sector, where it’s becoming more difficult to get employment if you don’t speak Welsh, but in the private sector equal opportunity and non discrimination is of paramount importance for established and respected companies.I did write to the manager but didn’t get a reply, although the logic behind the decision belonged to someone more senior. Is Tesco currying favour with the Welsh Government for some reason? Someone in authority at Tesco has made the decision to positively discriminate in favour of the Welsh language, to the detriment of most of their customers, and we should know why. 
Dennis Coughlin Cardiff

In reply to Mr Dennis Coughlin's diatribe against the Welsh Language 8/1/2018, unlike his beloved English Language in Tesco Western Avenue, he gets top billing in the letters page of the National Newspaper of  Wales. To use the vernacular Mr Coughlin 'Tesco are no mugs'. Even though the Welsh Speakers you 'claim' to have met 'allegedly' wouldn't give a monkey's which language the signage is in, Tesco KNOW that the language is very dear and important to those who speak it and also KNOW that the Welsh Speakers in Cardiff generally have more money to spend than the confused, poor sighted and elderly customers of which he claims to be one. I have also written to the manager commending him in big and bold type for his decision to give equal billing to Wales' first and indigenous language, after all Mr Coughlin, Welsh was spoken across the continent of Europe before English was even a scream in the forests of Germany.

The Shark Fisherman of Wales

Grangetown

Yr ysfa i sgrifennu yn Gymraeg

http://cymraeg.gov.wales/?lang=en

Mae'r ysfa i sgrifennu yn Gymraeg wedi dod drosta’i eto ond am beth y tro yma? Well, mi rydych ddim eisiau pregeth cyn i chi fynd allan i noson iasoer Ionawr. Rhywbeth bach i gnoi cil drosto fel rydych yn bwyta eich brie a cranberry ciabatta gyda latte levy neu ryw ddiod feddwol. Y mis yma ydy chweched pen-blwydd y blog bondigrybwyll yma. Chwe blynedd o fwydro fy mhen a fy ngeiriadur. Saesneg oedd popeth yn y dechrau ond mi fydd y darllenwyr cyson wedi sylweddoli fy mod yn gwneud yr ymgais yn ddiweddar i sgrifennu mwy yn y Gymraeg. Dwi wastad yn teimlo yn well ar ôl ceisio gwneud rhywbeth yn Gymraeg fel ei fod yn rhyw fath o weithred wleidyddol ac yn wir erbyn hyn ag erbyn degawdau bellach mae unrhyw beth i wneud gyda'r iaith yn weithred wleidyddol. Siŵr fod rhai yn gweld o fel baich a phwysau trwm ond mae'n well i ni gyd weld o fel her! Weithiau ar ôl rhyw sylwad annoeth ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol mae yn teimlo ein bod mewn sefyllfa amddiffynnol ac mae'r meddylfryd yma o warchod ag amddiffyn rhywbeth yn un cyfarwydd iawn i'r Cymry Cymraeg erbyn hyn ond pa mor iachus ydy hwn i ni ag ein hiechyd meddwl. Allwn ni gyd freuddwydio am filiwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050 ac mae'n hollol anorfod i gael targed ond weithiau mae dyn yn meddwl ag ydy hwn wedi rhoi ffug gobaith i ni. Fel dywedodd y Farwnes Eluned Morgan mae gan bawb ddyletswydd dros yr iaith ond gyda llai yn ymgeisio i fod yn athrawon cyffredin pa arweiniad ydy hyn i athrawon sydd eisiau dysgu Cymraeg? A sut fath o Gymraeg fydd hyn? Bratiaith fel yn iaith i neu rywbeth gwbl gywir ag a fydd hwn yn ddigon i droi meddylfryd bobol ifanc ddi Gymraeg ei iaith tuag at yr iaith. Mae'r Comisiynydd Iaith wedi gwneud gwaith dryw dros y blynyddoedd ond talcen caled ydy brwydro fel hyn ac weithiau chi'n teimlo byddai'r Gymraeg yn cael ei fendithio gan beiriant cysylltiadau cyhoeddus gwell. Sut allwn ni fel y rhai sydd wedi cael y rhodd o'r iaith perswadio ein cyd Gymry fydd o fendith a lles iddyn nhw ei ddysgu? Yn anffodus mae dweud nag iaith wreiddiol, gynhenid ein gwlad ddim yn ddigon o berswâd. Rhywbeth i ni gyd feddwl amdano fel i ni yn claddu ein McDonalds ag ein Starbucks! 

Peak People

New Year's Day is for waxing lyrical and I saw the old year out by going for a couple of days walking in the Derbyshire Dales. Staying at Hartington YHA which was a stunning and atmospheric building. I had started using the accommodation provided by YHA when I studied for my Masters in Playwriting in Salford back in 2013 and I have been a convert to the charity movement ever since. It is said that Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed at Hartington Hall on his way to Derby from Scotland. I wonder if he played chess in the snow. On the Friday, the snow had come down heavy in the night and only 4X4's and Land Rovers were getting through. It appeared that Land Rovers were the required mode of transport for Peak People. 

Hartington village was particularly picturesque in the snow and the above picture of the Union Jack and the British Legion sign could have been from any era had it not been for the cars in the background. The Devonshire Arms in the village was without doubt the most welcoming hostelry I had ever been in and when you go in make sure you ask for the Soup of the Day. I was fortunate that on my day the soup was 'Mushroom & Stilton'. Bendigedig as they say in Welsh. My walking companion (who shall remain nameless for security purposes) and I managed to complete two circular routes, one of 8km and one of 12km and we also had time for a flying visit to the Spa Town of Buxton where I had last visited as a snotty nosed, miserable teenager with my parents back in the early 1980's. We had visited Little John's grave in Hathersage back then and a woman had heard us talking in Welsh and told us in the same language where the gravestone was. This time, towards the end of the first circular walk, a young lady, who was sat on a rock clearing her head, heard myself and my companion chatting in Welsh and she engaged us in conversation. Alex from Bangor and her boyfriend George from Athens were on a mini break in Hartington and they offered us a lift in to Buxton in the afternoon. Bendigedig again a diolch iddynt am y cymwynas!  

The museum in Buxton was excellent not least because it was free and the museum in Eyam which we went to on the way back to Wales was also competitively priced at £2.50. It was here that we were confronted by the Plague Doctor who had obviously provided the inspiration for the Wombles of
Wimbledon Common.  

What really impressed us about the Peak District was the people. Peak people were down to earth and welcoming. On our journey home we got to waxing lyrical about the English. We cheered every time we saw a flag of St George and booed every time we saw the Union Jack. The Union Jack is a very presumptuous banner with a history to make Guardianistas squirm. In 2018 as visitors and tourists to England, we urge you to promote England and Englishness, your distinctive cultural identity rather than Britishness and we hope that you will reciprocate when you visit Wales by encouraging us to identify as Cymry rather than British.  As Welsh Nationalists we are very loathe to praise others other than our own people, for all their Belisha Beacon faults like voting for Brexit, but in my opinion the Peak People were nicer than the Welsh so stick that in your clay pipe to keep your plague away. 

Christmas Spirit

Well the self proclaimed 'Grinch of Grangetown' is sat here like some overweight Ebeneezer Scrooge poring over 2017's Blog Posts. For the Shark Fisherman it has been an OK year although it has been a horrific one globally. As per usual, I've done nothing, kept my head down and managed to stay out of too much trouble. The highlight of my year without a doubt was a trip to Glasgow. I had never been before and I was well impressed. It made the same impression on me as Manchester did when I first encountered it in 2013. In fact I coined the phrase 'The Manchester of the North' for Glasgow which tickled me. I mentioned to my neighbour that I was surprised that there was not more mention of these two impressive cities and he said 'they do not have the elites, they are working class cities' and there and then it hit me between the eyes, in my third eye in fact, that not only are ordinary people deprived of social mobility, whole cities are as well.  Edinburgh and London are eulogised but not Glasgow and Manchester. In my dotage, I am yearning for places that are real, that have authenticity and Manchester and Glasgow have that in abundance. I am still blue moon lighting between Aberystwyth and Cardiff and as you may have noticed my disdain for Brexit Britain is not far from the surface. I remember queuing at Liverpool passport office for a large blue passport to go to the United States of America in 1985 so this blue/burgundy thing is not as old as the 1973 common market any road up. Sheesh I sound like Methusela! I would like to return to America but I'm not sure whether old Mc Donald would let me in with my colourful history and I ain't about to go bowing and scraping in no Embassy so I will just have to bide my time.  
I have not been giving gifts at Christmas for a few years now, maybe five, it's the obligatory nature of it that gets my goat and this year I haven't sent any cards even though I have received a few, it's the reciprocating for the sake of reciprocating that wangles my dangle. As per usual I have been spending too much time at my computer, like Damian Green, and am hoping just to 'do' more in 2018 whatever that doing will entail. 
I would like to wish my readers, supporters and groupies a happy winter solstice and hope that there wont be too much need for 'Thoughts & Prayers' in 2018. 
Nadolig Llawen & Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i chi gyd unless you voted for Brexit and in that case, I hope your next 💩 is a hedgehog.

Cosb a Chasineb

Cosb a Chasineb

Mae'r elfen hunan cofiannol i'r blog yma wedi dod yn fwy amlwg yn ddiweddar. Fel unigolyn sydd gyda digon o amser ar ei ddwylo i feddwl am y pethau yma mi ddaeth yn glir i mi yn ddiweddar fod fy hanes gwaith neu yrfaol wedi cynnwys elfen o gosb oherwydd hunan gasineb. Mi wnâi esbonio. Gweithio am ddwy flynedd i Fudiad Ffermwyr Ifanc Cymru, byw yng Nghaerdydd, y pencadlys ar faes y sioe Llanelwedd ac yn teithio o gwmpas Cymru, tua 125,000 o filltiroedd mewn dwy flynedd a hanner. Bwyta brechdanau a sothach allan o garej ochor ffordd. Rhoi'r swydd yna i fyny yn 1998 ac wedyn symud 'bag a baggage' i Trallwng neu Meifod i fod yn fanwl gywir i fod yn swyddog celfyddydau i Voluntary Arts Wales. Parhau am bedwar mis tan Ebrill 1999, cyn dechrau blino a pheswch a chael diagnosis o Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma sef cancr y gwaed. Symud nôl 'bag a baggage' i Gaerdydd i gael triniaeth yn ysbyty Llandough ac wedyn ar ôl blwyddyn penderfynu symud 'bag a baggage' i Lundain i weithio mewn ysgol uwchradd yn Nhe Dwyrain Llundain. Dywedodd y Dirprwy Prifathro ar fy niwrnod cyntaf "This is not a place for the faint hearted" ac mi roedd o yn iawn hefyd. Ar ôl pedair blynedd yn y carchar addysg yma i blant mi ffeindiais i fy hunan yn y carchar yn Amsterdam i gael fy nghosbi am hunan gasineb. Roedd dewis y gwahanol fath o waith yma yn edrych dipyn bach fel siawns ond ar ôl dadansoddi'r peth teimlo na dewis gwaith dim jest i herio fi ond i fy nghosbi fi. Pam fasa rhywun yn dewis gyrfa i ladd ei hunan? Oherwydd doedd ganddo fo ddim ffydd o gwbl yn ei allu? Oherwydd ei fod o yn ystyried ei hunan yn fethiant ac yn gwneud gwaith doedd dim yn unig ddim o'i ddewis ond am ei frifo fo ymhellach. Dwi'n sgrifennu hyn fel un sydd ddim wedi gweithio ers 12 mlynedd bellach. Dwi di fod yn byw ar bwrs y wlad ag ar eich trethi chi. Wedi troi hanner cant dwi wrthi yn ceisio penderfynu beth allai gwneud er mwyn ennill tamaid ac mae'r dewisiadau ddim yn rhai fasa’n gwneud rhestr fawr o bell ffordd. Unwaith fod y diagnosis 'Iechyd Meddwl' wedi dod ger eich bron a ydych yn anwybyddu a diystyru neu ydych chi yn ei defnyddio fel rhyw fath o warchodfa. Efallai fasa fo'n hawdd i mi ddeud celwydd a chogio fy mod yn 'normal'. I mi, mae pobol 'normal' yn cael ei ddefnyddio fel bag dyrnio gan gymdeithas. Ag i bob un ohonoch chi, ddim ond hyn a hyn o ddyrni allech chi ddioddef. Mae'r rhai clyfar neu gyfrwys yn gallu gwneud lle bach cysurus iddyn nhw ei hunan ond mae hun wastad yn dod gyda rhyw gost lawr y lon. Y gwahaniaeth rhwng pobol 'normal' a rheina sydd yn dioddef o hunan gasineb a diffyg hunan barch ydy fod y diwethaf yn defnyddio ei hunan fel bag dyrnio. Maen nhw yn tri'n ei hunain mor wael er mwyn gwarchod ei hunan rhag unrhywbeth all y bywyd allanol taflu atynt. Mae Cymdeithas yn cosbi'r rheina sydd yn casáu eraill ond does 'na ddim cosb waeth na chasáu eich hunan. 

Dim Ots

http://sharkfishinginwales.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/sick-society.html

Dwi di ddod i'r casgliad does gyda fi ddim ots pwy sydd yn darllen hwn bellach. Y ffaith ei fod o mewn rhyw fath o Gymraeg yn ddigon o beth i mi. Fyddai byth yn ennill yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol oherwydd mi rwyf yn gwrthwynebu gystadlu. Mi ddaeth y sylweddoliad am hyn pan roeddwn yn cymryd rhan mewn ras athletaidd yn yr ysgol. Fi ag un hogyn arall yn rhedeg rownd cylch mawr ag yr athro yn sefyll yna gyda'i stop wats a giang o'r ysgol yn sbïo gyda ffug diddordeb. Hanner ffordd rownd cytunwyd i groesi'r llinell yr union un pryd. Erbyn y llinell gorffen dwi feddwl roedd y ddau ohonom yn cerdded. Doedd y dorf ddim yn gallu credu'r peth, yn sefyll yna yn gegrwth. Well os gawsom ni row gan yr athro, Jelly Belly Johnson oedd ei enw, y dyn mwyaf anaddas ei olwg i fod yn athro PE Roedd o'n un o rain os oedd yn gwyntio unrhyw fath o amharchusrwydd gan y disgyblion mi aeth o yn wyllt. Roeddwn ni yn teimlo reit falch fod ni wedi gwneud safiad yn erbyn y Duw cystadlu sydd yng nghlwm i'r natur ddynol. Ac ers y dydd hwnna does gen i ddim archwaeth o gwpl at gystadlu. Pwy ffwc sydd eisiau ddod yn gyntaf, neu yn ail, neu yn olaf? Well beidio cymryd rhan o gwbl yw fy marn i. Wrth gwrs mewn byd cyfalafol, cystadleuol mi gewch chi eich gadael ar ôl gyda'r agwedd yna, a dyna'n union sydd wedi digwydd. Y ffaith wnaeth y ras yma ddigwydd mewn yr un fath o ysgol a mynychwyd Osborne, Johnson a Cameron yn rhoi digon i gnoi cil arno. Doedd o ddim mor grand ag enwog cofiwch chi ond yr un oedd ei ethos. Y ffaith hefyd fod yr ysgol yma yng Nghymru a doedd yna ddim gwers o Gymraeg i gael a dim gwers hanes Cymru chwaith. Efallai dyna pam ar ôl cyrraedd canol oed amharchus mae o gymaint o gic i allu sgrifennu fy marn yn fy mam iaith. Os ydy sgrifennu'r blog yma wedi dysgu fi unrhyw beth amdanaf i fy hun, a dyna oedd y bwriad, mae o di dysgu fy mod i mor flin â brwd dros yr un pethau roeddwn i yn fy arddegau. Doeddwn ni ddim yn perthyn yn yr hen le hyll yna a dwi wedi ffeindio fo'n andros o anodd i berthyn yn unman yng Nghymru ers hynny. Fel bod y cyfnod yma wedi gadael ei ôl.