Wales football icons inspire portraits of Glyndŵr supporters

WALES footballing stars such as Gareth Bale have inspired new portraits featuring some of Owain Glyndŵr's key supporters.

- CLAIRE HAYHURST

The artworks are by Dan Llywelyn Hall, the youngest artist to paint a portrait of the late Queen, and form part of a bilingual book on those who shaped the Welsh rebellion of 1400.

On September 16 that year, supporters gathered at Glyndŵr's home in Glyndyfrdwy, Denbighshire, and proclaimed him Prince of Wales.

In the following days they were joined by thousands of men and women including a number of influential figures who forged the vision and shape of the rebellion.

The uprising is considered to be the last Welsh war of independence and Glyndŵr has since been viewed as a figurehead of Welsh nationalism and the independence movement.

A new book, entitled Llys Glyndŵr, examines the lives of 23 people who came from Wales, England and France to support Glyndŵr, the last native Welshman to hold the Prince of Wales title.

Each person is illustrated with a portrait by Mr Llywelyn Hall, who is from Barry, with three of the images inspired by Welsh footballers Elliot Thorpe, Gareth Bale and Gary Speed.

Gary Speed inspires a portrait of Walter Brut, while Elliot Thorpe is reflected in the image of Owain's son, Gruffydd Glyndŵr, and Gareth Bale is seen in the painting of brothers Rhys and Gwilym ap Tudur.