Yma o Hyd: Welsh World Cup anthem seeing rise in tattoos

Tattoos featuring the Welsh phrase yma o hyd have become more common recently

If you've been watching the World Cup, you've probably heard a few renditions of Welsh-language folk song Yma o Hyd.

Meaning "still here", Dafydd Iwan's tune has become an anthem for Wales football fans over recent years.

The phrase has also become a popular tattoo - and not just for football fans.

Tattoo parlours said they have noticed an increase in Wales-themed tattoos since the World Cup began.

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For James Edwards, 42, who grew up in Pembrokeshire, his tattoo has reflects his Welsh pride, but also something more personal.

"We love the meaning behind it: despite everything that's been thrown at us as a nation, we're still here," he said.

The phrase also has personal meaning to James Edwards, having recently recovered from bowel cancer

"But also, about four weeks ago I got the all clear from bowel cancer so I'm also saying 'I'm still here'," he added.

The song has gained further popularity with the World Cup, and he said this also affected his choice of tattoo.

James Edwards says the hairs of the back of his neck stand up when he remembers hearing Yma o Hyd for the first time

He also remembers the first time he heard Yma o Hyd, in a pub in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2019.

"The hairs on the back of your neck were standing up. It was the first time I really remember Welsh fans properly singing it," he added.

"It's the first World Cup in my lifetime, we've gotten close many times but to finally make it to the World Cup, which I was going to go to until I fell ill, is an incredible achievement," he added.

What does Yma o Hyd mean?

Yma o Hyd was originally recorded in 1981 and released in 1983.

After Wales qualified for the World Cup last June, it received a flurry of streams and briefly held the number one spot on the iTunes chart.

It tells the story of how Welsh language and culture has survived more than 2,000 years against all the odds.

The chorus goes: "Er gwaetha pawb a phopeth, ry'n ni yma o hyd", which translates as "Despite everyone and everything, we are still here".

"It's a song of survival really and that resonates with people in various ways," Mr Iwan has said.

"We've gone through a dark period, we're coming out the other end and we're going to survive."

Huw Roberts says his Yma o Hyd tattoo will be there forever, "just like the Welsh language"

Huw Roberts, 48, from Cardiff, has also been inspired by Wales to incorporate Yma o Hyd into a tattoo.

He booked the tattoo in March to ensure it was healed before the World Cup in Qatar, where he travelled to watch Wales face the USA.

"It's going to be there forever just like the Welsh language and culture," he said.

"The song has gained prominence, as has the Welsh language and culture, it's not just fading into the background as some people might hope and obviously the World Cup has brought it massively to the fore as well."

Huw Roberts sas the World Cup has "massively" brought the song back to the fore

Lisa Williams, 52, from Flintshire, decided on Yma o Hyd alongside a daffodil as a symbol of her Welsh pride.

"We are still here and that's very important," she said.

"It feels good, I've had quite a few compliments on it. It's nice to see everyone posting their hats and shirts on Twitter and I've just got it permanently on me.

"Once you understand the meaning of the song it's very emotional and to see the football fans singing it, it's amazing.

"We'll persevere and keep going regardless of what anyone else tries to enforce on us, we're still Welsh and we always will be."

Lisa Williams gets emotional hearing fans sing Yma o Hyd

Steve White, 36 from Rhosneigr, Anglesey, but who now lives in Manchester, also got a tattoo to symbolise his Welsh pride.

"I have a few tattoos and this one is definitely my favourite. The song Yma o Hyd, to me, has been synonymous with the Scarlets [rugby team] for as long as I can remember."

"It reminds me of just how proud I am to be Welsh. It encapsulates the Welsh mentality so well for me," said Mr White.

Steve White, a fan of rugby more than football, says hearing Wales' World Cup fans sing still gives him goosebumps

"You can try to put us down, at times you may beat us, you can insult our language, heritage and culture as much as you want because it doesn't matter.

"We're still here. How can anyone not feel passion with that?"

Despite not being a football fan, he said hearing the crowds sing Yma o Hyd gave him goose-bumps.

Andrew Ryan, a tattoo artist for Three Jacks Tattoo in Cardiff said he inked a Yma o Hyd design last week.

"We've definitely seen an increase in Welsh tattoos," he said.

"I think it's because everyone's proud of Wales, it's a small but mighty country. "

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