Cynog Dafis

Cynog Dafis
Member of the Welsh Assembly
for Mid and West Wales
In office
6 May 1999 – 1 May 2003
Preceded by Constituency Created
Succeeded by Helen Mary Jones
Member of Parliament
for Ceredigion
In office
9 April 1992 – 10 January 2000
Preceded by Geraint Howells
Succeeded by Simon Thomas
Personal details
Born Cynog Glyndwr Davies
(1938-04-01) 1 April 1938
Treboeth, Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales
Nationality Wales Welsh
Political party Plaid Cymru
Spouse(s) Llinos Iorwerth Jones
Children
  • Arthur Iorweth Dafis
  • Rolant Morgan Dafis
  • Luned Gwenllian Dafis
Residence 'Cedrwydd', Llandre, Ceredigion, Wales
Alma mater University of Wales, Aberystwyth

Cynog Glyndwr Dafis (born 1 April 1938) is a Welsh politician and member of Plaid Cymru. Born Cynog Glyndwr Davies at Treboeth in Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales, he was initially a school teacher and researcher before entering politics.

Education

Dafis was educated at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, gaining a BA (Hons) degree in English, and subsequently an M.Ed. degree. During his teaching career he worked in a number of secondary schools at Pontardawe, Newcastle Emlyn, Aberaeron and Llandysul.

Political career

Dafis was a Member of Parliament for Ceredigion from 1992 until 2000, having been supported by a coalition of local Plaid Cymru and Green party activists. In 2000 he resigned as an MP to devote more time as a member of the National Assembly for Wales, to which he had been elected in 1999.

In a speech at the 2000 National Eisteddfod at Llanelli, Dafis called for a new Welsh language movement with greater powers to lobby for the Welsh language at the Assembly, UK, and EU levels.[1] Dafis felt the needs of the language were ignored during the first year of the Assembly, and that in order to ensure a dynamic growth of the Welsh language a properly resourced strategy was needed[1] In his speech Dafis encouraged other Welsh language advocacy groups to work closer together creating a more favourable climate in which using Welsh was "attractive, exciting, a source of pride and a sign of strength".[1] Additionally, Dafis pointed towards efforts in areas such as Catalonia and the Basque country as successful examples to emulate.[1]

Lord Elis-Thomas, former Plaid Cymru president, disagreed with Dafis' assessment, however. At the Urdd Eisteddfod Lord Elis-Thomas said that there was no need for another Welsh language act, claiming that there was "enough goodwill to safeguard the language's future".[2] His controversial comments prompted Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg to join a chorus calling for his resignation as the Assembly's presiding officer.[2]

In 2002, Dafis announced he would step down from the Assembly at the 2003 elections, despite party leader Ieuan Wyn Jones having asked him not to do so. Soon after the elections in 2003, he announced his candidacy for Presidency of the party, but lost to Dafydd Iwan.

Personal life

He married Llinos Iorwerth Jones in 1964, with whom he had two sons and one daughter. For many years he and his family lived in Talgarreg, before moving to Llandre.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Call for new language movement Tuesday, 8 August 2000 extracted 27 Jan 2008
  2. 1 2 Elis-Thomas in language row Sunday, 4 June 2000 extracted 27 Jan 2008
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Geraint Howells		 Member of Parliament for Ceredigion
1992–2000 		Succeeded by
Simon Thomas
National Assembly for Wales
New title Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales
1999 – 2003 		Succeeded by
Helen Mary Jones
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