Menai Strait - North Wales
372 views · Published 30 August 2012 · 3:46 · Indexed 2 October 2026
Channel: AaranAardvark · 2012 · Travel & Events
Crossing the Thomas Telford Suspension bridge to the Island of Anglesey (Ynis Mon) from mainland Wales. Here I am reminded of the genocide of the Druids by the Romans which took place upon these Anglesey shores in 60 AD. On the fateful morning says BBC Wales, the preparations for the invasion began in earnest. Boats were carried down to the edge of the water and the infantry awaited the order to row across. Meanwhile, on the far bank, thousands of tribesmen gathered. Whilst the Druids invoked dark forces on the invaders, the tribesmen beat their shields with the flat of their swords and cheered, jeered and insulted the Romans. Women - wild painted, shrieking madly - danced naked through the irregular ranks and waved torches of fire to warm their men folk to the heat of battle. The Roman historian Tacitus recorded that many of the soldiery stood 'watching fearfully, their limbs shaking in terror'. When they did land, the slaughter began in earnest. It is documented that the Romans, perhaps goaded on by the fear they had shown before they had started their transit across the waters, fought with ferocity and a fury that became legendary throughout Britain. Men women and children were mercilessly cut down, none they found were spared. Today, the bloody shore runs from Moel-y-Don to the sou'west of Llanfairpwll to Tal-y-Foel opposite Caernarfon. The shore still bears testimony to the carnage of that day's events. Place names such as Bryn-y-Beddau, (the Hill of Graves), still appear on modern maps of the island. Here the islanders who survived after Paullinus had left to fight Boudicca buried their dead. The song is Myfanwy a favourite Welsh song about unrequited love. Apparently the "owners" of the folk song featured here have blocked it in some countries....ungrateful bastards....very soon I will be blocking it in every country so these money grabbing arseholes don't get a penny more because of my promotion of the music......if you can see this better watch now because soon it will be gone...
