PW_1_2019

Article

The Welsh once again meet that Irish Team for an Iconic Weekend Denis Hunt , Secretary, No 4 (Wales) Region The morning dawned somewhat damp over the beautiful Welsh Market town of Brecon; in fact it was chucking it down until around mid-day. This was our opening of the No 4 (Wales) Region Iconic Friendship Weekend. A gathering of 25 members from Wales , plus a few who had stumbled across Offa’s Dyke from England, met at the Castle Hotel for the start of a superb weekend. The sensible among us sipped from the Cor Meibion Talgarth Male Voice Choice. Amongst their excellent program was a very humorous rendition of ‘A police man’s lot is not a happy one’ and ‘We are the bold Gendarmes’, both received with great enthusiastic applause from the audience.

on tea and coffee, whilst a few of us gulped on something stronger. After a briefing from our two Masters of Ceremonies: Gareth Cowley and Clive Cowey, it was a short walk to a Food Festival in the Market Hall. Just like the Abergavenney Festival a few weeks before, there were samples of excellent locally produced food and drink. The market hall also resounded to a superb Welsh Male Voice Choir. Back at the hotel we met more of our arriving friends, including special guests from Ireland, including: the wonderful Dennis and Noreen Dunne (IPP Section Ireland), Aine Donnelly (Chair of Region Tipperary) and Chris Verling (Secretary of Tipperary). We were also joined by the Dyfed Powys Deputy Chief Constable Darren Davies, and his wife Beverley. The Dyfed Powys Force is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, so Wales Region incorporated the occasion into our Friendship Weekend. After a first class meal we were able to witness another Twinning Ceremony. On behalf of Region Tipperary, Aine Donnolley exchanged signed Agreements with Rob Griffiths, Vice Chair of Dyfed Powys. The two areas had agreed to a twinning some months previous and this was an ideal opportunity to formalise the agreement. In addition Dennis Dunne presented a pewter plate to DCC Davies to commemorate the Dyfed Powys anniversary. Plenty of speeches were followed by nearly two hours of wonderful entertainment

The following morning after breakfast we said farewell to our friends from Ireland. The rest of us headed into Brecon itself to visit the Regimental Museum of the Royal Welsh, famed for their defence of Rorke’s. Whatever you remember from the film ‘Zulu’, please forget it, as much of it was historically inaccurate. We were soon brought down to earth by the original memorabilia on display in an exhibition dedicated to the battle and also the attack at Isandlwana a day or so before. Our guide was a retired soldier, steeped in the knowledge of military history. He also explained about some everyday phrases which have military origins. After the museum we headed to Brecon Canal where we boarded a wonderfully decorated canal boat for a slow meandering journey along the quiet waterway, stopping to take in the sights of Brecon National Park and the notorious Pen Y Fan Mountain. A buffet lunch of sandwiches and traditional Welsh cakes was enjoyed during the journey and rounded off a superb weekend of friendship. Very special thanks must be given to both Gareth Cowley (Region V/Chair) and Clive Cowey (Region Treasurer), who took the lead in bringing this event all together.

POLICE WORLD Vol 64 No. 1, 2019

17