What are they called?

by Jon Weaver
(Swansea)

Anglesey Beauty

Hi Wil

We had a discussion yesterday on what a person from Anglesey is called.

A Manxman comes from the Isle of Man, for example.

Can you shed any light on this subject?

Regards,

Jon

Hmmm

Hi Jon,

I had to check this with my Mum.

I know that people from Bangor and Bethesda are called 'Howgets'. But had to be reminded what Anglesey people are called.

Obaviously after Prince William (Bless him) and the Lovely Kate (Love her) have been staying on the Island we have become known as Anglesonians.

I'm not too keen on this but at least the Royal Couple have told the world where we are, so I can live with it.

Anyway back to your middle-class dinner party question.

Anglesey and its people are called, Gwlad y Medra.

Clearly it's in Welsh. Most appropriate translation is 'Land of the Can Do'.

I'd like to think it's about our Can Do spirit and a willingness to engage with any challenge, though actually I think it means that we used to be regarded as an island of braggers.

'Course I can do it!'

There again, another correspondent asked if we were called Angels.

I'll go with the latter.

Lovely that you got in touch. Feel free to ask any reasonable questions that don't oblige me to undermine my Island people.

Wil

Comments for What are they called?

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Feb 25, 2023
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Moch mon NEW
by: Anonymous

Anglesey pigs where taken to London years ago but fist they had to swim across the Menai strait pigs can’t swim that well and they would slit there own throat with their own hoof

May 06, 2021
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Little Bit Late
by: Anonymous

But I thought I'd throw in my 2p:

In the island's native Welsh, the people of Anglesey used to call themselves Monwys, or Monwys(i)on (pl). The -wys referring to a people, group, clan or tribe. People from Clwyd or the river Clyde are called Cludwys, and people from Gwent are called Gwenhwys.

Just for a bonus fact, the sub-dialect of Welsh spoken on Ynys Môn is called Monwyseg, 'The Language of the People of Môn'. In the same vein, the Welsh of Gwent (o'r the South in general) is Gwenhwyseg.

Apr 16, 2018
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Moniars
by: Anonymous

Another potential option is the term Moniar. Taken as a name by the Welsh Folk/Rock group "Y Moniars" (who's members hail from Anglesey), it effectively translates as Anglesey-ers.

My wife jokingly states that as I am from Anglesey I must surely be an "Angle", but she says this purely in jest.

Jun 28, 2016
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Moch Môn
by: Anonymous

Dear Wil

Many years ago I was told by a 90 year old gentle man that people from Sir Fon (Anglesey-shire sort of) where there was very little work in them days went to work in the slate quarries near Bethesda and obviously many other quarries as well.

They could not travel home every day and so would stay for a few weeks at a time in what were called 'Barracks' and go home the odd weekend. They used to take a bale of straw with them to sleep on and because of this the Caernarvonshire locals used to call them 'Moch Môn' (Anglesey Pigs).

There is also a popular old saying that my parents here in Anglesey used quite a lot when someone had a deep sleep , they would say 'Mae o yn cysgu fel mochyn' (translated)' he sleeps as a pig.

Jun 05, 2014
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Moch Mon
by: Anonymous

Allith fod Wil. Dw'i ddim yn gwybod.

Dwi'n cofio boi o Gaernarfon yn dweud wrthai
(pan ffeindiodd o allan fy mhod i o Sir Fon):

"O ia? Lle mae nhw'n codi moch i top wal i cael
gweld tren yn pasio!"

Ddim cweit yn gwybod be oedd o'n feddwl ond reit
ddoniol.

Gaf

Trans.

It could be, Wil. But I'm not sure.

I remember what this bloke from Caernarfon once told me when he found out I was from Anglesey.

"Oh yeah! Where they'll lift a pig up on a wall to see a train pass by."

I'm not exactly sure what he meant but it's pretty funny.

Gafyn

Dear Gafyn,

Very funny, it sounds like an old farmer's saying. And an old one at that.

Reminds me of some old names of people and places around Llangefni.

There was once 'Siop Chips ar Dan' - The Chip Shop on Fire. I assume the obvious about its past history.

Then there was 'Mrs Jones Mwg yn Wal' Mrs Jones Smoke in the wall'. There was also someone called 'Cachu Poeth' and also 'Daddy Sos' who had a little dog called Jim Bach who used to bounce the dog on his lap and sing, 'Jim Bach yn cachu'n ty, cachu'n ty, cachu'n ty. Jim Bach yn cachu'n ....'

15 Love. Your serve, Gaf.

Nos da.
Wil

May 10, 2014
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Anglesey
by: Gafyn

Hi Wil

We are also called 'Moch Mon' (plural) or
'Mochyn Mon' (singular).

This translates as 'Anglesy Pigs' or 'pig'.

It's not considered to be an insult just a name give to us in Welsh.

Intestingly, people from Pen Llyn (Lleyn peninsula) are known as 'Lloeau Llyn' (Lleyn Calves).

Gafyn

Hi Gafyn

Sut wyt ti heno 'ma?

Do you think 'Moch Mon' may have something to with the fact that pigs used to cross to and from Anglesey where Thomas Telford's Suspension Bridge is now.

The main tower on the Anglesey side of the Menai Straits is placed firmly on Ynys y Moch - Pig Island.

As for the Lleyn Peninsula, I'm afraid I have always found my mind directed toward Moonstruck Calves.

Diolch I ti am dy gyfraniad
(hank you for your contribution)

Wil

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