In recent years, Welsh independence groups within Wales have increased rapidly, with Welsh culture becoming a larger conversation and furthermore, preserved by Welsh youth and renewed. Welsh Language especially has become a coveted skill for Welsh people, and there is more fluency every year especially within business, performers, artists, patriots and anyone else who relies on the population of Cardiff to pay their bills. Wales is even becoming a desirable location for Hollywood and other creative industries for its talent, geography and cashing in on its unique beauty and culture for tourism.
Although the culture is rich, there is one infamous club and venue that seems to be a favourite amongst students, especially ones looking for more intimate sets, underground artists and indie rock bands, steering away from the weekly playlist heard through St. Mary’s Street and strolling down Womanby Street. How many of these students though, students from England specifically, know that "Welsh Club" is named Clwb Ifor Bach. Clwb for decades has played a vital role in the music scene in Cardiff, being a registered charity, working to promote the "appreciation of contemporary music, including music of Welsh origin / language". The necessity of this promotion is largely down to a long history of neglect to Welsh culture and history, spanning back to earlier centuries where Welsh culture was actively stripped from Wales, by the hands of the English who sought to rule it. For the same reason the title ‘Prince of Wales’ being given to English royalty, leaves a sour taste in the mouths of many Welsh republicans, insisting on Clwb Ifor Bach to be nicknamed "Welsh club" is a deeper kick in the teeth than first thought.
English students are entitled to enjoy what Clwb offers. To enjoy the edge that Clwb Ifor poses, the certain care for underground artists, discovering something new and creating a space for creatives, music lovers and importantly, Welsh speakers and Welsh music should be encouraged! But to denounce the purpose entirely, by misnaming it as "Welsh Club", keeps up a bleak tradition of keeping Wales within its palatable translation for English people. "Welsh" even, derives from the Anglo-Saxon for "foreigner", as that is what Cymru has been and remains for many English people. Wales may be a part of the United Kingdom, but Cymru remains a foreign concept continually undermined and considered unimportant. Anglicising Welsh place names is not a new conversation. Formerly known as Snowdon or Snowdonia, the mountain situated in North Wales has returned to its Welsh title as Yr Wyddfa after a petition was one to return to its original Welsh name.
An annoyance with students coming from England is often unserious and petty, a jab over rugby teams, a comment about how the Welsh language is "just a bunch of letters", or outdated claims of it being a dying language; all these things are microscopic but accumulate to the bigger picture. Wales is not England’s sidekick, and while no one expects you to learn the whole language (although you are welcome to), there is nothing difficult or unwelcoming about Clwb Ifor Bach (Club Ee-vor at least).