
Fishguard marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day
As night fell on Thursday, May 8, a beacon was lit high above the coastline, casting its glow across the sea as a symbol of peace and remembrance.
Organised with the support of the Royal British Legion's Fishguard and Goodwick Branch, the ceremony featured the branch standard proudly displayed beside the flaming beacon, which bore the inscription 'British Gas' and 'Prydain' (Wales/Britain in Welsh).
Earlier in the day, local dignitaries, veterans, schoolchildren and residents gathered at Fishguard town centre and later at a memorial site for a formal wreath-laying ceremony.
Among those in attendance were the town's mayor, representatives of the armed forces, and members of the clergy. Several red poppy wreaths were laid, and a respectful silence was observed as the community reflected on the sacrifices made during the war.
A second gathering at the memorial brought together representatives of the Royal British Legion, town council, sea cadets, and civic leaders, who stood together in a show of solidarity. Hymns and prayers were shared as the flag was raised in memory of the fallen.
VE Day 80 marks eight decades since the end of conflict in Europe during World War Two, and the events in Fishguard formed part of a nationwide tribute to the bravery, resilience and sacrifice of a generation.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
19 hours ago
- BBC News
Largest Sumatran tiger litter in the UK born in Pembrokeshire
Four rare Sumatran tiger cubs have been born at a Welsh Zoo, sparking new hope for the critically endangered Terima, who is 11, welcomed the "very noisy, and very cute" cubs around six weeks ago at Manor House Wildlife officials have been keeping news of the arrivals under wraps as the cubs were allowed to four cubs, whose genders are yet unknown, were born on 8 June making Pembrokeshire home to seven tigers. Celebrity owner Anna Ryder Richardson said: "This is the largest litter in the UK, possibly in Europe, and it's very exciting." There are estimated to be fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild due to habitat loss and illegal poaching. Manor Wildlife Park is part of a "very strict breeding programme".Interior designer and TV presenter Ryder Richardson added: "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The tigers have a very important job to do because they have been genetically matched to breed. "The breeding group are really hoping that one of our four is a male."The pairing and breeding of particular animals is managed by a studbook holder, who makes matches according to genetic diversity and other suitability in the European Endangered Species Programme means that if zoos are asked to send an animal to another zoo for breeding, they will co-operate to ensure the population overall is as strong and healthy as Richardson added: "You wont be able to see Sumatran Tigers in the wild, during ours or our children's lifetimes. It's happening in front of our eyes and it's tragic."Our zoo will probably not be allowed to breed again, unless we bring in another male, or swap the females which we don't want to do. "For Wales, it's a rare opportunity and it's important for people to come and see, and learn." Manor House Wildlife Park has been attempting to breed from their 10-year-old male Jaya and 11-year-old female Terima for more than eight had been unsuccessful until their first cub Zaza was born in 2024. Manor House Wildlife Park officials said they are open to suggestions on naming the cubs once their genders have been owner Ryder-Richardson said she is hoping "for some Welsh names."


Daily Record
19 hours ago
- Daily Record
More parents are ditching Celtic baby names amid 'cultural identity' fears
The Record has listed the most popular Celtic baby names in 2024 but it seems they could be on the road out Scotland has a deep Celtic history and heritage, with strong ties to our Irish and Welsh counterparts. The culture and language, specifically Gaelic, have significantly shaped Scotland's identity and is part of its living culture today. When it comes to having children, parents may draw on this strong sense of identity when it comes to names. It is not uncommon to have an Isla or an Eilidh in your university class, or bump into a Harris or a Finlay down the pub. However, the latest data analysis by language learning marketplace Preply of birth records from the past 20 years reveals a steep drop of 37 per cent in Celtic-origin baby names. According to Preply, this shows that language endangerment has extended beyond spoken words, now affecting how people name their children. Celtic languages belong to two branches: Gaelic (including Irish, Manx, and Scottish Gaelic) and Brythonic (Welsh, Cornish, and Breton). UNESCO had classified all six as endangered to some degree. Irish is listed as "definitely endangered" and others as "vulnerable". The dominance of English is suggested to have gradually eroded native speaker communities, influencing how parents named their children, with fewer Celtic names being chosen as the languages themselves lost ground. Preply's analysis used the official UK birth records from 2003 to 2023. An interesting point to note, though is that Scottish girls' names have actually risen, despite the overall decline. Scottish girls' names have upped in use by 14 per cent - the only language to have jumped on the whole table alongside Cornish boys' names, which spiked by a huge 633 per cent. Anna Pyshna, spokesperson for Preply, said: "While some languages such as Cornish show signs of revival with an increase in names given to boys, the overall decline highlights the continuing impact of language erosion on cultural identity markers like personal names. "Names are intimate symbols of cultural identity. When Celtic names fade from birth records, it signals more than just shifting trends. It suggests a disconnect from ancestral languages and heritage. "Even with current revival programmes, many young parents may feel less connected to Celtic languages if their own identities were not shaped by them, potentially perpetuating a cycle of decline." The most common names for girls and boys in Scotland in 2024 included a host of Celtic names. Rory, Harris, Finlay, Brodie and Finn were all in the top 20 for boys. Isla, Bonnie, and Orla were in the top 20 for girls' names. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. So, all of this begs the question - will a Celtic language revival translate back into names? "The increasing visibility of Celtic languages in education and media offers hope," Anna assured. "But will this translate into more children receiving Celtic names? "Will future birth records reflect renewed pride and connection to these ancient tongues? "The next decade will be telling. The story of Celtic languages is still being written, and names, which is the first gift we give our children, could be a powerful sign of cultural resurgence or continued retreat." Numbers and percentage changes by language branch and gender Language Girls' Raw Changes % Change (Girls) Boys' Raw Changes % Change (Boys) Gaelic 1,758 → 1,441 −18% 7,107 → 2,159 −70% Irish 13,681 → 7,569 −45% 22,575 → 16,077 −29% Scottish 3,072 → 3,495 +14% 12,090 → 3,952 −67% Welsh 10,933 → 2,437 −78% 13,234 → 4,972 −62% Cornish 47 → 36 −23% 3 → 22 +633%


Telegraph
a day ago
- Telegraph
Is it time to forgive kamikaze pilots? This documentary thinks so
The idea of Second World War kamikaze pilots as brainwashed fanatics, willingly going to their deaths, is a pervasive one. And there is an element of truth in it, because the Japanese population was certainly taught that this was the ultimate, glorious sacrifice. Teachers drummed into primary school children that these 'divine hawks' were to be revered. Yet Kamikaze: An Untold History (BBC Four), a sombre, Japanese-made film which takes a wholly compassionate view, shows the reality. Ordered to carry out suicide missions on the US fleet, or pressured to volunteer, they had little choice but to accept their task in a society where conformity was everything. Behind the last letters home, in which they told their families that they were proud to be dying for their country, lay a truth that could not be spoken. An elderly lady, remembering the older brother whose first combat mission was also his last, said: 'In the end, he gave up and accepted his fate. That's how he must have felt – that it was inescapable.' While the pilots did feel a special kind of pride, that did not mean they were without fear. They hid that fear in the moments before they went into battle. An airman tasked with escorting the squadron towards their target recalls a 'ghastly atmosphere' in the dormitory the night before a mission, 'but when dawn broke and they went to the airfield, they left that all behind and appeared happy. They went cheerfully. They didn't want others to see any self-doubt or distress.' The 90-minute documentary lays out the facts and figures – close to 4,000 pilots died on kamikaze missions, with an average age of 21, some of them the products of elite naval and military academies, others recent university graduates – and explains the strategy. Japan was losing the war but believed that inflicting as much damage as possible would constitute a late show of strength and secure them more favourable terms. An unconditional surrender would damage the Emperor's position. A pilot remembered his squadron being summoned to a briefing room and given the news. 'The commander said the war situation was so bad that we had to conduct kamikaze attacks. He told us that it was our only chance at victory. At that moment, I thought my life was over. They were asking us to sacrifice our lives.' The stories of the kamikaze pilots are told through letters, photographs and the recollections of their relatives. There are other interviews, conducted at least a decade ago, with pilots who were not selected. Some of these were passed over because they had scored highest on tests, and high command did not want to waste the lives of the brightest. Volunteers were asked to indicate in writing how deeply they wished to be a kamikaze: they could say 'desire', 'strongly desire' or 'negative'. A historian looks over these records, and sees that some wrote 'desire' in the smallest script, a desperate way to indicate their reluctance. But very few said no. A man recalled playing rock, paper, scissors with a fellow pilot for the one kamikaze flight leaving that day. He was disappointed to lose. 'Looking back, I can't believe I volunteered,' he said, 'but at the time I felt trapped. Maybe that's the psychology behind suicide. I was suffocating.' An American survivor of a kamikaze attack, who volunteered for the US Navy shortly after Pearl Harbor, is one of the few non-Japanese interviewees. He was aboard the USS Ommaney Bay when it was attacked off the coast of the Philippines in January 1945. 'I don't have no grudge against nobody. They were ordered to go,' he says of the kamikaze. I'd wager that some other US veterans would have been less forgiving, but this is a film in which all the sympathy lies in one place.