Today (Saturday 2nd Febrary) 500 gathered to re-create Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s first protest, and to insist that they can live their lives in Welsh, 50 years to the day since the language group’s first protest.

Robin Farrar, chairman of Cymdeithas yr Iaith, lead the protestors in sitting on the bridge, as in the original protest, saying:

“I don’t like to think what would have happened to the Welsh language had protestors not been ready to take a stand, to break the law and take responsibility over the past 50 years. We must continue to take action today in order to ensure that Welsh has a future as a living community language, not merely a symbolic minority language.”

On 2nd February 1963, Welsh and non-Welsh speaking people came together to press for ‘official status’ for the language, plastering posters over the Post Office and then occupying Pont Trefechan in Aberystwyth town.  50 years later, a number of the group’s former chairs and original protesters marched to Trefechan bridge in response to the Census results.

Speaking after the rally, Mr. Farrar added:

“It’s important to note that our founders and the original protestors from the bridge came to the rally today, that takes place only days before we as an organisation meet with Carwyn Jones, and we will call on him and the Government to recognise the crisis, and take action to ensure the language has a sustainable future. These rallies are the first step of our campaign. We are holding workshops and meetings to discuss the campaigns locally.”

Representing the young people of Ceredigion was Siriol Dafis, a pupil at Ysgol Penweddig, Aberystwyth. Addressing the crowd, she said:

“Young people don’t always know where to turn to voice their opinions, and they don’t know how to campaign, how to change things and make a difference.”

“But young people care about the Welsh langugae, and we do want to live our lives in Welsh, and we hope that all the young people here today will show that the Welsh language is very much alive.”

The rally came a matter of days after census results were released showing a reduction in the number of communities where Welsh is a language of the majority. A delegation from Cymdeithas yr Iaith will meet with Carwyn Jones AM on Wednesday 6th February.