Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" () is the national anthem of Wales. The title – taken from the first words of the song – means "Old Land of My Fathers" in Welsh, usually rendered in English as simply "Land of My Fathers". The words were written by Evan James and the tune composed by his son, James James, both residents of Pontypridd, Glamorgan, in January 1856. The earliest written copy survives and is part of the collections of the National Library of Wales. "Glan Rhondda" (Banks of the Rhondda), as it was known when it was composed,
Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau first nation to sing a national anthem at the start of a sporting event. In 1978 as part of their album, also called "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau", Geraint Jarman a'r Cynganeddwyr recorded a version of the Welsh national anthem using electric guitars, inspired by Jimi Hendrix's rendition of the "Star-Spangled Banner". Jarman's version, played by Welsh guitarist Tich Gwilym is one of the most famous modern versions of the song. Tradition has established "Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau" as an unofficial Welsh anthem since 1905, when it was first sung by fans at rugby games, although the official anthem at the