Cymraeg
You are here: Home > Blog
Umatic Tapes!

This week I  have been mostly..

We are on a mission! Here at the NSSAW we have a massive collection of Umatic Tapes (3,681 to be precise!) which ranges from 1981 to 1993, of which contain ‘off air’ recordings of Welsh related TV programs from this period.  We are currently transferring these to DVD and DigiBita for conservation for the future and also for you’re viewing pleasure. This mass transfer has been going on for a couple of years now, so our mission this year is to get these done! The collection contain some classic Welsh TV (as well as some classic adverts, of which I remember some of them as a child!). Classic Welsh TV programs such as ‘Teulu’r Mans’ ( a Welsh comedy which follows a Welsh family, with the father as a quirky Welsh Priest), some classic episodes of ‘Cefn Gwlad’ (presented by the legendary Dai Jones Llanilar, a farmer who is afraid of cats and water! One particular highlights is “Dai ar Y Pyst”, following Dai on a ski-ing trip to Italy) and also the cult comedy series ‘C’mon Midffild’ (another classic Welsh comedy, which follows hilarious antics of a North Wales football team).

This weeks highlights include ‘Y Byd ar Bedwar’ ( broadcast 25/06/1990-UM3222) of which is a Welsh current affairs programme. In this episode they follow the then Argentine president Carlos Menem. A colourful and a highly controversial figure at the time. Apparently this was the first time an international film crew were given permission to follow him. A highly interesting incite into his life and his political and personal ways. Other highlights include ‘Ar Waelod Cof’ (UM3229 – 05/07/1990) of which follows the life and works of D.Gwenallt Jones. And to quote wikipedia ‘a poet a critic and scholar, was one of the most important literary figures in the Welsh language ’. A black and white film, scripted by Dafydd Rowland. A highly interesting incite in to his mind frame. Another highlight was ‘A Letter For Wales’ (UM3228 – 05/07/1990), Donald Houston recollects his childhood in Wales whilst posting a letter on the ‘night mail’. A fantastic if slightly romantic reflection of Wales.

If you have any interest in any of these or want to have a look at our collection have a look on our on-line catalogue or contact us here at NSSAW!

Grym a parch am y tro!



Tryweryn Films
Posted by on 22/06/2010.
Posted in News | Comments Off

Tomorrow’s lunchtime screening will be two films about the drowing of Capel Celyn – “Tryweryn – A Story of a Valley” and “Craith y Cwm”. Aeron Prysor, a formor pupil at Capel Celyn School will be here to present the films. The screening will coincide with the  Claudia Williams: Cofio Tryweryn Exhibition.

Tickets for the screening are available free of charge through the Library Shop.

Tryweryn - A Story of a Valley



Welsh Film Board
Posted by on 21/06/2010.
Tags: , , ,
Posted in View & Listen | Comments Off

This week, the end is in sight on completion of inspection on the Welsh Film Board collection which dates from the 1970s to the early 1980s. There’s approximately 30 film reel boxes left to inspect and re-can. This collection’s condition has varied and has included positive and negative reels, magnetic sound reels and cans of trims.

You can view a good part of the collection via the Archive’s viewing room by request. A few of the titles which are worth a look, to name but a few, are Gwaed Ar Y Sêr, Newid Ger, Chapels, Madam Wen, Ty’d Yma Tomi!, Hen Dynnwr Lluniau & Teisennau Mair.

Also, a dissertation on the Welsh Film Board titled ‘Cleddyf ym mrwydr yr iaith : Y Bwrdd Ffilmiau Cymraeg 1970-86′ by Dr Kate Woodward can be read via the South Reading Room of the Library.



Dear Cambria & Cambrian Coast
Posted by on 09/06/2010.
Posted in News | Comments Off

Cambrian CoastThis afternoon’s screening of ‘Dear Cambria’ and ‘Cambrian Coast’ attracted an almost capacity audience to the Drwm, including many railway enthusiasts who had enjoyed some of our previous train-inspired programmes.

Today’s screening was particularly notable for the live piano accompaniment  by Stephen Briggs, who wove together an affecting medley of songs, hymns and traditional Welsh airs that considerably enhanced the 1926 silent, ‘Dear Cambria’, which took us on a journey along the south Wales coast from pre-war Swansea.

‘Cambrian Coast’ was an altogether lighter affair, Great Western Railways in holiday mode, promoting Wales as a destination that was an easy train ride from London. I’m not sure we can say the same today!



A special week
Posted by on 03/06/2010.
Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in New Accessions, News | Comments Off

The Urdd banner above the doorway to the National Library

One of the biggest youth festivals in the world is visiting our neck of the woods this week. The Urdd National Eisteddfod is being held, in glorious sunshine, in the grounds of Llanerchaeron mansion, near Aberaeron.

“Urdd Gobaith Cymru”, or the “Urdd” as it’s known, founded by Sir Ifan ab Owen Edwards, who made the first Welsh language talkie “Y Chwarelwr”, is a strong and vibrant youth movement. It runs residential activity centres in north and mid Wales, and has a base at the Millennium Centre in Cardiff.

The Urdd National Eisteddfod is the culmination of months of preparatory work by Urdd branches throughout Wales, and is a showcase for young talent in literature, dance,  drama, music…

The Library has a “stand” at the festival, and NSSAW is screening one of the stage highlights.

Recently we received a very interesting batch of films, some of which are early generation copies of movies made by Sir Ifan, including Urdd cruises from the thirties. The films show Urdd members and their families enjoying trips as far afield as Norway, Brittany, Spain, Portugal and north Africa.



New Accession
Posted by on 03/06/2010.
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in News | Comments Off

Accessions arrive at the Archive in various states. The photo below shows a few boxes of 16mm film cans from a collection that arrived at the Archive recently, which also includes numerous formats of video tape and sound reels. A few titles from the collection include “Jack Petersen Material”, “Cricket Glamorgan v Australia 1968” and “All Blacks in Wales, All Blacks v Gwent 1972”.

Before anything can be done a unique number is created for all new accession.  Information such as title etc. will then be entered into our catalogue and then the accession number will be noted on every can/case.  Once this process has been completed, the collection will then be sent to our technical department where it will be stored in a conditioned cold store and will remain there until our technical staff has the opportunity to inspect the material.

16mm films