Evan James (poet) Evan James (poet) Evan James (also known by the bardic name "Ieuan ap Iago") (1809 – 30 September 1878), a weaver and poet from Pontypridd, originally from Caerphilly, Wales, wrote the lyrics of "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" ("Land of my Fathers"), the national anthem of Wales. James, a weaver by trade, employed several people at his mill on the bank of the River Rhondda. According to family legend, his son James James, was walking one day in January 1856 on the banks of the river when the melody for "Hen Wlad fy Nhadau" came to him. When he gave the
Ynysangharad War Memorial park there is memorial to Evan James and his son James James who wrote Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, the Welsh National Anthem. Evan James and his son James were weavers who lived in Pontypridd when they composed the National Anthem in 1856, James wrote the words while Evan composed the music. Although originally called Glan Rhondda (Banks of the Rhondda) it was quickly renamed Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land Of My Fathers) when it gained huge popularity after being performed at the 1858 Llangollen National Eisteddfod. Unlike many anthems it was not written to represent a particular occasion in history,