Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Seren Morris

Yma o Hyd: Wales’ World Cup anthem leads to rise in tattoos

Wales Dafydd Iwan World Cup Group B

Dafydd Iwan singing Yma o Hyd at the World Cup play-off between Wales and Ukraine at the Cardiff City Stadium in June

(Picture: Getty Images)

Tattoo parlours are seeing an increase in Yma o Hyd tattoos following Wales’ participation in the World Cup, the BBC has reported.

The Dafydd Iwan song, meaning “we’re still here,” has been adopted as Wales’ World Cup anthem as they compete in the global football extravaganza for the first time in 64 years.

The Welsh-language folk song has long been a rallying cry for Wales. It was first released in 1983 and soon became a popular anthem at Welsh sporting and cultural events.

The song was written while Margaret Thatcher was in power and in response to the unsuccessful Welsh devolution referendum of 1979.

It tells the story of how “despite everyone and everything,” Wales is still here. It includes the lyrics “we’ll be here until the end of time and the Welsh language will survive.”

The BBC quoted James Edwards, 42, as saying his tattoo reflects his Welsh pride, but also something more personal.

“We love the meaning behind it: despite everything that’s been thrown at us as a nation, we’re still here,” he said.

Singer Iwan has been in Qatar to lead fans in singing Yma o Hyd in a show of support for Robert Page’s team.

In their final Group B game, Wales will play England at 7pm on Tuesday, November 29, after drawing 1-1 with the USA and losing 2-0 to Iran. The seismic clash has been called “the Battle of Britain”.

Wales, who are bottom of the group with one point, need to beat top-placed England and see the result of the Iran v USA to go their way to reach the knockout stages. Iran are second in Group B on three points, one behind England and one ahead of the USA.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Melania and RFK Jr join forces to try to improve Trump’s diet: ‘Think fewer Big Macs and less KFC’
Incoming first lady and Trump’s pick for Health and Human Services secretary are apparently lobbying the president to make healthier choices
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
What are ‘Pink tote lid moments’? Dark TikTok trend explained
The dark trend has seen both young people and adults sharing troubling stories
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Cruel Intentions review – this generic remake of the 90s classic is utterly mindless
Sarah Michelle Gellar and Ryan Phillippe’s movie gets a melodramatic YA remake – with a pair of actors who aren’t a patch on the originals. Just dig out the original instead
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
US moves to list giraffes under Endangered Species Act for first time
Climate crisis, habitat loss and poaching have reduced its numbers – but will Trump put the kibosh on protections?
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
“Who’s The One Actor That You Hate But Everyone Else Seems To Love?” (50 Answers)
No matter how popular they are, most celebrities have haters, too. Actors are no exception. The post “Who’s The One Actor That You Hate But Everyone Else Seems To Love?” (50 Answers) first appeared on Bored Panda.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Cher Reveals the "Fiasco" That Ensued When She Performed for Princess Margaret in 1965: "I Was Mortified"
"It was like a bad dream that we couldn’t get out of; we just had to stand there and wait for it to be over."
Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play