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The young Welsh actor Ioan Gruffudd (A&E's Horatio Hornblower, PBS's Forsyth Saga) grew up speaking both Welsh and English, since his parents are both teachers of the Welsh language. Ioan was in a Welsh-speaking daytime drama for many years. Now he's gaining fame both as an actor and spokesman for Welsh culture.

Whatever you asked, I don't think so.... :>)

I just discovered my Welsh roots a couple of years ago, thanks in part to meeting a distant cousin at FR on another thread about Wales. I then went to one of the online genealogy sites and within fifteen minutes discovered a second cousin who has done an enormous amount of work on the family tree who had been looking for me for twenty years. Imagine that! I learned that we have a huge clan here in the western states and met about 50 relatives at a reunion. One of my closer cousins, who bears the Kidwell name (I do not), is Justice of the Supreme Court of Idaho, though we have yet to meet.

I plan to visit Wales, perhaps next year, and take a look at Kidwelly, from whence the Thomas and Kidwell ancestors departed in 1621. I'd love to learn to at least pronounce the language.

I did fall madly in love with the first Welsh Corgi I met, bought a pair and raised two lovely litters long before I realized my Welsh connection. Funny what clings to the DNA.

I ejoyed reading through your posts on this thread. If you have a Welsh ping list, please add my name.