Sunday 10 January 2010

The return of the Druid.

 
Every Briton knows of the legend that King Arthur will one day return to Britain's aid when he's most needed.

What is not so widely known is that, with his dying breath, the Last of the Druids made a similar oath to the people of Mona Insulis (or Anglesey as the island is now known in English, or Ynys Môn to the Welsh)...

The time was 60AD and the Roman legions of Caius Suetonius Paulinus, destroyer of Boudica, were massed on the banks of the straights separating the Island from the mainland. On the opposite bank, the Roman historian Tacitus describes the scene:

By the shore stood an opposing battle-line, thick with men and weapons, woman running between them, like the Furies in their funereal clothes, their hair flowing, carrying torches; and Druids among them, pouring out frightful curses with their hands raised high to the heavens, our soldiers being so scared by the unfamiliar sight that their limbs were paralysed, and they stood motionless and exposed to be wounded.

Under protection of the fire of Ballistae - catapults capable of throwing flaming missiles up to 2000 feet - the Romans crossed the Menai Straights in flat bottomed boats and joined battle with the Celts on the other side:

It is said that they spared none they met on that bloody field of battle. Men, women and children were slaughtered, butchered by an army spurred on by its earlier shame. Many of the Druids and their followers were thrown into their sacred groves of oak and then burned alive. There were, it is said, few prisoners taken. How long the battle lasted is not known. What is, however, is the fact that the Romans showed no quarter in the fight for Mona Insulis.



Today, the bloody shore runs from Moel-y-Don to the sou'west of Llanfairpwll to Tal-y-Foel opposite Caernarfon. The shore still bears testimony to the carnage of that day's events. Place names such as Bryn-y-Beddau, (the Hill of Graves), still appear on modern maps of the island. Here the islanders who survived after Paullinus had left to fight Boudicca buried their dead.
Above the village of Llanidan are two fields still known as The Field of the Long Battle and the Field of Bitter Lamentation. There is also Plas Goch, (the Red Place); its name giving a hint to the story behind it."

And as the Roman Legionnaires tossed the wounded bodies of the defeated Druids into the blazing pyres and burnt these ancient priests alive, the Last of the Druids turned his eyes skywards and vowed to his Gods through the pain that, at the time in the future when the Island was most in danger, he would return.

That time is now.

Things have changed somewhat over the almost two thousand years which separates that fateful day from the Anglesey of today. Danger to Mona Insulis no longer comes from foreign invaders - but from economic malaise and depopulation. Observe the sad current state of the island:

  • A GDP per head of only half of the UK average thus making it officially the poorest county in the UK according to the Office of National Statistics;
  • Equivalent to some of the poorest parts of Poland in a recent OECD report;
  • The lowest GVA per head in Wales at just 53% of the UK’s average; 
  • A dwindling private sector following the closures of Anglesey Aluminium, Octel, MEM/Eaton, Peboc and many others;
  • A rising unemployment rate currently standing at 5.8%; 
  • An economic inactivity rate of 25.1%; 
  • A changing population profile with a net outflow of 16-24 year olds; 
  • Anglesey has the smallest resident population of all counties in North Wales, and the second smallest resident population in Wales after Merthyr Tydfil.
  •  
Has there ever been a time since the mass slaughter on Traeth Coch in 60AD when Anglesey has been in such peril? The time has come for the Druid to return.

As Blogging seems to be the modern phenomenon which most closely corresponds to "pouring out frightful curses with hands raised high to the heavens", the Druid intends to lead his resistance through this blog.

    16 comments:

    GWILYM EUROS ROBERTS said...

    Welcome to the Welsh bloggosphere Druid, from your fellow blogger across the water in Gwynedd.
    Croeso cynnes i chi.
    Gwil

    Paul Williams said...

    Diolch yn fawr iawn am y groeso cynnes. And nice to join the welsh blogosphere!

    Adam Higgitt said...

    Just in case you feel like using it, we've put our view of your splendid site in the WalesHome.org Directory.

    Best

    Adam
    co-Editor, WalesHome.org

    Paul Williams said...

    Dear Adam - thank you very much indeed! I have immediately put your review up on my sidebar. And I may even make a self congratulatory post later. Big fan of WalesHome incidentally - always thought provoking.
    The Druid.

    Anonymous said...

    Well done Druid for creating this blog. The Council is a rotten network and need to be exposed. There is an ongoing dispute which is heading for judicial review and the evidence is cogent. Evidence infers false accounting, conspiracy and a clumsy whitewash. In essence, Structural Grant are not impacting because the applicant's excess contribution pays for the work. This is done by massively over-inflating contract values for Grant purposes, so the percentage payable by the applicant is increased to such an extent it covers the cost of the work.

    Anonymous said...

    Druid, two celtic warrior's from Caercybi have set about slaying IOACC. Those who roam the corridor's of power are fully aware of the consequences if they engage the fearless, well armed and ferocious fighter's Barrie Durkin has banded with the young warrior's and the power's that be are very concerned considering they can't sack him. Barrie will be instrumental in gathering more documentary evidence for the warrior's who will then lock horn's with the Devil whilst the BBC camera rolls. They are going to be killed off on National TV and their heads impaled on stakes as a clear message to the other local authorities that Structural Grant's are not to be abused.

    Anonymous said...

    Quote from conclusions contained in IOACC final Internal Audit Report issued March, 2010 into grant irregularities: "The fact that some key documents on file are undated and / or do not have a date received stamps on them has made determining an audit trail even more difficult".

    The applicant's accountant questioned the auditor's as to the whereabouts of the file and was advised the files are with the department under investigation. Shortly afterwards the Auditor's write to the accountant explaining there has been some confusion and the file is under lock and key in their office and always has been.

    The accountant then question's the auditors about the location of the file at a meeting in Llangefni with the Council Solicitor present and was given a sob story that they misinformed the accountant the file was with the department under investigation because a colleagues Mother had died.

    We are going to destroy them in court once and for all, bring it on Taffia we are coming for you.

    from Lug

    Anonymous said...

    Another extract taken from Internal Audit Report into grant irregularities

    "The lack of audit trail makes it difficult to determine the sequence of events with certainty, and has increased the risk of irregularity going undetected, provides no protection to staff and limits the Council's ability to answer allegations of irregularity".

    Obviously the paperwork is not in order, so how did the Council officer's process the grant in the first place. The applicant and Taxpayer are the victims, and the Council's role is to ensure that government grant's are properly delivered, which clearly is not the case.

    The above extract shows they have curled up in a ball on the floor because they can't withstand the hammer blows heading their way.

    Looking forward to grounding and pounding them in court before pile driving them through the floor. Lug

    LAG said...

    this is a site that tells it like it should be told .well done to you druid for bringing us the truth ,
    more people should be aware of your blog ,can i put a link on a forum for this site so the masses can read the truth about our corrupt leaders

    Paul Williams said...

    LAG - thank you and you're welcome to post a link anywhere!

    Anonymous said...

    LUG,
    It is good to find you here.

    I did make a visit today, the little camera to the left above reception will have me waving to you, I did not meet up with the people you mentioned elsewhere so do not jump to conclusions.

    I do hate the implications , agai, of trial by TV, you seem to have actual paperwork. If you do have formal evidence give it to the proper invetstigators but with a copy to the national lot as well so 'bigger brother' can cross check to see if the local ones are really trying instead of photographing cars here there and everywhere.

    Beware power sockets with only one screw.

    Now back to tying my flies

    OTB

    Anonymous said...

    OTB - You do surprise me, how do you know taps are placed in wall sockets and run off the power. Do we have a Private Eye in our midsts?

    Kinetic bugs are all the rage these days and recharge when in motion. Very expensive piece of kit and are not available on the open market. Cybermite is top of the range and will not show on a sweep, because it's not a transponder type. This nano gadget records and has to be physically retrieved.

    Anonymous said...

    Anon 00.39 'surprised'

    Well done for your up to date techno but most
    important is Seeing AND Hearing, that confirms who as well as what. What do you do, say " please sir/madam, may I place this in your packet/lapel?"

    OTB

    Anonymous said...

    CCTV shows who's in the bog so you can put faeces to the voices.

    Anonymous said...

    Evidence supporting malfaeceance in public office has been dumped.

    Anonymous said...

    Shit is going to hit the fan once David's bowels explode.