Cofiwch Dryweryn Graffiti and Copycats in Llanrhystud, Wales

In 1965, the Tryweryn Valley was flooded by the English to create the Llyn Celyn Reservoir. The Valley was home to Capel Celyn, one of the last Welsh-only speaking communities. In the 1960s, Welsh culturalist Meic Stephens graffitied the words ‘Cofiwch Tryweryn,’ meaning ‘Remember Tryweryn,’ onto a wall outside Llanrhystud. This graffiti has been copied all over Wales since, becoming a symbol of Wales’ lost history and language. This monument has fallen victim to numerous acts of vandalism over the years, and there have been numerous attempts to protect it. For example, through attempts to make it a designated Welsh landmark. These formal attempts have been unsuccessful, however, and much has been left to the local community. This case study aims to illuminate how a simple message became a force of cultural resistance against English interference in Wales.