Tales for Wales: A Welsh History Podcast

It's apt that Dafydd ap Llywelyn be the subject of our 69th episode because he was such a badass you just know he was slaying that 13th century skirt back in the day. From fighting the English to his own brother, Dafydd definitely knew that famous phrase about omelettes and eggs. So hit play and find out how this prince of Gwynedd's short lived candle burned twice as bright. Are you totally mega o...

You might be reading this thinking there's lots to love about Wales, and while that's definitely the case we've made a decision here at Tales for Wales that THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE. So forget what you like about Cymru because we'll be the ones to tell you what is and isn't the best, yeah? Hit play and listen to Wales' best duke it out for the top title through the whimsically drunk lens of your two...

When you think about Wales' biggest exports you might think coal, lamb, or the best history podcast perhaps? But what if we told you that once upon a time, Wales was one of the biggest narcotics exporters in the world and that it took the police forces of several countries and years of work to put a stopper to it? Don't believe us? Hit play then you little doubting Thomas and see for yourself. Not...

Ever gotten a bit miffed at someone? Ever harboured a grudge? Ever carried out a brutal, vendetta fuelled campaign against your enemy, burning their home and history from existence in the process? Well the Northumbrians did. Luckily a couple of plucky Welsh chancers came along to start a pod and remind everyone about a Welsh kingdom the Northumbrian king would rather you forget. Suck it King Oswal...

You've all heard about the big hitter gods before. Your Zeuses, your Ares', your Thors, your Lokis. But what if we told you there was a veritable bounty of Welsh deities that have yet to be touched by modern pop culture and that we, the dual gods of the pod, are serving them up like a heavenly steak at a Miller and Carter next door to the pearly gates. Hit play and listen to our Welsh Gods rundown...

You know us by now, we're always pushing historic theories that would make any boffin of the past bust in their briefs. But we also elect to get our hands dirty in the trenches of time now and then and if you don't believe us just hit play and hear a special report, from the human perspective, on the ground, feet to the fire, on our real-life road trip. If you fancy showing us some love on our soc...

The history books will write of this moment, the day Tales for Wales had its first esteemed guest and the irresistible Welsh powers of the revered Doctor were added to the mix. Hit play and listen to us three Cymrophiles wax lyrical about Flintshire, Celts and language while your hosts take every opportunity they can to legitimately use the nickname 'Doc' wherever we can squeeze it in. Do yourself...

The pub has been the birthplace of many an idea but so many don't make it past last orders and are left to rattle around a hungover brain before fading into the ether. But every once in a while pub talk turns to real action and the Man vs Horse race is living proof of that. Hit play and discover the origins of the greatest cross species athletic competition since the tortoise and the hare. Socials...

That's right, just as Wales has finally settled into being a toll-less country, you're steely eyed pod hosts have come to drag up the past and pick at the scab of historic unfairness again. People have a tonne of ways to deal with frustration. Some people like to dress up, some people like a bit of theatre and some like to smash stuff to bits. Hit play and find out about the anti toll protestors o...

It's hard to deny that Vikings were a group of tough old sluggers throughout history and thanks to their constant expansion their influence can bee seen all over the world even today. But what if we told you those ballsy bastards came 'a' knockin' on Wales' door and the ruggedly handsome Welshies of old had to knock those chancers back to the sea not once, not twice but three times? Hit play and l...

We've put this one off for a while but thought it was about time we talked about a subject that's still a little raw for some in Wales. Hopefully we can do it justice and inform those who don't know about one of the more recent injustices in Wales. Not to capitalise on a tragedy but our Patreon is also live... just saying 👀

Wales has been a mixed bag of characters over the centuries from noble Kings and Princes to total knobhead highwaymen. But few have reached the dizzy heights of eccentricity as the druidic nationalist that was William Price. Hit play and plunge the depths of madness with us as we explore the progressive good, the mental bad and the fashion based ugly that was the Druid of Llantrisant. Our Patreon...

The Welsh squabbled with each other often throughout history, trading in working together to achieve our true potential for short term, selfish gains. But there were a few father like authority figures here and there that grabbed the bickering Welsh leaders by the ear and got them to play nice for the good of Wales. These Daddy's of Wales were instrumental in some of it's biggest victories and one...

From ferocious Celts to overly enthusiastic bouncers on a night out, the Welsh have always had a knack for scrapping, but why were we so good at it? Hit that little sideways triangle and find out the specifics of how medieval Welsh people dished out a beating to anyone who had the cheek to start something. Get your fill of fighting this episode then come be friends with us on our socials. You can...

Wales often has a way of making things it's own. Sod stew, have some cawl. Hate portable musical instruments? Here's a big fuck off harp you need three men to move. And in a similar vein its wonderful residents decided to throw a Welsh twist on the classic that is Valentines Day by making their own day of love dedicated to a 5th century princess. Hit play and hear all about Princess Dwynwen and ho...

Welcome back, cherubs. To reinforce the statistics that January is the most depressing month of the year, why not listen to us discussing all the awful ways mental health used to be treated back in the day? You'd be MENTAL to miss it. Improve our wellbeing by engaging with our socials or by sending us cold hard cash to support the pod.

Not content with our little piece of the UK, the Welsh have sometimes found themselves spreading out across the world to find a new way of life. In this case it was to make mega bucks supplying metal for the Russian government (Boo! Hiss!) but in the process a plucky Welshman ended up laying the foundations for one of Ukraine's largest cities. Hit play and listen to us moan about our colds, talk a...

We thought we'd finish out our last episode of the year with the same conviction and effort we've come to be known for so here's us waffling on about the very pod you're listening to instead of something we have to do too much research on. A massive diolch and thank you to anyone who's listened to us this year, we truly appreciate the time you've spent listening to us fumble around at history and...

If you were here last week then you know the score, if you weren't then we tip our caps to you for shunning convention and starting something on part 2. Hit play and hear the rest of our Christmas chat with a much bigger sprinkling of inebriation. Why buy your loved ones gifts this year when you can follow us on Insta and give us your money instead?

Because it's Christmas we thought we'd give ourselves the gift of phoning an episode or two in. So instead of Welsh history, this week we'll be chatting about all the things that makes us feel that lovely tingle of Christmas in our booze pickled souls. Hit play and listen to your two favourite hosts make this holiday season all about them. Give us the spiritual gift of friendship by joining our so...

Nadolig Llawen to you all, our merry little listeners 🎄 We thought we'd capitalise on the yuletide season by leaning into the theme over the next few episodes and we thought we'd start with some of the mad Crimbo traditions from past and present Wales. Hit play and have a listen to how some of our Welsh brothers and sisters celebrated the season of goodwill, from your standard getting on the lash...

Ever been sat at the pub and thought "well golly gosh, what I would give for a bard to be strumming his lyre and giving us a song while I drink my pint"? Well tough shit because the royal form of bardic tradition in Wales ended in the 13th century thanks to some stroppy English king. If that fact leaves you as miffed as it did us, hit play and listen to us dedicate an episode to the forgotten Wels...

Back in the 1800's Wales had a surplus of ballsy legends and some of them fancied trading in the oppression of the English for the hardships of the South American frontier. If you like the idea of two booze hounds talking about it, but mainly getting side tracked and talking about how much we want a holiday in Patagonia, hit play and fill your boots. Argentina? Barely new her! If you think that ki...

Ever wanted a catch all term for the otherworldly creatures that hail from Wales but can't keep up with the modern terminology because of the WOKE SOYBOY THOUGHT POLICE? Well worry no more because we've got a term that covers everything from an elf to a talking pig AKA your mum. Hit play and listen to how the mystic residents of this lovely country used to get things done back in the day. Get our...

We're sorry that we blue balled you all last week by only delivering half an episode but in our defence we're really bad at planning these out. And while we may be teases here at Tales for Wales, we always put out eventually. So hit play to listen to more myths from the magical land of Wales. Have you heard the legend of our social media presence? Check it out here. Want to turn yourself into a le...