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Dan O Neil and the Eisteddfod

Posted by The Echo Editor on August 23, 2007 1:42 PM | 

The BBC seem to be whipping up a mini-row over our columnist Dan O'Neil's piece yesterday about the Eisteddfod coming to Cardiff next year.
Dan, in his own unique style, talks about how non-Welsh speakers may view the event and takes quite a barbed look at the festival.
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/southwalesecho/comment/tm_headline=let-8217-s-tell-these-dotty-druids-to-byrger-off%26method=full%26objectid=19670446%26siteid=50082-name_page.html
I am told that Huw Llewellyn Davies, the BBC's experienced rugby pundit - and a high profile member of Cardiff's Welsh community - was interviewed this morning on the radio and was critical of the paper for publishing Dan's views.

I don't personally agree with Dan on this one - I'm a first language Welsh speaker myself and know first-hand what the Eisteddfod is all about.
But I'm confident enough in the Welsh identity to be able to laugh at Dan's comments.
I also believe that Dan has a right to a view and a right to express it.
It doesn't mean that the Echo endorses his stance, more than we endorse the views of our letter writers.
Dan's column is an integral part of the Echo and he has entertained our readers for many years.
Yes, he does arouse controversy - but that's what columnists do. They have a conversation with readers - and they get a reaction.
There is a tide in this country of politically-correct types who want to clampdown on any opinion they disagree with. They want to ban this, ban that.
A light-heared columnist like Dan SHOULD be able to poke fun at something like the Eisteddfod. Just like he should any other subject be it Christianity, Islam, politics, sex, the colour of your socks.
As long as he is acting within the law he, and every other writer, should be allowed the freedom to write and to provoke discussion.


 

Comments (7)

Nic Dafis wrote...

> Just like he should any other subject be it Christianity, *Islam*, politics, sex, the colour of your socks.

I seriously doubt it. Would you really publish an article that attacked Muslims as a cultural group in the same kind of terms used by O'Neill to attack the Cymry Cymraeg? How many cracks about *their* strange customs and traditions and refusal to speak a civilized language would make it past your lawyers and/or insurers?

Posted by: Nic Dafis  | August 24, 2007 11:29 PM

Nic Dafis wrote...

Not much point inviting comments and then not publishing them, is there?

Posted by: Nic Dafis  | August 25, 2007 3:43 PM

Rhys wrote...

I agree 100% that Dan should be able to poke fun at the Eisteddfod, many take it too seriously. Branding ALL Welsh speakers as fascists is something else, and claiming that Welsh speakers don't consider non-Welsh speakers as 'proper Welsh people' is rather devisive in my opinion.

Posted by: Rhys  | August 25, 2007 6:54 PM

Nic Dafis wrote...

My original comment seems to have lost itself in the ether, rather than being deleted. It was a response to this:

> A light-hearted columnist like Dan SHOULD be able to poke fun at something like the Eisteddfod. Just like he should any other subject be it Christianity, Islam, politics, sex, the colour of your socks.

I seriously doubt that Dan O'Neill would have been allowed to attack, say, the Cardiff Mela festival, in quite so blatently xenophobic terms. Would Welsh Asians be accused of being fascists for holding a festival through the medium of their own language?

Were O'Neill's comments published in a London paper it would be nothing out of the ordinary, unfortunately. Being ill-informed about Welsh culture and history seems to be a qualification, rather than a hindrance, for a journalist in that fine city. But this is a Welshman, in a Welsh paper, telling other Welsh people that they should hate and fear a group within their community because we (that's me and you, Mr Golygydd) happen to speak a different language. If he said as much about Urdu speakers there'd be outrage, and rightly so.

Posted by: Nic Dafis  | August 29, 2007 2:34 PM

Gwyn Dafis wrote...

Dan O'Neil, from his article, has now received his membership of the BMP whick comes with free KKK kit and a translation of Mein Kampf.

His article is more than "provocative" it is bitter, twisted and facist.

Would the Daily Mail or Times publish such an article attacking English? Would the Western Mail? No!!!

Posted by: Gwyn Dafis  | August 31, 2007 1:03 PM

Gwyn wrote...

Yawn, yawn!

On balance Dan's drivel is even more boring than the anguished response of those reacting to it!

I went to the Mold Eisteddfod in August (in very Anglicised Flintshire) along with my English wife and we had a great time. And oddly enough you don't get tarred and feathered for speaking English - in fact, there were loads of people happily chattering away in English.

Brilliant event, and I'd urge as many locals as possible to go along next year, whether you're Welsh-speaking, English-speaking, a bit of both, or whatever.

Posted by: Gwyn  | September 6, 2007 10:31 PM

peter jones wrote...

what does the editor mean THE WELSH COMMUNITY, are we not all welsh,

Posted by: peter jones  | September 9, 2007 11:03 PM

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