Tuesday 31 August 2010

N..n..n..nineteen: Thank you all

Total Politics have just announced this year's list of the Top 50 Welsh Blogs and, despite having only penned my first blogpost back in January this year, I'm delighted to have been placed 19th. Without wishing to sound like an Oscar's acceptance speech, I'd like to give a big thank you to everyone who voted and to all of you readers and commenters: this blog wouldn't be what it is without the fantastic and informed debates we have in comments. My mission in writing this blog has always been to bring our unique Island shenanigans to a wider audience 'pour encourager les autres', so to be placed in the Top 20 proves that people throughout Wales are now sitting up and taking notice of what's going on in Ynys Môn. Good news for us all.              

There are some surprising rankings though. My two favourite bloggers: the thoughtful and well informed Dylan Jones-Evans and John Dixon ('Borthlas') came in at just 34th and 35th respectively - a travesty surely. 'A Change of Personnel' and 'Valleys Mam' also deserve to be higher placed and more widely read.  On the other hand, congratulations to my old sparring partner, Blog Menai, on coming top. 

Anyway here's the Total Politics Top 50 for your perusal:

1 (3) Blog Menai
2 (10)
 Plaid Wrecsam 
3 (6) 
Syniadau
4 (14) 
Hen Rech Flin
5 (7) 
Vaughan Roderick
6 (12) 
Miserable Old Fart
7 (11) 
Cardiff Blogger
8 (26) 
Betsan Powys
9 (16) 
Peter Black AM
10 
Everyone's Favourite Comrade
11 
Blog Guto Dafyyd
12 (12) 
Pendroni
13 (41) 
Wales Home
14 (5) 
Welsh Ramblings
15 (35) 
Freedom Central
16 (18) 
Bethan Jenkins AM
17 
Ffranc Sais
18 
Dib Lemming
19 
The Druid of Anglesey
20 (13) 
Valleys Mam
21 (36) 
Blog yr Hogyn o Rachub
22 (23) 
Glyn Davies MP
23 
Plaid Panteg
24 (15) 
Polemical Report
25 (49) 
A Change of Personnel
26 (24) 
Leanne Wood AM
27 (20) 
Politics Cymru
28 (42) 
Blog Answyddogol
29 
Liberal Smithy
30 
Inside Out - A Jaxxland Perspective
31 (45) 
Alun Williams
32 (28) 
Gwilym Euros Roberts
33 
Institute of Welsh Affairs
34 (29) 
Dylan Jones-Evans
35 (22) 
Borthlas
36 (30) 
Paul Flynn MP
37 (27) 
David Cornock
38 
Morfablog
39 
Red Anorak
40 
Mike Priestley
41 (44) 
07.25 to Paddington
42 
Blog Golwg
43 
Plaid Cymru Llundain
44 (53) 
Rene Kinzett
45 (32) 
This is My Truth
46 (46) 
Denverstrope
47 
Independence Cymru
48 
Grangetown Jack
49 
Blog Rhys Llwyd
50 (8) 
Cambria Politico

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations. It's deserved for your posts on the Council.

The TP list has activated links - it might be easier for Druid readers if you copied and pasted them?

Paul Williams said...

Earwicga - your wish is my command.

Prometheuswrites said...

Well done Druid.

And congratulations to BlogMenai - I just wish I could read Welsh well enough to understand his (or her) posts.

Having peeked at and/followed some of the other worthy Welsh blogs I have to say that yours certainly has the most lively and informative debates and comments in the threads.

Keep up the good work.

Anonymous said...

well done :>)
The positions don't always reflect readership, one on the list is actually dormant lol.
Often Parties rally the troops to vote, so Dylan for example. myself an COP would loose out big time
Those plus you and a few that don't even figure are ones I really enjoy
keep up the blogging its excellent
VM

James Dowden said...

LOL @ Valleys Mam! "Dormant" is an amazingly tactful way of putting it, if we're thinking of the same blog. My eyes nearly popped out to see it on the list.

But well done, Druid. You really deserve to be up there.

The Great Councillini said...

Very well done and well-deserved, Druid.

This blog is, and no doubt will continue to be, one of the greatest boosts to democracy and the people's voice that we have ever seen on Anglesey. Not that the Council groups seem to accept that, given the lack of responses from all but one, was it?

Ignore at your peril, you Cold War councillors...

Unknown said...

"Without wishing to sound like an Oscar's acceptance speech"

Could be worse, it could've sounded like Oscar's defection speech.

Well done Druid.

Puck said...

WR:
Was that the one he made when he wanted to leave Sesame Street (very PC) to join The Muppet Show?

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Druid very well deserved.

As much of the Boggling has been taken up by the County Council's fiasco could I ask. Has Plaid managed to get the County Council's abusive Term of Engagement changed yet or have they now decided to go along with them?

Anonymous said...

Congratulations Druid, you’re a star

And since you mentioned Valleys Mam needing to be read more, I heard on the grapevine she wrote the introduction piece on Welsh blogs for the Total Politics Blogging Guide Book that is due to be published next month.

Blin o Fon said...

Ardderchog Druid, but hardly a surprise, and in respect of purely Anglesey matters, yours is the NO.1
...I have said before, yours is a laudable public service to the People of Anglesey, without this blog, they would have less voice.
You deserve to be leading the political fight....whats next ???

Anonymous said...

19.41 The Druid can not be a blogger forever.....what indeed is next ??

The Great Councillini said...

"The Druid can not be a blogger forever"

Why's that, then? Because the people in the Council would like him/her brought into the open so influence can be brought to bear?

"Hello, how nice to meet you, Mr./Mrs. Druid. Now, about this hard-line you're taking on our poor old Council. It's not at all that bad, you know. Let's go to Treysgawen Hall and have a chat over lunch."

And so the end of the people's voice would be brought to an end.

There is no need for any 'next' thing. We're perfectly happy getting stories out, discussing them and bringing Anglesey off its knees.

Insider said...

Having failed dismally to help Anglesey County Council move forward David Bowles has had his contract extended for an other 12 Months.
Watch this space.

Puck said...

Indeed Insider:

As this BBC report confirms

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-11181386

"The man who only live for making money
Lives a life that isn't necessarily sunny;
Likewise the man who works for fame --
There's no guarantee that time won't erase his name

Oh that is nice work if you can get it.
And you can get it -- if you try".


Apologies to Gershwin

Nooka said...

I echo all the congratulations, well done etc as above. Keep it up.
Nooka

Anonymous said...

Thank you Druid and congratulations, okay your 19th, it's better than nothing, keep on keeping on being a thorn in the side of the Council, and keep on being the voice of the oppressed, that's all I have to say, for now.

Huw Terry.

Anonymous said...

Well done and hearty congratulations Druid.

You have developed an amazing interactive floor for Anglesey Folk to share their concerns and feelings. It would be better without the petty 'political' snipes and attacks but that is down to the human nature of subscribers.

Long live this site

Anglesey Islander