Several thousand people braved freezing temperatures on New Year’s Eve for the Nos Galan Races in Mountain Ash – and they were delighted to discover Olympic legend Linford Christie was special guest at the event’s 50th anniversary.
Christie – Europe’s greatest ever 100m sprinter – was the mystery runner at the 2008 Nos Galan in Mountain Ash. He lay a wreath at legendary runner Guto Nyth Bran’s grave in Llanwonno graveyard before running the route from Llanwonno to Mountain Ash town centre.
Crowds who lined the street to welcome him were given 50th Nos Galan flags to wave when he reached Oxford Street. After lighting the Nos Galan beacon, Christie said how much he had enjoyed the event: “Enjoyment is an understatement – it’s been brilliant!” he said.
On the night, he also presented a special Outstanding Contribution award to Richie Gardiner of Aberdare, who has been involved with Nos Galan as a runner and, more recently, as an organiser, since he was a child.
The famous Nos Galan Races commemorate the Welsh runner Guto Nyth Bran and his legendary athletic prowess. Held annually on New Year’s Eve in Mountain Ash, in the Cynon Valley, South Wales, the Races follow a 5km route around the town.
Around 3,000 people enjoyed the winter parade in Mountain Ash on Tuesday (December 2, 2008).
People of all ages flocked to the town centre on a bitterly cold night to see the town’s Christmas lights switched on, after Santa arrived on a sleigh pulled by six reindeer.
Children enjoyed visiting Santa’s grotto and funfair rides, and festive character Jack Frost entertained the crowds.
The event was organised by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and assisted by Darran Las Communities First. Local ward member and Chairman of the Communities First Partnership, Cllr Andrew Morgan, said: “This annual event in Mountain Ash continues to draw thousands of spectators to see Santa with his reindeer.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council provide an Update on the restoration of Mountain Ash War Memorial after vandals stole precious plaques recently…
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has nearly completed temporary restoration plans put in place for Remembrance Day, following the mindless vandalism of Mountain Ash war memorial.
Outrage was caused when the bronze plaque on the memorial was stolen earlier this year, leading to concern and upset about the use of the sacred monument on November 11.
Jane from Mountain Ash blogs here with a story on the proposed opencast plans for Mountain Ash…
We had a knock at the door last night from a nice man called Ian. It was -3*C and he was going door to door with a petition. Ian was collecting residents signatures for his petition to raise awareness of one anonymous landowners intent to dig for coal on a small plot of land behind the graveyard in Caegarw, Mountain Ash.
We had been wondering about the sounds of heavy machinery and the Apex Drilling vans seen on our street over the past few weeks.
It appears that the plot of land was sold by Lord Aberdare in the ’60’s to this man and he has twice been denied permission to excavate the coal from a 100 year old tip.
We understand that the land has a preservation order on it due to its environmental value following the tree planting which has occured on it. It is close to a hospital and two
schools, not to mention hundreds of houses.
We wonder why this is being attempted again, when the council and Welsh Assembly Government have spent over £20 million on cleaning up the Cynon Valley, when there are plans for a new community hospital less than half a mile from the site and when there are concerned residents, the authorities have done nothing.
Has planning permission again been sought? If so, wouldn’t the residents who live within 500 metres of the plot have been told? Where is our voice in all this? We understand that the land is an old tip. We don’t want a return to dust and smoke – we value our environment and hope that the council and WAG do to. Anyone know anything about this???
The residents of Caegarw are a vociferous bunch and we welcome any information that can help us get to the bottom of the drilling, digging and the looming threat of coal dust again…
Some of the things we’ve added to the map include :
Mountain Ash War Memorial; the Gorsedd Circle of Stones at Dyffryn Woods, Chapels including Providence, Nazareth, Soar, Ffrwd, Elim and others; Churches including St Margaret’s; Pubs including Napiers Arms, Mountain Ash Inn; the Workmen’s Club and Institute in Oxford Street, recently restored; the Town Hall; Mountain Library, and much more.
As this is a ‘work in progress’ if you would like to add photos, or suggest links, please get in touch.
And speculation continues that the Valleys town of Mountain Ash is to be sold in an online eBay-like auction. This is the first Welsh town to be publically auctioned under a new Welsh Assembly Government initiative called the Communities Regeneration and Partnership (CRAP) strategy.
We asked Christine Chapman (Cynon Valley AM) if she thought that Mountain Ash benefitted from CRAP funding from the Welsh Assembly, but Mrs Chapman declined to comment.
Several thousand people braved freezing temperatures on New Year’s Eve for the Nos Galan Races in Mountain Ash – and they were delighted to discover Olympic legend Linford Christie was special guest at the event’s 50th anniversary.
Around 3,000 people enjoyed the winter parade in Mountain Ash on Tuesday (December 2, 2008).
With so many interesting places in Mountain Ash Town we thought we would put them on map to make them easier to find.
