Two developments which have recently been announced indicate an increasing confidence in the north east of Wales.
First we had the announcement that the Welsh Assembly Government are to part fund the Llangollen Railway to Corwen to the tune of £1/2m; and second that the Assembly Government has provided a £3m grant to fund exciting projects by Cadwyn Clwyd in rural Denbighshire to help develop and promote local produce, the environment, and develop skills amongst young people.
The one thing that both of these announcements have in common is that they were made by Plaid Cymru Ministers – Jocelyn Davies (Deputy Minister under Plaid leader Ieuan Wyn Jones) and Elin Jones. They follow the money given in the summer of last year by Plaid Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones to secure the Glyndyfrdwy Motte and Bailey at Llidart-y-Parc.
Renowned historian Dr John Davies has said that north east Wales’ contribution to the development of Wales has been continuosuly overlooked when discussing the history of Wales, and the area has in fact played a central role in our history. We hear people complaining that the area is ignored regularly.
It is therefore good to see Plaid Ministers giving the area the attention and investment it deserves. A vote of confidence in the area.
The next battle is to win the argument over potential developments for the Llangollen canal, especially in Acrefair.
I’ll blog about that some other time!
Mabon ap Gwynfor 
When you mention the lack of knowledge of the place of the north-east in the history of our country, I wonder how many people know the story of the Battle of Crogen in the Ceiriog Valley?
Almost certainly, Wales would not now exist other than as a folk memory without that day’s action.