The Dragon Stirs: Nationalist Terrorism in Wales

Abstract

This chapter details the use of terrorism by fringe nationalist groups in Wales, looking at the Free Wales Army, Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru (MAC—the Movement for the Defence of Wales) and Meibion Glyndŵr (the Sons of Glyndŵr). The text traces their evolution with reference to key events such as the flooding of the Tryweryn valley and the Investiture of the Prince of Wales in 1969. Following this, a decade-long campaign of the burning of holiday homes is also discussed. The chapter shows that MAC and MG operated sustained low-level campaigns of symbolic violence and demonstrated some sophistication in terms of group structure. It also discusses the far more media-driven campaign of the Free Wales Army and the extent to which the group were more damaging than beneficial to the wider nationalist cause. It is shown that these groups were able to maintain low-level campaigns, but were not able to achieve the necessary level of popular support to achieve their political goals.