Two of the first things we learn in Merthyr almost from the cradle are that Keir Hardie founded the Labour Party and that Joseph Parry wrote 'Myfanwy '. Hardie helped to establish the Independent Labour Party in 1893, The Labour Party was formed in 1906, from the Labour Representation Committee. Hardie became M.P. for Merthyr in 1900 standing for the I.L.P. within the Labour Representation Committee that included Liberal Trades-Unionists. Many were his disagreements with the Labour Party, and the I.L.P. held its own conferences. On 27th February 1900, representatives of all the socialist groups in Britain (the Independent Labour Party (ILP), the Social Democratic Federation (SDF) and the Fabian Society, met with Trades Union leaders. The Conference established a Labour Representation committee (LRC). The Committee included two members of the ILP (Keir Hardie and James Parker), two from the SDF (Harry Quelch and James Macdonald), one member of the Fabian Society (Edward R. Pease), and seven Trades Unionists. Whereas the ILP, SDF,and the Fabian Society were Socialist organizations the trades union leaders tended to favour the Liberal Party. The LRC won 29 seats. At a meeting on 12th February, 1906, the group of MPs decided to change from the LRC to the Labour Party. Hardie was elected chairman and Macdonald was selected to be the party's secretary. Despite providing the two leaders of the party, only six of the MPs were supporters of the ILP. Of the 29 MPS only 18 were socialists. This success was due to a secret alliance with the Liberal Party.

      Now we come to 'Myfanwy', the words, which I always considered in the context of 'written by' were in fact written by Richard Davies (Mynyddog Mwynfawr), Joseph Parry composed the music to his words.