by W. Ruth Kozak
One Christmas was so much like another,
In those years around the sea-town corner now
And out of all sound except the distant speaking
Of the voices I sometimes hear a moment before sleep,
That I can never remember whether it snowed
For six days and six nights when I was twelve
Or whether it snowed for twelve days and
Twelve nights when I was six.
These precious words of Dylan Thomas are one of the best known and loved Christmas prose poems ever written. Born in Swansea, Wales in 1914, Dylan Thomas was Wales’ most beloved poets. He has been acknowledged as one of the most important Welsh poets of the 20th century.
Included in his works are “Do not go gentle into that good night,” “Under Milk Wood” and “Portrait of a the Artist as a Young Dog.” Thomas began his career at the age of 16 as a journalist and many of his works appeared in print while he was still a teenager. Although he was appreciated as a one of the most popular poets of his time, he found living an earning as a writer difficult so he augmented his income with reading tours and radio broadcasts. In 1937 he married Caitlin Macnamara and lived for a time in the Welsh fishing village of Laugharne. Unfortunately, their relationship was destructive due to Thomas’s alcoholism.
He recorded his famous work “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” while he was touring in the United States. It has been recorded since then by other famous Welsh actors including Richard Burton who was a great pal of the Thomas. Sadly, in 1953 during a trip to New York, Thomas collapsed outside a bar after downing a great quantity of whiskey and later died. His body was returned to Wales and buried in the village churchyard in Laugharne.
Coming from a Welsh back-ground, I’ve always been fascinated by Dylan Thomas writing, especially A Child’s Christmas in Wales. Every year I watch the video movie made of the famous poem. And on one of my trips to Wales I had the privilege of visiting Swansea and the Dylan Thomas Centre.
The Dylan Thomas Centre is housed in a beautiful Regency building in Swansea’s Maritime Quarter. The centre hosts many literary and art programs. It was a thrill for me to wander the exhibits, all the while entertained by the rich Welsh tenor of Richard Burton reciting Thomas’s “Under Milk Wood”. The exhibits include bits of Dylan Thomas’ life including photos, hand-written notes and journals, news clips and other memorabilia. The Swansea Bay area has produced many other world-famous cultural icons such as actors Richard Burton, Catherin Zeta-Jones, and Anthony Hopkins. Burton was a personal friend of Thomas and there is a special display honoring their friendship.
Outside the Centre, facing the marina, is a life-size bronze statue of the poet, and not far away is the Dylan Thomas Theatre. The Swansea Little Theatre was the first Little Theatre in Wales. The group began performing from 1924. In the early ‘30’s Dylan Thomas became a member of the troupe and appeared with them in several plays over the next few years. The Swansea Little Theatre group moved to its present location in 1983.
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Ruth’s roots are in Caerphilly Wales and she visits there frequently. Ruth has been a travel writer and adventurer for many years, writing mostly about UK and Greece (her second home). As well as being the former editor/publisher of TRAVEL THRU HISTORY she’s on the staff of www.europeupclose.com and freelances to other on-line and print publications. Her historical fiction novel SHADOW OF THE LION will be published in August 2014 (first part: BLOOD ON THE MOON and second part THE FIELDS OF HADES 18 months later) by www.mediaaria-cdm.com. Ruth’s website has links to her writing at www.ruthkozak.com and there is a blog for the novel at http://shadowofthelion.com.
All Swansea photos by W. Ruth Kozak
Maybe it was the type of holiday: endless hot sunshine highways and beaches might have inspired a desire for more freedom. We were traveling to the end of the road on this holiday, literally at John O’ Groats, and to the most interesting places around, so I was content… although the Orkney Islands looked temptingly close out in the ocean!
This time we traveled through the Cairngorms National Park and past Inverness to the small village of Garve. Low cloud and dusk limited the view, but increased the melancholic atmosphere; it felt great to be surrounded by nature once more, having escaped high-density population. The roads were so narrow in places there was little room for pedestrians or cyclists.
After a quick walk around the main town my mother and I went to the Isles Inn. It looked a traditional pub from the outside, and its interior was similarly rustic, with a stone decor ideal for the open fireplace. I had a tasty vegetarian haggis with mashed potatoes, vegetables and gravy to eat; washed down with a local ale.
Driving north to John O’ Groats alongside the east coast was quite exhilarating. We stopped in Dornoch on the way, with its historic monthly market taking place that morning. On the opposite side of the street, the old jailhouse has been converted into stylish shops. It also has a thirteenth-century cathedral; Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s son Rocco John Ritchie was baptized there in 2000, the day before the couple married in nearby Skibo Castle.
The majority of our group had said they’d prefer to split the third day by visiting Loch Ness before Inverness, instead of spending the whole day in the latter, and that was okay with our driver/guide. So, in the morning we drove forty-five minutes south to Loch Ness, and parked above, funnily enough, Urquhart Castle. Nobody saw Nessie, but it was a nice setting above the loch. I had previously seen the north of the loch from the Rockness festival in 2008.
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Lindisfarne Itself is about a mile or 1.6 kilometers off the mainland. There is a causeway that makes its way across the tidal flats and then winds through the dunes along the island’s shore. A walking path is also there for those who are so inclined. It is along this route that pilgrims traveled as far back as the 6th century to reach one of the great centers of Celtic Christianity founded by an Irish monk named Aiden. Posted at either end of the causeway and also on the island’s website are tidal charts. When planning your visit to the island you must plan around the incoming and outgoing tides. Failure to do so may result in being stranded on the causeway as the tide rises. The tide times differ from month to month and day to day so it is imperative to consult the charts for the day or days you plan to visit. You do not want to be caught by a rising tide. Because this has happened in the past there is an escape tower situated along the route. If you choose to walk, the Island’s website suggests that it is a good idea to be accompanied by someone familiar with the area. With an overcast sky the drive is rather bleak and, for those of us unfamiliar with oceans and tides, there is just a bit of apprehension as we head down the causeway. With the tide out there is a broad plain with pools of water remaining here and there. We hope we understood the charts correctly.
Once across there is a parking lot where visitors must leave their vehicles. Be prepared for a fairly long walk to get to the village, ruins and the castle. However, for those who wish to use it, there are shuttle buses that will take you into village and even up to the castle. They run at specific times so check the schedule. The walk to the town itself is scenic as you leave behind the barren shoreline. Trees line the street and there is fresh produce for sale at a roadside stand. Stone buildings in the town and cobblestone streets give a pervasive atmosphere of going back in time.
Because very few vehicles are allowed, it is very quiet and people wander about the streets at their own pace. You can visit the Lindisfarne Priory, which is not the original, which was destroyed by the Vikings. There is also a museum and visitor centre that details the history of the island. Here is a wealth of information about the founding saint of the monastery, Aidan and of Saint Cuthbert and the story of the Lindisfarne Gospels. This ancient book was written at the monastery about 700 AD in honour of St. Cuthbert. The original manuscript, which has survived to this day, is ornately decorated and is now housed in the British Library in London.
Heading back to the center of the village we pass by St. Mary’s Parish Church. It stands upon the site where the original monastery was built by Saint Aiden (some scholars believe the next Bishop named Finnian built the first wooden church). The service is in progress. Services are held three times a day every day of the week.
In the village there are various places to eat. There is an inn and many different accommodations including Bed and Breakfasts and Self-Catering units. To be able to stay on the island book well in advance as during the summer season it can be busy. Even places on the nearby mainland fill up quickly.
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Since 2007, there has been a Visitor Center at the site which tells the tale. The Visitor Center is well worth your time to go through and learn all about the battle before heading outdoors to the moor itself. You can take an audio tape out with you which gives details about the battle and armies, a good choice. If you have the stomach, experience the circular video re-enactment of the battle inside the center. It is easy to feel respect and admiration, as well as heartache, for the doomed men who battled bravely, knowing they were charging into their death.
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