I was raised in Welsh in a Welsh-speaking society in Anglesey, with a family passionate for history, literature, film and many other
My first degree, at the University of Bangor, was in Welsh philology (2i), the study of the history of the literature of the language from the sixth century to the modern period. I maintain a scholarly engagement with most aspects, from the poetry ascriped to bards of the sixth century to modern novels and strict metre poetry
My second degree an MPhil (distinction) was Medieval Scottish History (Glasgow). This involved the critical study of primary and secondary sources for this period. It also entailed the study of Latin (A***), Old Irish (A***) and Old English (A***).
Then at the University of Glasgow I obtained a PhD on aspects of the Pictish language. This was in two parts. Firstly a detailed and lenghty historical overview of approaches to the language and how they reacted to the discovery and publication of the primary sources. The second part examined the early evidence (pre Early Medieval) for language in what was later to become Pictland.
In addition to Welsh and English I also speak Breton and Spanish fluently. I have a respectable command of Revived Cornish, Catalan, Scottish Gaelic and Italian.
Work
I have worked as a teacher of Welsh, an adult tutor of the language, and had a research post writing the SATs for key stage 3. I have taught Welsh at the University of Rennes in Brittany, English in Madrid and currently teach Breton in Brussels. I have also, with my business partner, developed the Scottish Gaelic Ulpan language course for adults. I have lead several tours for the prestigious Andante tour-operator. I currently work on academic projects.
Publications
I have published many articles on matters of Celtic linguistics and culture. In recent years I have published four books under the title Amrywiaith – a blend of popular and scholarly investigations into variety (local and historical) in Modern Welsh, with copious etymological anecdotes. I am currently completing a substantion work for the University of Wales Press on an anthology of Welsh strict-metre grave poetry from 1656 to the present day. This contains original, and largely unpublished creative works, by gifted poets, and is annotated in detail, with discussions of events, contexts, poets, famous individuals etc.
Interests
I am passionate for Welsh/Brythonic history. Also read widely on architecture, archaeology, sociology, anthropology, Welsh poetry, modern Breton literature.