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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Ben Summer

We tracked down the Wales fan who went viral belting out Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau on live TV

As the Red Wall's contingent in Qatar prepared to ring in a first World Cup appearance for Wales in 64 years millions of eyes were on the bucket hat-wearing fans singing the best national anthem in the world. In particular most of those eyes were on one woman who was captured by the TV cameras singing her heart out.

That woman, it turns out, was Dwynwen Morgan, who is originally from Talybont in Ceredigion. Dwynwen produces Radio Cymru's weekly football show Ar y Marc and the trip to the World Cup had a special meaning for her and her husband Dylan Llewelyn.

Dwynwen, who currently lives in Pwllheli, said it didn't take long to realise she'd become a Twitter celebrity: "I felt a few pings in my pocket during the match but was a bit shocked by the number of notifications and especially their locations. This means so much to every one of [the fans] so mine weren’t the only tears in the stadium."

READ MORE: Wales fans go wild at home as Gareth Bale penalty clinches World Cup draw with USA

For Dwynwen and Dylan travelling to Qatar had a different meaning outside of football. She said: "My husband and I got together in the Euros in Bordeaux 2016 so that tournament will always be special for a number of reasons. The World Cup trip is actually part of our honeymoon."

Dwynwen and Dylan kicked off the Qatar leg of their honeymoon by watching Gareth Bale score the penalty that secured a vital point for Wales. The atmosphere, Dwynwen said, was incredible. "It was really special all day. There’s such a festival vibe in the city with all the different nations. It’s so lovely to be a part of it – finally.

"The atmosphere in the stadium was a bit overwhelming. I think the team were like us – in awe of the occasion in the first half.

"Every one of the players and supporters within the stadium – and on sofas and in pubs at home – sang Hen Wlad fy Nhadau exactly the same as I did. We’ll be back at it on Friday, Tuesday, and hopefully in a few more matches after that."

Wales Away, as for so many fans, has become a full-time lifestyle for Dwynwen and for her it started in 2003. She said: "My first Wales Away was Euro 2004 qualifiers v Italy in the San Siro, 2003.

Dwynwen, Dylan, and the rest of their travelling party (Dwynwen Morgan)

"Horrific experience – the Welsh being p*ssed, sh*t, and spat upon by the Italians. It probably should have put me off for life but I went to Moscow a few months later."

She's been on loads of trips since then including Bilbao, the USA, Serbia, and Azerbaijan. She added: "Some of the gang we travel with have clocked up well over a hundred away trips. My husband was in Qatar in 2000 when there were only 17 fans."

In the scheme of things Qatar wasn't an ideal location for the World Cup. But for Dwynwen, it's been worth it to see the Welsh fans out in force.

She said: "Like most of the Welsh fans here I wish our first tournament in so long could have been held somewhere without the moral quandaries of Qatar of course. Seeing Cymru and especially the Welsh language represented on the world stage is something that we’ll all remember forever."

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