This is the blog of Martin Johnes, Professor of Modern History at Swansea University.
Recent blogs
School Resources about the Welsh Not
Thanks to an AHRC Impact Acceleration Account grant, a suite of learning resources for schools have been created based my book on the Welsh Not. The learning resources can be found here: https://welshnot.swansea.ac.uk/ A short animated film explaining the Welsh Not can be watched below. Click on cc for English subtitles. The website will be…
Christmas Day Football
Christmas football was originally rooted in a wider tradition of communal entertainments on the 25th. While for the Victorian middle class, Christmas was a festival of the home, for the workers, who lived in cramped, overcrowded housing, getting out was often more important. Football, pantomimes, informal gatherings, community rituals and traditions all provided people with…
One syllable: Splott
This essay was first published in the programme for the National Theatre’s 2023 production of Romeo and Julie by Gary Owen. The most memorable thing about the Cardiff district of Splott is its name. Even in Cardiff, it’s sometimes the subject of some mirth. Outside the city, it can draw derision and act as another…
Martin Johnes 