It was with deep shock and sadness that we heard of the passing of Dewi 'Pws' Morris. He was not only known since the 1970s for his music and humour but also for being a man who was always ready to speak clearly, and with a smile, for independence and the Welsh language.

The life and career of Dewi Pws is like a reflection of the national movement and the life of Wales in the latter half of the 20th C. He grew up in Swansea and followed a teaching course  in Cardiff. He played rugby for Pontypool club, he was at home in Welsh-speaking and  non-Welsh speaking Wales. This fact was part of his appeal and why he could, like Grav before him, be one of those rare people who could unify Welsh people. He was given the nickname ‘Pws’ after some prank with a cat in his youth!

Pws was there in the early days of Welsh contemporary rock music in the early 1970s, firstly with the Tebot Piws and later  founding the band,  Edward H. Dafis – one of Wales’ first Welsh language  rock groups. During this time, Edward H. were big supporters of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, in their mass protests for Welsh language road signs and today's Welsh Language TV Channel – S4C.  When Edward H. finished he began singing in the groups Inja Roc and then Mochyn 'Apus. Popular Edward H. songs such as ‘Tŷ Haf’ (Holiday or Summer Home') and ‘Dewch at eich Gilydd’ ('Come Together') are indicative of the hard and soft political spectrum.

Pws was there at the dawn of Welsh television in the 1970s taking part in the children's programme 'Miri Mawr' and later in 1974 starred in the soap opera, Pobol y Cwm. As a result, he appeared in the iconic rugby film, ‘Grand Slam’ which still entertains people to this day. In the 1980s his irreverant comedy series, ‘Torri Gwynt’ (‘Breaking Wind') was very popular – I remember boys at Ysgol Glantaf who rarely spoke Welsh, loved the series and talked about it the next day at school. Pws had the ability to speak and make people from all walks of life smile and cwtch-up to the Welsh language. He also worked in English, including Taff’s Acre, a soap opera set in Wales.

He has been a consistently honest campaigner for the Welsh language, always  ready to support Cymdeithas yr Iaith, and also, when he felt necessary, would criticise Welsh organisations.

I would never claim to be one of Dewi's best friends, but I got to know him fairly well in 2013 when I established Ras yr Iaith – a fun race for the Welsh language based on similar races in Brittany (Ar Redadeg) and the Basque Country (Korrika). Pws composed the Ras song (Cân y Ras) free of charge (although we did pay Stiwdio Fflach and the musicians for the recording). The song was used throughout the races. Typical of Pws he also agreed to be the MC for the Ras standing in the back of a large white van shouting encouragement, instructions and having fun with the thousands of people and children who ran and passed on the language baton. Of course, Pws  did all this for free without once asking for money or a favour – that was the dignity of his nature. He wanted all proceeds to go to the central fund, which was then used to support organisations which promoted  the Welsh language.

When YesCymru was founded in 2016 he became a supporter of the movement. I remember my surprise and joy in 2019 when he contacted me and Hedd Gwynfor (then Secretary of YesCymru) with a song for YesCymru. We hadn't asked for one, or even come up with the idea. But that was the nature of Pws, he saw the need where others didn't. The song ‘Yes Yes Cymru’ is fantastic – the tune is simple and the bilingual lyrics hit the nail on the head.

Dewi Pws would call me occasionally for a chat – usually during working hours! He wanted to know that everything was going well with YesCymru. He was concerned that the movement which was a bright torch igniting independence in the hearts of the people of Wales was waning. And there were times when the movement, like all movements, ebbed and flowed. But YesCymru is resilient and this movement is not going to disappear. With the phone calls, he would call me ‘Sioni Winwns’ (Johnny Onions – a name all Siôns are called some time in their life!) and I called him 'Pwsddyn' (PwsMan – like Superman!). Through those conversations I got to see Dewi Pws the deep, thoughtful man behind the smiles and pranks.

Dewi Pws died far too soon. There was another good decade of fun and campaigning within him. It saddens me that he will not see the great changes that, I am sure, will happen to Wales. He drew people together, put a smile on all our faces and on the face of Welsh nationalism. His steadfast support for YesCymru, is an extraordinarily important legacy and I suspect we will never see the likes of Dewi 'Pws' Morris again,  because his life and his experiences are a mirror image of the astonishing change that took place in Wales – for better and worse – since the 1970s.

Nos da Pwsddyn!

Siôn T. Jobbins (Former YesCymru Chair)