´óÏó´«Ã½

Welsh language song Yma O Hyd tops iTunes UK song chart

  • Published
Dafydd Iwan
Image caption,

Dafydd Iwan, from Caernarfon, is still performing

A song by folk singer and former Plaid Cymru president Dafydd Iwan has reached number one in the iTunes UK song chart, beating out Tones and I and The Weekend.

Yma O Hyd, which was originally recorded in 1981 and released in 1983, means "still here" in English.

Its success is partly due to a campaign by independence movement YesCymru.

Yma O Hyd is the title track to the artist's joint album with Welsh folk bank Ar Log.

He said he was pleased that the song had done so well.

Mr Iwan, from Caernarfon, still performs and added: "Maybe it will allow me to retire!"

YesCymru chair Sion Jobbins said: "It was a spontaneous idea by some of our supporters, it's developed into something of an informal anthem, and it's a fun thing - something to bring a smile onto people's faces."

The song has been adopted by the Scarlets rugby region and is played before the start of home matches.

Yma O Hyd declares that the Welsh nation has survived "in spite of everyone and everything" - along with the Welsh language.