"Men of Harlech" or "The March of the Men of Harlech" (Welsh:Rhyfelgyrch Gwŷr Harlech) is asong andmilitarymarch which is traditionally said^[1] to describe events during the seven-year siege ofHarlech Castle between 1461 and 1468, when the castle was held by the Lancastrians against the Yorkists as part of theWars of the Roses.^[2][3] Commanded by Constable Dafydd ap Ieuan, son of theBaron of Hendwr, the garrison withstood the longest known siege in the history of the British Isles.^[4] ("Through Seven Years" is an alternative name for the song.)^[5] The song has also been associated with the earlier, briefer siege ofHarlech Castle about 1408, which pitted the forces ofOwain Glyndŵr against the futureHenry V of England.

"Men of Harlech" is important forWelsh national culture. The song gained international recognition when it was featured in the 1941 movieHow Green Was My Valley and the 1964 filmZulu.

The music was first published without words during 1794 as "Gorhoffedd Gwŷr Harlech—March of the Men of Harlech" in the second edition ofThe Musical and Poetical Relicks of the Welsh Bards,^[1] but it is said to be a much earlier folk song.^[6] The earliest version of the tune to appear with lyrics, found thus far, comes from abroadside printed c. 1830.^[7] Since then, many different versions of the English lyrics have been published. It was published first with Welsh lyrics inY Canigydd, edited by the Welsh poet,John Owen (Owain Alaw), published inWrexham, Wales, during 1860.^[8] A second edition titled in EnglishGems of Welsh Melody, containing Welsh and English lyrics was published inRuthin, Wales, during 1862.^[9][10] The song was published in Volume II of the 1862 collectionWelsh Melodies with the Welsh lyrics by the Welsh poetJohn Jones (Talhaiarn) and the English lyrics byThomas Oliphant, President of the Madrigal Society. Another source attributes the Welsh words to the poetJohn Ceiriog Hughes, saying that they were first published during 1890, and that English words were first published during 1893, but this is clearly predated by the earlier publications;^[1] and in the case of Ceiriog's Welsh-language lyrics for the tune, they are to be found many years earlier, in Brinley Richards (ed.),The Songs of Wales (1873).

"Men of Harlech" is widely used as a regimental march, especially byBritish Army andCommonwealth regiments historically associated withWales. Notably, it is the slow march of theWelsh Guards, the quick march of theRoyal Welsh,Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the march of theRoyal Canadian Hussars (Montreal),The Governor General's Horse Guards, andThe Ontario Regiment, for which it is the slow march. Men of Harlech is also commonly used as a march-past song within theRoyal Canadian Air Cadets program.

It was first used for cinema during the titles ofHow Green Was My Valley (1941) and has featured in a number of other films. It is best known for its prominent role in the 1964 filmZulu, although the version of lyrics sung in it was written specially for the film. It is sung twice (once completely) in the film (the British open fire on the chargingZulus before the start of the final couplet), in counterpoint to the Zulu war chants and the pounding of their shields. Film editorJohn Jympson cut the scene to the song so that on either side of cuts where the British soldiers cannot be heard, the song is in the correct relative position. The song is also heard in the filmZulu Dawn, which is about theBattle of Isandlwana.

Rick Rescorla, Chief of Security forMorgan Stanley'sWorld Trade Center office, sang aCornish adaptation of "Men of Harlech" with abullhorn, along with other anthems, to keep employee spirits high while they evacuated during theSeptember 11 attacks. After helping save more than 2,700 employees he returned to the towers to evacuate others until the towers collapsed on him.^[11][12]

"Men of Harlech" was used as part of the startup music forITV television stationTeledu Cymru during the early 1960s and, until April 2006,^[13] inFritz Spiegl's "BBC Radio 4 UK Theme".

From 1996 to 1999, HTV Wales used part of the song for Wales Tonight.

Adapted versions are sung by fans of several Welsh football clubs and as school or college songs around the world. There is a humorous parody known variously as "National Anthem of the Ancient Britons" and "Woad", written some time before 1914 by William Hope-Jones.^[14]

Bryn Terfel recorded "Men of Harlech" for his 2000 albumWe'll Keep a Welcome.^[15]

Classical arrangements includeFranz Joseph Haydn's Hob. XXXIb:2 and the final movement ofEdward German's Welsh Rhapsody (1904).William Thomas Best wrote a fantasia for organ based on the tune.

There are many versions of "Men of Harlech", and there is no single accepted English version. The version below was published in 1873.

An earlier version is thus:-

Source:^[16]

• Rick Rescorla § September 11, 2001

• "Men of Harlech" at theVolkslieder, German & Other Folk Songs Homepage

EnglishWikisource has original text related to this article:

Men of Harlech

• "Men of Harlech - Slow March of the Welsh Guards" onYouTube
• Free typeset sheet music—various arrangements fromCantorion.org
• Men of Harlech—various versions of lyrics
• English version of John Hughes (Ceiriog) lyrics
• Royal Regiment of Wales' Band singing "Men of Harlech" (2.68MiB MP3)—recording, usingJohn Guard lyrics, in the church at Rorke's Drift, South Africa on the 120th anniversary of the Battle of Rorke's Drift.
• Men of Harlech public domain audiobook atLibriVox

• 18th-century songs
• Cardiff City F.C.
• Association football songs and chants
• British military marches
• Royal Welsh
• Welsh Guards
• Welsh patriotic songs
• Wrexham A.F.C.
• Welsh regiments of the British Army

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