100 Welsh Heroes
Encyclopedia
100 Welsh Heroes was an opinion poll
run in Wales
as a response to the BBC
's 100 Greatest Britons
poll of 2002. The Welsh poll was carried out mainly on the internet, starting on 8 September 2003 and finishing on 23 February 2004. The results were announced on St David's Day, 1 March 2004.
in Aberystwyth
. The project was managed by Jon Curtis, the Marketing Manager of Culturenet Cymru, with media work conducted by TM
, a communications company based in Cardiff
. At the time of the results being announced the organisers claimed that the 81,323 nominations and votes made it the largest online poll ever conducted in Wales. S4C
was the only television station to broadcast parts of the ceremony.
Former Labour leader Neil Kinnock
, himself named in the poll, had, during the voting, drawn attention to a Welsh nationalist
"plot" to have Owain Glyndŵr
at number one in place of the eventual winner, Aneurin Bevan
. Robin Gwyn, at the time Communications Director of the National Museum of Wales, had controversially urged Welsh language contacts, by e-mail, to vote for Glyndŵr, and was obliged to apologise.
In August 2004 a former employee of Culturenet Cymru alleged that the poll had been rigged to avoid accusations of "dumbing-down", and to ensure that Owain Glyndŵr (a Welsh nationalist hero) did not receive more votes than Aneurin Bevan (a Labour Party hero). Peter Black
, Liberal Democrat AM for South Wales West, subsequently called on the Welsh Assembly Government
to inquire into whether the poll had been conducted properly and whether the financial support supplied by the WAG should be refunded.
Opinion poll
An opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
run in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
as a response to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's 100 Greatest Britons
100 Greatest Britons
100 Greatest Britons was broadcast in 2002 by the BBC. The programme was the result of a vote conducted to determine whom the United Kingdom public considers the greatest British people in history. The series, Great Britons, included individual programmes on the top ten, with viewers having further...
poll of 2002. The Welsh poll was carried out mainly on the internet, starting on 8 September 2003 and finishing on 23 February 2004. The results were announced on St David's Day, 1 March 2004.
Conduct of the poll
The poll was operated by Culturenet Cymru Ltd, a Welsh Assembly-funded body based at the National Library of WalesNational Library of Wales
The National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...
in Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
. The project was managed by Jon Curtis, the Marketing Manager of Culturenet Cymru, with media work conducted by TM
TM
-Commerce:* Trademark * TM Importing , Largest Dokha Tobacoo Exporter with "TM" as its Logo in Denver, CO USA* LAM Mozambique Airlines , with "TM" as its IATA airline designator...
, a communications company based in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. At the time of the results being announced the organisers claimed that the 81,323 nominations and votes made it the largest online poll ever conducted in Wales. S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
was the only television station to broadcast parts of the ceremony.
Controversy
Neil Kinnock
Neil Gordon Kinnock, Baron Kinnock is a Welsh politician belonging to the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament from 1970 until 1995 and as Labour Leader and Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition from 1983 until 1992 - his leadership of the party during nearly nine years making him...
, himself named in the poll, had, during the voting, drawn attention to a Welsh nationalist
Welsh nationalism
Welsh nationalism emphasises the distinctiveness of Welsh language, culture, and history, and calls for more self-determination for Wales, which may include more Devolved powers for the Welsh Assembly or full independence from the United Kingdom.-Conquest:...
"plot" to have Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
at number one in place of the eventual winner, Aneurin Bevan
Aneurin Bevan
Aneurin "Nye" Bevan was a British Labour Party politician who was the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1959 until his death in 1960. The son of a coal miner, Bevan was a lifelong champion of social justice and the rights of working people...
. Robin Gwyn, at the time Communications Director of the National Museum of Wales, had controversially urged Welsh language contacts, by e-mail, to vote for Glyndŵr, and was obliged to apologise.
In August 2004 a former employee of Culturenet Cymru alleged that the poll had been rigged to avoid accusations of "dumbing-down", and to ensure that Owain Glyndŵr (a Welsh nationalist hero) did not receive more votes than Aneurin Bevan (a Labour Party hero). Peter Black
Peter Black
Peter Black may refer to:*Peter Black *Peter Black...
, Liberal Democrat AM for South Wales West, subsequently called on the Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
to inquire into whether the poll had been conducted properly and whether the financial support supplied by the WAG should be refunded.