Mr Cynog Dafis

Mr Cynog Dafis

The presentation of Mr Cynog Dafis as Honorary Fellow of the University by Professor Roger Scully on Thursday 15 July 2010.

Cynog Dafis has made major contributions to the life of Wales, and particularly West Wales, in two related fields – education and politics.

Cafodd Cynog Glyndwr Dafis ei eni yn Abertawe ym 1938, ond treuliodd y rhan fwyaf o’i blentyndod yn Aberaeron. Ar ôl cyfnod yn Ysgol Uwchradd Aberaeron ac Ysgol Ramadeg y Bechgyn yng Nghastell-nedd, daeth i Brifysgol Aberystwyth (neu Coleg Prifysgol Cymru, Aberystwyth, fel yr oedd bryd hynny) ddiwedd y 1950au. Yma, astudiodd Cynog ar gyfer gradd BA (Anrh) mewn Saesneg a Gradd Meistr mewn Addysg. Ar ôl gadael Aberystwyth, bu’n athro Saesneg am dros 30 mlynedd, yng Ngholeg Addysg Bellach Pontardawe, ac ysgolion Castell Newydd Emlyn, Aberaeron a Llandysul. Yna, bu am gyfnod byr yn Swyddog Ymchwil yn Adran Addysg Barhaus i Oedolion, Prifysgol Abertawe - cyn iddo gael ei alw i gymryd cyfrifoldebau newydd!

Cynog Glyndwr Dafis was born in Swansea in 1938, but spent most of his childhood in Aberaeron. After schooling at Aberaeron County Secondary and Neath Boys Grammar, he came to Aberystwyth University (or University College of Wales – Aberystwyth, as it then was) in the late 1950s. Here, Cynog studied for a BA (Hons) in English and a Masters in Education. After leaving Aberystwyth, Cynog taught English for over 30 years, at Pontardawe College of Further Education, and schools in Newcastle Emlyn, Aberaeron and Llandysul. He then briefly held the post of Research Officer at the Department of Adult Continuing Education, Swansea University – before he was called to take up new responsibilities!

Roedd Cynog wedi ymladd sedd Ceredigion a Gogledd Sir Benfro dros Blaid Cymru eisoes yn etholiadau cyffredinol 1983 a 1987, cyn iddo ennill y sedd a mynd i Dŷ'r Cyffredin yn dilyn etholiad cyffredinol Ebrill 1992. Roedd buddugoliaeth Cynog yn arbennig o nodedig am ddau reswm:

- Yn gyntaf, oherwydd iddo ddod o fod yn bedwerydd yn 1987 i ennill y sedd bum mlynedd yn ddiweddarach; a
- Yn ail, oherwydd iddo ennill y sedd fel ymgeisydd Plaid Cymru a’r Blaid Werdd. (Felly, ef, ac nid Caroline Lucas, mewn gwirionedd, oedd yr AS cyntaf i gyrraedd Tŷ'r Cyffredin!).

Cynog had already contested the seat of Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire North for Plaid Cymru in the 1983 and 1987 general elections, before he won the seat and entered the House of Commons at the general election of April 1992. Cynog’s victory was particularly notable for two reasons:
- First, because he came from fourth place in 1987 to win the seat five years later; and
- Second, because he won the seat as a joint Plaid Cymru / Green Party candidate. (Thus, he, and not Caroline Lucas, was in fact the first Green MP in the House of Commons!).

In Parliament, Cynog served as a member of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, and for several years as a member of the Environmental Audit Committee. But in 2000, he resigned his seat, in order to concentrate on his work as a member of the National Assembly for Wales. Cynog has been elected as a member for Mid and West Wales in the first Assembly election in 1999. Cynog’s expertise in Education enabled him to contribute greatly to the work of the National Assembly, where he served as Chair first of the Education and Culture Committee, and later of the Education and Lifelong Learning Committee.

Roedd yn siom fawr i nifer o bobl ar draws y sbectrwm gwleidyddol pan benderfynodd Cynog adael y Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru ar ôl un tymor yn unig. Ond mae wedi parhau’n aelod gweithgar iawn o Blaid Cymru, yn ymgyrchydd lleol cadarn ar gyfer y blaid, ac yn llais unigol o bwys i Gymru, llais dysgedig, sy’n amgylcheddol-gyfrifol ac yn barod i dynnu ar y cyfoeth o dreftadaeth sy’n rhan o’i genedl a’i dwy iaith.

To widespread regret across the political spectrum, Cynog stood down from the National Assembly for Wales after one term. But he has remained a very active member of Plaid Cymru, a vigorous local campaigner for the party, and a singularly important voice for a Wales that is educated, environmentally-responsible and that willingly draws on the richness of heritage contained in both of its languages.

Mr President, I am honoured to present Cynog Dafis to be ordained as an Honorary Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

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