Hungarian poet receives a plaque in Wales

Photo: https://www.facebook.com/montgomerypowys

The famous Hungarian writer and poet, János Arany, received a plaque in the Welsh town of Montgomery. The town of Montgomery was featured in Arany’s ballad, “The Welsh Bards”, and the people of Montgomery have returned the favour with this gesture.

Plaque to János Arany

The works of the Hungarian writer and poet, János Arany, are known in many countries. One of Arany’s most famous poems, “The Welsh Bards”, mentions the town of Montgomery.

The municipality has now unveiled a plaque in honour of Arany.

The unveiling was attended by Ferenc Kumin, Hungary’s Ambassador to London, and Jill Kibble, the Mayor of Montgomery. The plaque bears an inscription in Hungarian, English, and Welsh. The plaque includes some information on János Arany and his famous ballad.

In the ballad, János Arany describes the heroism of a small Welsh town, which, in 1277, at the feast of Montgomery, stood up to the English King Edward I of Wales with unswerving courage. The plaque draws a parallel between Welsh and Hungarian history.

Arany’s poem pays tribute to the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence of 1848-49.

For example, the courage of civilians can be found in both Hungarian and Welsh history.

Read also: Jessica Biel: “I am also a Hungarian girl!”

A historic moment in Hungarian-Welsh relations

Bálint Brunner is one of the founders of the Welsh-Hungarian cultural initiative Magyar Cymru. Brunner pointed out that this was the first time in the 165-year history of the Welsh bards that the Welsh and the Hungarian public commemorated the poet’s work in this way, hang.hu reports.

This is a historic moment in Hungarian-Welsh cultural relations.

Brunner also announced that 14 May will now be Welsh-Hungarian Friendship Day every year. The small Welsh town with 1,300 inhabitants was decorated with Hungarian flags on the occasion of the inauguration ceremony, hvg.hu.

After the unveiling of the plaque, the Hungarian and Welsh anthems were sung, followed by a recitation of “The Welsh Bards”.

The local brewery also produced a special bottled beer for the event. The logo of this beer bears the portrait of János Arany. The event, which lasted until Saturday night, had a wide range of activities. There was a performance by the Bristol Hungarian folk dance group and a video message from János Arany’s hometown of Nagyszalonta. A concert of Welsh and Hungarian music was held in the local St. Michael’s Church.