Jo – why start the conversation at all if you have better things to do? Getting the facts right would be a better thing to do and then maybe admit you got it wrong. The message from Glen has changed over the weeks and if he has not been totally corrupted by the Cardiff PR company he would admit that long before this episode he was mulling over leaving the trust. The contempt the chair had for him over the years must surely have rankled even such a gentle soul as him.

This is what you said in your first contribution of August 19th. I can understand why you might want to shut up after getting things so badly wrong.

“You and your ilk including HW have lost us Glen Johnson from the board of trustees, who above all others was the one person who was determined to bring the history of the castle alive. To be frank I am appalled at some of the things that have been said which border both on libellous and racist and I was pleased to see Glen’s statement on the Welsh news stating exactly why he has resigned, my only regret is that he didn’t name you all!”

Dr Anthony, I presume you have therefore retired into a cleft in the rocks over at Pwll y Wrach in Ceibwr – metaphorically speaking of course – and to continue in a metaphorical vein – to lick your wounds – and regret your efforts to taint my name. It says a lot for those Trustees, whom you have refused to name, who put you up to the despicable job. Perhaps you will volunteer the information at the AGM.

If it’s of any help, I believe there is a tremendous opportunity with the Castell Aberteifi project to strike a blow for Welsh nationhood. I think of Dr Meredydd Evans, who after his stint as a philosopher in American universities, availed himself of the opportunity to set up a light entertainment department at the BBC in Cardiff. He pioneered such programmes as ‘Disc a Dawn’ and ‘Fo a Fe’ and set the mould for S4C. Similarly he availed himself of the opportunity to enhance the Welsh folk tradition. His American released LP of Welsh folk songs climbed the charts and was much praised by the American critics. He believed earnestly in Welsh nationhood.

I am convinced Merêd would support the efforts of Cyfeillion Rhys ap Gruffudd to develop Castell Aberteifi as an institution to be proud of within the pantheon of Welsh life. We are not interested in ‘on-line harassment’ but seek a dialogue with the powers that be re establishing a distinctive Welsh creative imagination. Strange that we were invited to a private meeting with ‘some of the trustees’ last Thursday morning.

I must say that Glen Johnson, from the photograph of him in the Cambrian News, looks remarkably healthy for an ‘on-line harassed’ historian. Indeed he looks in much better fettle than many men of his age that I have seen lately who have never been harassed on-line.

On the assumption that you’ve now read my blog, are you now prepared to apologise? Nothing I wrote could in any way have contributed to Johnson’s ‘resignation’. Idiot!

You will recall the answer given by Glen Johnson, a Cadwgan Trustee, when quizzed on the matter following his lecture par excellence at Trewyddel recently. The gist of his comments were that the concert had been organised by Theatr Mwldan, and by the time the Trustees realised the choice of Bellowhead was such a sensitive issue, it was too late to make any amends. By the way, it is not often that I would say I would be prepared to listen to a particular lecture again but I will say that of Glen’s tour de force of a lecture.

Hardly harassing. I have made similar comments, several times recently, possibly to the embarrassment of Glen. Yes, I did rebuke him a few months ago when he announced he was publishing a book about the history of the castle. But it was not bilingual and there was no arrangement for a Welsh language book either by himself or another author. He seemed to take it in good heart and went about, at his own cost, to have his book translated. I understand the remaining trustees intend to launch the Welsh version at the AGM as the high point of the evening and as proof of their new found Welshness.

Indeed, Glen is such a mild mannered person I cannot imagine anyone who would want to harass him. If he genuinely has been harassed, along with his family, then surely it should be a matter for the police. Glen does not mention any names in the statement released by Equinox, the Cardiff based public relations company, acting on behalf of Sue Lewis and the Cardigan Castle fraternity.

Then the Cambrian News article mentions my name without any confirmation by Glen that I have harassed him and, therefore, insinuate in the mind of the reader that I am guilty by association. I am described as a poet and author. Poets and authors don’t do harassment on-line. They write poems and books. I sometimes consider myself as a flawed cultural historian and hence my interest in Castell Aberteifi and Welsh entertainment. Further explanation might be made elsewhere.

Now the managing director of Equinox has confirmed that neither he nor any of his staff briefed Cambrian News in any way regarding names of harassers. Indeed, a damning confession on his part, was that he did not even verify the truthfulness of Glen Johnson’s allegation. He has no idea who Glen had in mind even if it was Glen’s allegation or else words put in his mouth.

Furthermore, the timing of the release is interesting. Not on Monday morning in order to supply the Tivyside, the local paper, with an exclusive lead story. But on Tuesday morning just in time for the Cambrian News print run later in the day. It is purely a coincidence of course that Sue Lewis’s husband, Mike Lewis, is one of their journalists.

The article, possibly written by him, gives the spin that Cyfeillion Rhys ap Gruffudd organised a petition calling for the reinstatement of Cris Tomos. You know full well that is not so. Everyone in Aberteifi knows who instigated the petition. Cyfeillion Rhys ap Gruffudd supports the petition, of course, and are appalled at the treatment given to Cris.

The article states that nobody from Cyfeillion Rhys ap Gruffudd was available to comment. That again is misleading as the Deputy News Editor, Dylan Davies, will confirm. I received an e-mail from him. I did not offer a comment as he did not inform me of the gist of Glen’s comments nor did he send me a copy of the Equinox statement. Other news outlets later did so. It was my decision, under the circumstances, not to comment. Indeed I am loathe to get involved with such trivia. I would much prefer to discuss the real issues facing the Cadwgan Trustees in their effort to develop the heritage aspects of the project.

Glen’s resignation is a distraction designed to draw attention from the forthcoming AGM at which questions regarding the trustees stewardship of Castell Aberteifi will be asked. Will they be answered?
Needless to say I will be asking the Cambrian News for an apology and the right of reply. Shades of Mike Parker here. In my reply I intend to mention my debt to Merêd, whom, along with many others, I look upon as a mentor in these matters. I believe he would be very much in favour of the campaign to ascertain a distinctively Welsh creative imagination in the running of Castell Aberteifi.

I have also asked Equinox to distribute a disclaimer that their intention was not to involve me in the matter and distribute an apology for possibly harming my good name. Furthermore, I have asked Equinox to mention who Glen Johnson had in mind as ‘harassers’ and if he does not do so to then withdraw his allegation.

By the way, Equinox , on Monday morning, sent me an invitation to meet some of the Cadwgan Trustees on Thursday morning (tomorrow) for what was described as a private meeting. Strange that I should receive such an invitation if I am regarded by the Trustees as a harasser. Was the meeting sanctioned by Sue Lewis, the acting director?

Yet those leaked internal e-mails told Cris Tomos that under no circumstances he should invite Cyfeillion Rhys ap Gruffudd to a meeting. Ironically, if that meeting had taken place most of the current confusion and turmoil surely would not have happened.

In the meantime, perhaps you could persuade Glen Johnson to name his harassers on his Facebook page and, at the same time, offer me an apology – unless of course he can provide evidence of any harassment on my behalf. If he does it will be a serious matter. Again, if he had accepted my politely worded request to join his Facebook page recently, much of all this brouhaha might have been avoided.
You have done Glen a disservice by the over the top ego massaging. Let’s discuss matters rationally. Surely, you are aware of the tremendous concerns regarding almost every aspect of the project?

I’ve also been checking. I haven’t said a bad word about Johnson, but the finger is clearly being pointed at me. I am even named in the Cambrian News report! All done to deflect criticism. Working on post now to explain it.

Jac

I have followed this saga about Castell Aberteifi having been alerted to it by your blog weeks ago. As far as I can recall ( and a quick review of the assorted contributions seems to confirm) you have always been positive, or at worst neutral, in your references to G Johnson, as indeed others have, when much of the contributions have been highly critical of other Trustees, managers and sundry participants in the castle project. Accordingly , to attribute Mr Johnson’s resignation to negative comment from you and your cotributors is odd, at least, or perhaps indicates yet another desperate attempt by some people to deflect away from their own part in the man’s departure.