James James James James James James (also known by the bardic name "Iago ap Ieuan") (1832–1902) was a harpist and musician from Pontypridd, Wales. He composed the tune of the Welsh national anthem "Hen Wlad fy Nhadau" (also known as "Land of my Fathers"). Today, the same tune is also used for the Breton anthem, "Bro Gozh ma Zadoù", and the Cornish anthem, "Bro Goth agan Tasow". James was born on 4 November 1832, at the 'Ancient Druid' inn, Hollybush, in the parish of Bedwellty, Monmouthshire. He was the son of Evan James (1809–1878) and Elizabeth Stradling of Caerphilly. His father, a
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,