In the first half of the nineteenth century, Holyhead experienced considerable growth and improvements to the town infrastructure thanks to the growing importance of its port. The completion of Thomas Telford’s Holyhead to London postroad, the…

Residents of Holyhead fondly remember Pollecoff’s department and drapery store for its ‘elegance and quality’. Its owner, Solomon Polliakoff, was born in Russia in 1867. He emigrated to the United Kingdom to escape persecution and to better himself…

In the decade 1912-1923, continuous waves of events impacted Irish society, including the 1913 Lockout, the First World War, the 1916 Easter Rising, the Spanish flu, the War of Independence, Anglo-Irish treaty, partition, Civil War and finally the…

Billy lived in Holyhead in the nineteenth century. He was a young man affected by paraplegia in a time when society still operated under conventional notions of ‘perfection,’ and of the many important stories presented in the invaluable Holyhead:…

Gareth Huws sat down with Ports, Past and Present and shared the story of Margaret, Lady Stanley (neé Owen), the last heiress of the Owen family, an old local dynasty who by the mid-eighteenth century had lost much of their political influence and…

Gareth Huws sat down with Ports, Past and Present and shared the story how he and a friend found first employment in the mess and the galley on one of the Holyhead mail ships. It turns out that sometimes it is a good thing to be in a mess.

Gareth Huws sat down with Ports, Past and Present to talk about the history of the breakwater quarry at the foot of Holyhead Mountain and the day the town celebrated Queen Victoria's visit with a mighty explosion.

Park warden Wil Stewart sat down with Ports, Past and Present and talked about the fascinating origins of the country park and what prospective visitors can expect to find here, ranging from wildlife over spectacular views across the coast to public…

Cynefin, cynefinoedd habitat, accustomed, conversant, familiar, intimate Hiraeth grief, homesickness, longing, nostalgia, wistfulness -Geiriadur Prifysgol Bangor University Cynefin. Roots. Familiarity. The pull that breeds Hiraeth…

We are Dan and Bethan Jones and we are the owners of Bragdy Cybi, a micro-brewery in Holyhead. We moved to Holyhead in 2006 when Dan was relocated by his employer. Dan losing his job in 2019 was the catalyst for us to become self-employed and…