Welsh Patriotic Song - “Men of Harlech” (Variant)

“Men of Harlech” (Welsh: Rhyfelgyrch Gwŷr Harlech, “March of the Men of Harlech”) is a song and military march which is traditionally said to describe events during the seven-year siege of Harlech Castle between 1461 and 1468, when the castle was held by the Lancastrians against the Yorkists as part of the Wars of the Roses. Commanded by Constable Dafydd ap Ieuan, the garrison withstood the longest known siege in the history of the British Isles. The song has also been associated with the earlier, briefer siege of Harlech Castle about 1408, which pitted the forces of Owain Glyndŵr against the future Henry V of England.

The music was first published without words during 1794 as “Gorhoffedd Gwŷr Harlech—March of the Men of Harlech” in the second edition of “The Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards”, but it is said to be a much earlier folk song. The earliest version of the tune to appear with lyrics, found thus far, comes from a broadside printed c. 1830. Since then, many different versions of the English lyrics have been published. It was published first with Welsh lyrics in “Gems of Welsh Melody”, edited by the Welsh poet, John Owen (Owain Alaw), published in London, England and Wrexham, Wales, during 1860. An edition containing Welsh and English lyrics was published in Ruthin, Wales, during 1862. The song was published in Volume II of the 1862 collection “Welsh Melodies” with the Welsh lyrics by the Welsh poet John Jones (Talhaiarn) and the English lyrics by Thomas Oliphant, President of the Madrigal Society. Another source attributes the Welsh words to the poet John Ceiriog Hughes, first published during 1890, and says that English words were first published during 1893, but this is clearly predated by the earlier publications.

“Men of Harlech” is widely used as a regimental march, especially by British Army and Commonwealth regiments historically associated with Wales. Notably, it is the slow march of the Welsh Guards, the quick march of the Royal Welsh, and the march of the Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal), The Governor General’s Horse Guards, and The Ontario Regiment, for which it is the slow march.

The song is important for Welsh national culture. The song gained international recognition when it was featured in the 1941 movie “How Green Was My Valley” and the 1964 film “Zulu”.